What Went Wrong with Disney’s Snow White Live Action Remake – A Detailed Timeline
Disney’s live-action Snow White faced multiple controversies ahead of its March 21 release. Issues range from racist attacks against lead actress Rachel Zegler, debates over the portrayal of the seven dwarfs, and controversy surrounding Gal Gadot’s political stance. These concerns led to a scaled-back premiere on March 15, with limited press access. Below is a timeline of the key controversies throughout the film’s production.
October 2016
The Hollywood Reporter announced a live-action adaptation of Disney’s classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). The project brings together screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson, songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul for new musical numbers, and veteran producer Marc Platt (known for Wicked and Ben).
June 2021
The casting of Rachel Zegler as Snow White sparked controversy among certain Disney fans who criticised the choice of a Latina actress for the role. This reaction mirrors previous responses to diverse casting choices, including Halle Bailey in The Little Mermaid (2023) and the discussion around LGBTQ+ representation in Beauty and the Beast (2017).
November 4 2021
Gal Gadot is cast as the Evil Queen.
January 14 2022
In an interview on WTF with Marc Maron, Peter Dinklage expressed concerns about the film’s portrayal of the seven dwarfs, describing it as regressive storytelling.
January 25, 2022
In response to Dinklage’s critique, Disney issued a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, committing to a reimagined approach for the seven characters. The company emphasised its ongoing consultation with the dwarfism community to ensure sensitive representation, noting that the project remains in development, with more details to be shared as production approaches.
January 28, 2022
After Dinklage voiced his concerns, several actors from the dwarf community expressed differing views. WWE performer Dylan Postl (Hornswoggle) expressed concerns to the Daily Mail, stating that such decisions could limit already scarce acting opportunities for their community. Similarly, Netflix’s GLOW actress Katrina Kemp viewed it as a lost chance to create meaningful roles for little people actors who would have welcomed the opportunity.
July 15, 2023
Rachel Zegler has responded to criticism about her casting in a tweet: “Extremely appreciative of the love I feel from those defending me online, but please don’t tag me in the nonsensical discourse about my casting. I really, truly do not want to see it. So I leave you with these photos! I hope every child knows they can be a princess no matter what.” The tweet includes photos of Zegler as a child dressed as various Disney princesses, including Snow White.
October 27, 2023
Due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, Disney had to reschedule the film’s release to March 2025, delaying it by one year. The studio has released a preview image showing that the seven dwarfs will be rendered as CGI characters.
August 10, 2024
The film’s release generated public discussion after its teaser trailer debut. The discourse centred around the lead actress’s previous statements about international affairs. Gal Gadot’s background includes service in her home country’s military, and she has expressed her views on current events.
August 12, 2024
Meanwhile, Zegler expresses gratitude to her supporters on social media, sharing a message of solidarity with Palestine.
October 2, 2024
According to a Variety interview, the new film reimagines the origin of Snow White’s name – instead of referring to her skin colour, it commemorates her survival of a snowstorm as a baby, symbolising her resilience.
November 14, 2024
After Trump’s re-election, actress Rachel Zegler made controversial comments on Instagram against Trump supporters, drawing criticism from Megyn Kelly and others. She later apologised for her emotional response.
February 21, 2025
Disney has announced the voice cast for the CGI seven dwarfs in their upcoming Snow White film. The roles will be performed by Andrew Barth Feldman (Dopey), Tituss Burgess (Bashful), George Salazar (Happy), Jason Kravits (Sneezy), Andy Grotelueschen (Sleepy), and Jeremy Swift (Doc). The role of Grumpy will be played by Martin Klebba, an actor with dwarfism who was previously announced for the part.
March 11, 2025
According to Variety, Disney decided to limit access at the March 15 Los Angeles film premiere. The red carpet would be restricted to photographers and Disney’s own interviewers, with external journalists not permitted to attend.
March 12, 2025
Martin Klebba, who voices Grumpy, expressed his feelings to the New York Post regarding the scaled-back premiere plans. “I’m not disappointed in Disney. I’m disappointed in the world,” the actor stated.
March 14, 2025
According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter, actor Martin Klebba suggested the premiere event was downsized due to potential public reactions and ongoing controversies. However, a Disney insider told People that the afternoon family event format was the original plan, consistent with Disney’s approach to other family film premieres.
March 15, 2025
At the Los Angeles premiere, stars Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot joined forces on the red carpet, sharing the spotlight with the creative team, including producers Marc Platt and Jared LeBof, director Marc Webb, and award-winning songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
March 21, 2025
Disney’s Snow White hit theaters with mixed results. Despite leading the box office, the film’s $43 million domestic opening fell short of expectations. Critical reception has been tepid, with the movie earning just 42% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, Rachel Zegler’s portrayal of the titular character has received widespread acclaim.
In a recent Instagram post, Zegler shared her gratitude for the Snow White production team, mentioning several key members, including Andrew Burnap (her prince), director Marc Webb and his assistant, the first AD, and even “Conor from props.” Notably absent from her acknowledgments was co-star Gal Gadot, adding another layer to the ongoing discussion surrounding the film.
March 25, 2025
Variety reporter Tatiana Siegel published a controversial article about Snow White, critiquing Rachel Zegler’s political statements while portraying Gal Gadot more sympathetically. The piece notably omits coverage of the racist harassment Zegler faced, including reported incidents outside her apartment.
According to reports, when Zegler made a social media post supporting Palestine, producer Marc Platt traveled to New York for a direct conversation, though she maintained her position and kept the post online. Following her posts about Trump, Disney reportedly brought in a social media specialist to monitor the actress’s online presence. The incident has led to increased support from fans, with her original post now reaching over 5.6 million views since the story broke in Variety.
March 26, 2025
Former Scream actress Melissa Barrera expresses solidarity with Rachel Zegler through an Instagram Story post. Following her own dismissal from the franchise due to Palestine-related statements, Barrera also draws attention to three Variety articles that labeled her comments as “hate speech,” noting they shared the same author, Siegel.
Marc Platt’s son Jonah (brother of Ben Platt) made a statement defending his father’s actions in an Instagram comment. He explained that his father traveled across the country to address an issue with a young actor who had mixed personal politics with movie promotion obligations under a lucrative contract. Jonah attributed the movie’s underwhelming performance to these promotional complications, expressing concern for crew members’ livelihoods – though it should be mentioned that crew compensation typically isn’t tied to box office results. He ended his statement by suggesting that narcissistic behavior shouldn’t be encouraged.
Written by Mark Murphy Director