Snow White movie controversy explained: Why Disney is trying to downplay Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot-starrer ahead of premiere | Hollywood News

Disney won’t be rolling out a glitzy red carpet for its highly-awaited Snow White remake. The reason? The upcoming film is mired in controversy, largely because of its lead stars Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot. According to Variety, Disney’s scaled-back premiere event will still include a pre-party and screening at the El Capitan Theatre on March 15. But unlike the studio’s usual extravaganzas, the premiere won’t be jam-packed with journals. Instead, only limited photographers and mostly in-house crews will be in attendance.
Also read: Snow White trailer: Menacing Gal Gadot challenges Rachel Zegler’s Disney Princess, watch here
Controversy surrounds Rachel Zegler’s casting as Snow White
While Disney has stayed quiet on the backlash, the decision to make the premiere a low-key event seems to be a response to months of online outrage. Some self-proclaimed Disney “purs” took issue with Zegler, a Latina actor, playing the beloved ‘fair-skinned’ princess. Others also questioned Zegler for referring to the 1937 animated original as “dated” for featuring a character who “literally” stalks Snow White.
Story continues below this ad

Despite calls for recasting, Zegler doubled down on her stance at D23 in 2022. She told the crowd that this new version of Snow White isn’t about waiting for a prince to save the day. “She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be,” Zegler said. While some applauded her point of view, others accused Disney of rewriting iconic characters just to tick boxes. Speaking to Vogue Mexico earlier this year, Zegler addressed the criticism, “I interpret people’s sentiments towards this film as passion,” she said. “What an honour to be part of something people feel so strongly about.”
The ‘Seven Dwarfs’ debate
Earlier, Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage criticised Disney’s decision to reimagine Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In a podcast appearance with Marc Maron, Dinklage said, “They were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White, but you’re still telling the story of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.’ Take a step back and look at what you’re doing there.”
Politics in play
Some say the behind-the-scenes drama is more interesting than the actual film. Zegler and Gadot find themselves on opposite sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Zegler supports Palestine. Meanwhile, Gadot, who is Israeli, is a vocal supporter of Israel. According to Variety, Gadot recently gave an emotional speech at the Anti-Defamation League’s summit on March 4, condemning those who celebrated the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Gadot has typically steered clear of political conversations, but she says the events of October changed that. Meanwhile, Zegler’s pro-Palestine posts have also drawn criticism. According to Variety, Just last month, pro-Palestinian protesters staged a protest outside the Captain America: Brave New World premiere, criticising Marvel for introducing Sabra, an Israeli superhero.Story continues below this ad
Snow White release
Despite the controversy, Disney is pushing ahead with the release. The Marc Webb-directed Snow White hits theaters on March 21. Its trailer, released earlier this year, has already pulled in over 11.8 million views on YouTube.