Madison Gordon
Disney's "Snow White," starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, is now in theaters nationwide.
Originally released in 1937 and deriving from the 1812 Brothers Grimm fairytale, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was the first feature-length animated film in the United States, changing the game of animation. Over 80 years later, it continues to be one of the greatest cinematic hits; it’s no surprise when word of a remake was heard, fans were curious to see how it would play out.
However, the remake sparked major controversy surrounding the cast members, including Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen, and Rachel Zegler, who portrays Snow White herself. Creative decisions made for the movie have not been safe from backlash either.
When announced who was to play Snow White, fans had strong opinions, as they believed that Zegler –who comes from Colombian descent– could not play the role, as she was not white. However, this was not the only backlash she received, as she was majorly criticized for calling the original film outdated. Zegler stated that the remake would be more modernized, rather than keeping the original story line.
“Walt Disney himself was against remakes, so it goes against his wishes,” freshman Kathryn Schmidt-Peña said. “I say that it is an honor to play a Disney princess, and it is not right for her to play the role based on what she said.”
Gadot herself received criticism of her own, due to her pro-Israel views being seen as problematic, particularly because of the current Israel-Palestine conflict. On the other hand, Zegler has also made several political statements and has been vocal on her support towards Palestine, stirring tension between the actresses.
“Everyone should be entitled to their political opinions without it having to interfere with their work,” an anonymous student said. “Separate the art from the artist.”
Students were also quick to comment on Disney’s decision to have non-dwarf actors on screen and instead, use CGI.
“Disney should have listened to its audience, as there are a lot of talented little people,” Schmidt-Peña said.
Several students are not big fans of live action remakes and believe they should not be a thing.
“They should make new movies with new characters at this point; they are changing the original storylines anyways,” a second anonymous student said.