“Walt would also very much disagree”: Original Snow White Director’s Son Calls Rachel Zegler Remake a “Disgrace”
Rachel Zegler got plenty of plaudits for her role in West Side Story, an adaptation of the 1957 musical of the same name. But her next big adaptation – titled Snow White – is getting smashed left, right, and center for different reasons.
The live-action adaptation of the 1937 Disney animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is still many months away from releasing but details emerging around the way the Marc Webb-directed movie will be presented are causing a lot of debates.
The classic was based on the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm and follows the story of Princess Snow White who gets embroiled in trouble thanks to her power-hungry stepmother. However, reactions nowadays regarding the movie appear to be more resentful than the queen’s feelings toward Snow White.
Read more: “Stop with the remakes”: Snow White Live Action Remake Reveals Trailer Sneak Peek, Fans Enraged
Rachel Zegler’s Snow White Receives Backlash From the Son of the Original Movie’s Director
First and foremost, many conservative Snow White fans aren’t happy with Disney’s decision to cast Latina star Rachel Zegler, as the character is described as “fairest in the land” in the original story. But that’s not the only change that has irked many individuals.
Zegler recently insisted her Snow White will have a different personality from the original princess. The 22-year-old told Variety: “She’s not going to be dreaming about true love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and the leader that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave, and true.”
She further insisted that the Snow White of yesteryears is dated when it comes to the ideas of women and suggested her movie would look to steer away from emphasizing the relationship between her and the guy “who literally stalks her.”
David Hand, who is the son of the animator and one of the directors of the classic, also named David Hand, has criticized the remake for going the woke route and believes some people misunderstand Walt Disney’s 1937 movie.
He said: “I mean, it’s a whole different concept, and I just totally disagree with it, and I know my dad and Walt would also very much disagree with it. I think it’s pathetic that people feel that way… these are art forms in the world of film today.”
Hand added that the original film was done with “good taste” and it was a “disgrace” that Disney is trying to change something that was such a great success in the past.
What Peter Dinklage Said About Rachel Zegler’s Snow White
While some deduce that Disney’s thoughts are “radical” because they are making so many politically correct changes, some at the opposite end of the spectrum (progressive) have other concerns.
Last year, Game of Thrones icon Peter Dinklage bashed Disney for their “f*cking backwards” project. He told podcaster, Marc Maron:
“I was a little taken aback by [the fact] 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. You’re progressive in one way but you’re still making that f*cking backward story of seven dwarves living in the cave. What the f*ck are you doing, man? Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soapbox? I guess I’m not loud enough.”
Disney responded by saying they are taking a different approach with the seven characters. Moreover, to avoid reinforcing stereotypes, magical creatures would replace the seven dwarves.
Read more: Game of Thrones: Peter Dinklage Admits That Final Season Offended a Lot of People
Source: The Telegraph
