• Well before its March 21 release in theaters, Disney’s live-action Snow White movie has dealt with many online detractors
• Star Rachel Zegler has attributed the strong opinions to fans’ “passion” for the character
• Multiple outlets reported that Disney scaled back premiere plans for the film, which had its release date postponed by a year during the strikes

Disney’s reimagining of Snow White has fans buzzing with excitement about the animation-to-live-action leap, but the film has also faced its fair share of backlash.

Well before Snow White, starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, hits theaters March 21, it has been targeted for its story changes and what some feel is a negatively “woke” approach to the character — the first Disney Princess, who was introduced in the company’s first-ever animated feature, 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Zegler, 23, has spoken out about the backlash, which has also included criticism of Snow White’s look and more. In a recent interview with Vogue Mexico, the actress said, “I interpret people’s feelings about this film as their passion for [the Snow White character] and what an honor to be a part of something that people are so passionate about.”

“We are not always going to have the same feelings as everyone around us and all that we can do is do our best,” Zegler added.

Read on for more about the controversy surrounding Snow White.

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An official synopsis for the new Snow White reads, “Once upon a time, there was a kingdom on the edge of a magical forest where beauty and light filled the air. The kingdom was governed by a kind and virtuous king and queen, who were the parents of a daughter named Snow White. Following the queen’s untimely death, the king remarries, and while Snow White’s new stepmother is graced with poise and beauty, she has an evil heart and despises her new stepdaughter.”

“Before long, the Evil Queen has assumed leadership of the kingdom, manifesting her cruel nature. And when her magic mirror reveals that Snow White is the fairest in all the land, she is furious, and quickly devises a scheme to get rid of the princess,” it continues.

Snow White then “flees the castle to escape the wrath of the Evil Queen, where she comes across some woodland creatures who lead her to a picturesque cottage in the woods. The cottage is home to Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy and Sneezy, who spend their days digging for jewels in the nearby mines.”

The synopsis concludes, “It is in this magical forest that she encounters Jonathan, a young man eager to defy the monarchy. Jonathan, who is captivated by her beauty and kindness, joins forces with her magical friends, empowering Snow White to find her voice and the strength and courage to face the Evil Queen.”

In a notes shared with press, director Marc Webb said it was “really important” for those behind the new movie, written by Erin Cressida Wilson (The Girl on the Train), “to honor the DNA of Snow White,” adding, “The original Snow White didn’t break the mold … it created the mold. Somehow, Walt Disney connects to something inside of us, a kind of childlike wonder and optimism.”

“But there was also an opportunity to re-tell the mythology to reflect the times that we’re in, and I think all good stories evolve over time,” added Webb, 50. “They become reflections of the world that we live in and what we want the world to be to a degree.”

Following her casting announcement in 2022, Zegler dealt with racist backlash over her playing the Disney Princess while being of Latinx background. (Zegler is of Colombian and Polish descent.)

She later said in a 2024 interview with Variety that Snow White’s name has a different origin story in the new film than the original animated Disney movie — which, along with the 19th century Grimms fairy tale, describes the character as having “skin as white as snow.”

“It fell back to another version of Snow White that was told in history, where she survived a snowstorm that occurred when she was a baby,” the actress said. “And so the king and queen decided to name her Snow White to remind her of her resilience.”

The West Side Story star faced criticism once again during 2022’s D23 Expo, where she described the original movie as “dated” and added that Prince Charming “literally stalks” Snow White.

In her recent interview with Vogue Mexico, Zegler explained, “It’s very important for the public to know that Disney has found this beautiful and delicate balance between the 1937 animated classic that everyone knows and loves, and at the same time, introduces it to this new generation.”

Snow White has also been called out by Peter Dinklage, who was born with a form of dwarfism called achondroplasia. He accused Disney of “hypocrisy” over the upcoming film, citing the fairy tale’s “backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together.”

“Literally no offense to anyone, but I was a little taken aback — they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White,” he said. “But you’re still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Take a step back and look at what you’re doing there. It makes no sense to me.”

Added the Game of Thrones alum, 55, “You’re progressive in one way but then you’re still making that f—ing backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together, what the f— are you doing, man? Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soap box? I guess I’m not loud enough.”

Disney addressed Dinklage’s criticisms in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter. A spokesperson told the outlet, “To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters and have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community.”

They added, “We look forward to sharing more as the film heads into production after a lengthy development period.”

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In a 2023 interview with The Telegraph, David Hand — the son of one of the co-directors of the animated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, who was also named David Hand — slammed the new movie as lacking “respect” for the original.

Hand, 93, told The Telegraph, per Entertainment Weekly, “It’s a whole different concept, and I just totally disagree with it.” He also called it a “disgrace” that the live-action treatment is “trying to do something new with something that was such a great success earlier.”

“Their thoughts are just so radical now. They change the stories, they change the thought process of the characters. … They’re making up new woke things, and I’m just not into any of that,” Hand said.

Snow White’s release date was delayed by a year amid the 2023 actors’ strike, per The Hollywood Reporter, and it will have pared-down red carpet premieres amid the film’s controversies, per Variety. The first social media reactions from audiences will drop at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 15, while the review embargo for critics is lifted Wednesday, March 19, at 3 p.m. ET.

Rumors of a rift between Zegler and Gadot, 39, have bubbled up, though the two appeared at D23 together last year and, more recently, presented at the 2025 Academy Awards on March 2.

Zegler chatted with fellow Disney Princess Halle Bailey, who played Ariel in the 2023 live-action Little Mermaid, for Variety that same year, where they discussed handling criticism.

“Choosing thankfulness and gratefulness is choosing peace,” Zegler said at the time. “As much as you’d like to remind people verbally that being in the spotlight doesn’t absolve you of your humanity — that you’re allowed to have human moments — it doesn’t necessarily do what you want it to do. It fuels them more. So it’s choosing to be present and know that they’re probably just having a really hard day. And I’m putting out a movie.”

Continued Zegler, “I feel so thankful for those moments because it started to make me feel like solid Teflon. That nothing can hurt anymore because they’ve said the worst that can be said. You just say, ‘Thank you so much for this. I have a lot of love in my life, and I’m very thankful.’ ”

“We get to do our work and have that speak for itself instead,” Zegler added.

Snow White is in theaters March 21.