She will be joined by former Miss Israel, Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman 1984, Death on the Nile), who will portray the Evil Queen, and by Broadway actor Andrew Burnap in a new male role that has been created specifically for this new version of the classic fairytale, which was Walt Disney Animation Studios’ first feature-length film in 1937.
Recently, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has come under fire from both fans and Game of Thrones alum Peter Dinklage. Dinklage has expressed concern regarding the “backwards” direction of casting a Latina leading lady, while still telling a story about “seven dwarfs living in a cave together.”
The 52-year-old Tyrion Lannister actor, who is himself a dwarf, shared:
“…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. I don’t know which studio that is but they were so proud of it. All love and respect to the actress and all the people who thought they were doing the right thing. But I’m just like, what are you doing?”
Now, Zegler is speaking out about another sensitive topic, this time regarding her West Side Story costar Ansel Elgort. Per People:
In June 2020, Elgort was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in 2014 when he was 20. The woman (a Twitter user named Gabby who shared the claims on social media) also alleged that he tried to solicit nude photos from her at the time and asked to have a threesome.
“We made a movie two and a half years ago, and a lot has gone on in the world since then. A lot has changed very publicly, and privately as well. There’s been a lot of awakening,” she told the outlet. “You just hope that the people involved are okay, that they are asked in a respectful manner and that they are given the opportunity to answer for themselves.”
Per People‘s report, Rita Moreno (Valentina) — who also famously played Anita in the 1961 version of West Side Story — has also weighed in on the controversy surrounding the Steven Spielberg film. She shared many scenes with Elgort and noted, “I think it would have been absolutely horrendous and wrong for anyone to take sides in that matter. It’s not for me to make those judgments.”
At this time no charges have officially been filed against Elgort.
Directed by Academy Award® winner Steven Spielberg, from a screenplay by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award® winner Tony Kushner, “West Side Story” tells the classic tale of fierce rivalries and young love in 1957 New York City. This reimagining of the beloved musical stars Ansel Elgort (Tony); Ariana DeBose (Anita); David Alvarez (Bernardo); Mike Faist (Riff); Brian d’Arcy James (Officer Krupke); Corey Stoll (Lieutenant Schrank); Josh Andrés Rivera (Chino); with Rita Moreno (as Valentina, who owns the corner store in which Tony works); and introducing Rachel Zegler (Maria.) Moreno – one of only three artists to be honored with Academy®, Emmy®, GRAMMY®, Tony® and Peabody Awards – also serves as one of the film’s executive producers. Bringing together the best of both Broadway and Hollywood, the film’s creative team includes Kushner, who also served as an executive producer;
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Credit: 20th Century Studios
