SHINING in a sparkling white gown, Rachel Zegler looked every inch the fairytale princess at the low-ley launch this week for Disney’s remake of Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs.
But, heigh-ho, production chiefs are having a nightmare amid cries their £200million movie is too woke.
Fans of the original 1937 film are not happy with Disney’s remale[/caption]
Word has it this is why, instead of a London premiere ahead of the UK release here on Friday, it got a modest bash at a castle in Spain, with media coverage strictly limited.
The movie has come under fire over its portrayal of the dwarfs and not least their omission from the film’s title – simply Snow White.
Latina-American beauty Zegler, 23, has also riled diehards by slating the 1937 original film’s “outdated” image of the fairer sex, compared with the remake.
The West Side story star has made more waves with her remarks about Donald Trump and Palestine . . . and the film’s production has been one long slow-motion headache.
Take your seats as Grant Rollings brings you Snow White and its seven disasters . . .
BASHFUL PROMOTION
Snow White’s European premiere was held at a remote castle in northern Spain[/caption]
INSTEAD of the bright lights of London’s Leicester Square and a sea of flashbulbs and reporters, the scene for the new film’s European premiere was a remote castle in northern Spain.
Oh, which was said to be the inspiration for the original movie back in the Thirties.
And Zegler’s appearance at Segovia Castle was carefully choreographed, reportedly for fear the outspoken star might go off-message.
She sang the film’s first single, Waiting On A Wish, in front of a small, select audience and has largely been kept away from journalists.
It will be similar for tomorrow’s world premiere in LA, with tight control of media.
Cinema chains wanted more fanfare for this PG release, to help fill seats at a time when they are struggling.
But one industry insider told The Hollywood Reporter magazine: “They’ve been going through the motions on Snow White, all but saying, ‘We need to get this thing over with’.”
GRUMPY CO-STARS
WHEN Zegler and Snow White co-star Gal Gadot walked on stage to present an Oscar earlier this month they did not even glance at each other.
Wonder Woman actress Gadot, 39, who plays Snow White’s evil stepmother, served in the Israel Defence Forces for two years and has been vocal in support of her country.
Zegler and Gal Gadot, who plays Snow White’s evil stepmother, are on opposite sides politically[/caption]
After Hamas’s terror attack on civilians on October 7, 2023, which killed nearly 1,200 Israelis and saw 250 more taken hostage, she wrote: “I stand with Israel.”
But New Yorker Zegler has backed the other side in the conflict.
With the Snow White trailer posted on her social media, she added the message: “And always remember, free Palestine.”
A few days later, Gadot’s X account reposted a message from another user that read: “Trying to campaign on the head of your co-star, who actually lives through war, so you’ll look cooler with the kids, is pathetic”.
She later removed it.
DOCTORED DWARFS
THE original movie’s title is one of the most famous in the history of the silver screen – but, alas, for fans of the all-singing, all-marching seven dwarfs, they get no shout-out in the name of the new film.
Snow White, yes – but they, no.
Snow White’s companions are computer-generated in the new film[/caption]
Actors in the dwarfism community are also angry they were sidelined from roles in the big-budget production, as producers opted instead for computer-generated versions of Messers Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Happy, Sneezy, Grumpy and Sleepy.
Choon Tan, 31, said: “Disney is trying too hard to be politically correct, but in doing so it’s damaging our careers and opportunities.
“There really is nothing wrong casting someone with dwarfism as a dwarf.”
There was even talk of the film replacing the dwarfs with “magical creatures” representing a “diverse” group of races, sizes and genders.
Instead, bosses went for more traditional styling.
Meanwhile, Game Of Thrones actor Peter Dinklage, called the film “backward” for still showing “dwarfs living in a cave” like in the original.
SNEEZY AT ORIGINAL
FANS of Snow White love the escapism of Disney’s 1937 musical fantasy classic, where birds and beasts, and a dashing prince, flock to help the beleaguered princess.
But Zegler is too much of a feminist to swoon and feint, calling it “extremely dated when it comes to ideas of women,” and adding: “People are making jokes about ours being the PC Snow White, where it’s like, yeah, it is – because it needed that.”
She even went as far as to call the handsome prince a “stalker.”
In an 2022 interview, when the new film started shooting, Zegler said: “The original cartoon came out in 1937 – and very evidently so.
“There’s a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird. So we didn’t do that this time.”
UK journalists have not yet been given a preview of the remake but Zegler teases that Snow White will be shown in a heroic light.
DOEPY ATTACK
BASEBALL-capped “Make America Great Again” cheerleaders for Donald Trump have been quick to blacklist anyone who dares criticise their man.
So Zegler has been playing with fire by taking swings at the Donald.
Zegler has taken aim at Donald Trump[/caption]
In November, after he returned as US President, the actress posted on Instagram: “May Trump supporters and Trump voters and Trump himself never know peace.
“Another four years of hatred, leaning us towards a world I do not want to live in.”
She then followed it up by describing Trump voters as a “foolish subscription to a false sense of security, of masculinity, of intelligence, of patriotism, and of humanity.”
There was an immediate backlash on social media with many vowing to swerve Snow White.
Zegler later apologised, saying: “I let my emotions get the best of me.”
SLEEPY PRODUCTION
IN the trailer, Snow White asks the dwarfs, “Can you point me in the right direction?”
But the movie’s production has been a long and winding road, with bosses often unsure which way to turn next.
The Snow White remake was nine years in the making and began filming in March 2022[/caption]
The remake of the company’s most famous princess movie has been NINE YEARS in the making and did not start shooting until March 2022.
It was meant to be filmed in Canada and Los Angeles but, following Covid delays, switched to the UK at Pinewood Studios, Bucks.
Tens of millions in tax breaks given to the production by the UK government, to boost our film industry, doubtless played a role.
But filming was then held up after a huge blaze on set at Pinewood before the cameras had even started rolling.
An insider revealed the producers also kept changing their minds about visual effects.
They said of the film: “It’s been a nightmare to work on – new ideas all the time.”
Filming was mainly wrapped up by July 2022 but some scenes dragged on until June last year.
UNHAPPY REACTION
EVEN before she started mouthing off about Trump, the Middle East and the golden age of cinema, Zegler has been on the receiving end of some cruel trolling about the colour of her skin.
Some fans of the original Snow White movie – and the 1812 German fairytale by the Brothers Grimm upon which it is based – were shocked and unhappy that Disney high command had cast an actress who did not have the fabled “skin as white as snow”.
Since her casting, Zegler has been on the receiving end of some cruel trolling about the colour of her skin[/caption]
Zegler’s mum is of Colombian descent, her dad of Polish heritage – but she fired a furious broadside at critics by saying she was not going to “bleach” her skin for her big-screen role as the princess.
Meanwhile, she also claims Snow White was, in fact, given the name by her parents because of her “resilience”.
Zegler said: “She survived a snow- storm which occurred when she was a baby, so the king and queen decided to name her Snow White.”
Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club.
