Los Angeles, California - The long-awaited live-action adaptation of Snow White is set to hit theaters soon, but with lingering controversy surrounding the , Disney has opted to scale back its debut.
The live-action adaptation of Snow White is set to hit theaters, but with lingering controversy surrounding the movie, Disney has opted to scale back its debut. © IMAGO / Landmark Media
Instead of the typical, lavish red carpet premierein Los Angeles, there will only be a quiet, more laid-back pre-party for the film on Saturday.
As reported by , Disney wants to avoid having the main stars walk the red carpet and field questions from fans and reporters.
Instead, the company has selected a smaller group of photographers and media representatives to attend.
Disney has faced a fair amount of backlash surrounding the movie – stemming from both its leading cast members and the contents of the film – which has likely led to the decision.
Rachel Zegler (l.) portrays the titular princess in Disney's Snow White remake, while Gal Gadot stars as the Evil Queen. © IMAGO / Cinema Publishers Collection
Rachel Zegler, who is Latina, was hit with a wave of racist backlash for as Snow White, but she later faced criticism from dedicated Disney fans for calling the original film – which premiered in 1937 – "extremely dated."
The 23-year-old said her version of the princess would be focused on becoming "the leader she knows she can be" rather than finding her happy ending with Prince Charming.
Zegler has also made headlines with public support for the Palestinian people amid Israel's ongoing assault on the Gaza Strip, which has been by many human rights experts.
This has put her at odds with her co- Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen in the film, as the Wonder Woman actor is a staunch supporter of the Israeli military.
Additional scandal came from outside of the cast, as Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage against Disney's representation of little people in the movie.
"They were very proud to cast a Latino actress as Snow White, but you're still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," he said in 2022. "Take a step back and look at what you're doing there."
His criticism led the company to take a "different approach" to the characters.
Will the drama prove to be a poison apple for Snow White? Disney will find out when the film on March 21.
