Mirror Mirror on the wall, who’s the most controversial one of all?
Since the announcement of Disney’s newest live-action film, Snow White, the movie has been met with criticism in all directions, from casting to the depiction of the dwarves to some unsavory comments made by the actresses involved.
For those who may have missed it, Snow White’s controversy began at casting. Many voiced opinions about the “fairest princess of all” being played by a half-Colombian actress. Of all of the controversy surrounding the movie, it’s easiest to get this one out of the way first, as it’s by far the least valid, and Zegler’s resume speaks for itself in terms of the musical abilities necessary to play the role.
Where Zegler turned the cards against herself, however, was when she referred to the 1937 Snow White – the source material for the newest adaptation – as “weird” and “outdated”. Zegler even admitted in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that she was, “scared of the original cartoon” and had “only watched it once”, leading many to question if she was the correct choice to play the beloved leading lady. Zegler has since backpedaled on her comments, saying on Good Morning America on March 20, one day before the film’s premiere, that the role is a “beautiful opportunity” and an “honor”.
Aside from hiring what seems to be a loosely media-trained leading lady, Disney dug themselves into disputes over the handling of the depiction of the seven dwarves. In the final cut of the film, the dwarves are entirely CGI with voiceovers. Award-winning actor Peter Dinklage, an outspoken advocate for the dwarfism community, criticized Disney’s remake of the movie on a 2022 podcast with Marc Maron, calling it “backward”. The depiction of the dwarves was also criticized by comedian and actor Matt McCarthy, who told The New York Times that he and his wife who have dwarfism find opportunities “few and far between.” While Disney did clarify in a statement that they were taking a “different approach with these seven characters” and were “consulting with members of the dwarfism community,” this was barely enough to satisfy those who were concerned.
Concerning the newest evil stepmother and fairest-of-them-all princess in Hollywood, there is some real-life bad blood between the two. Gal Gadot, the Evil Queen, is an outspoken advocate of Israel in the current war, coming from Israeli heritage herself, whereas Zegler is a staunch supporter of the Free Palestine movement, even mentioning her stance in a tweet in which she shared the film’s trailer and added, “And always remember, free Palestine.” The two have been seen giving separate press tours for the film in recent months, and while it is not confirmed that this is the reason, it is highly suspected by many fans and viewers.
As for opening weekend, Snow White held a very reduced premiere, reflecting the tumultuous time it has had in the public eye the past three years. This isn’t to mention that the film was supposed to originally hit theatres in March of 2024, but was delayed a year due to poor reactions to the first cut and released trailers, which triggered subsequent scene reshoots and CGI adjustments. The premiere only saw hand-selected reporters and photographers, presumably to prevent any more blowouts so close to the film’s release date.
As for the first weekend at the box office, Snow White’s revenue matches its reviews: nothing spectacular. According to a report from AP, the film opened with $43 million in ticket sales. This scored below the already low estimate box-office analysts predicted prior to the weekend, with The New York Times predicting an estimated $45 million to $50 million at domestic theaters. An unimpressive $43 million is the lowest seen by a Disney live-action remake in 15 years, especially for a 210 million dollar project.
So, is it worth the watch? While the movie’s troubled journey may seem discouraging, reviews are mixed – which means you simply have to go see for yourself.