The live-action reboot of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) is right around the corner, and it seems like they’ve nailed the casting of one of its leads: the Evil Queen.
Like the original animated adaptation of the Brothers Grimm fairytale, the new version of Snow White (which has dropped the “and the Seven Dwarfs” element of the title) is set to follow the young princess cursed by her wicked stepmother, the Evil Queen, who’s jealous of her beauty.

There’s been plenty of controversy around the adaptation over the past few weeks. Its leading lady – Rachel Zegler – sparked controversy after clips emerged of her from 2022 stating: “It’s no longer 1937. We absolutely wrote a Snow White that is not gonna be saved by the prince. And she’s not going to be dreaming about true love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be.”
The backlash has mainly been centered on the “pseudo-feminist” idea that women are worth less if they prioritize love and romance over “strong” attributes like leadership. Zegler has been criticized extensively on Twitter and TikTok, with fans also calling out her comments about not being paid properly for playing the iconic part – and some even calling for Walt Disney Studios to reshoot the entire Snow White remake with a different actress.

Needless to say, that’s not going to happen. Disney wrapped up filming last summer and has a release date set for March 2024. In the meantime, we’ve received a few more teasers of what to expect from this reimagined retelling of Snow White (which has been co-written by the writer and director of Barbie (2023), AKA the biggest hit of the year). Namely, what to expect from its villain.
In an interview with GQ, Gal Gadot opened up about her casting as Disney’s oldest villain, the Evil Queen. “It was the first time I had to kind of audition for a project in a while,” she said. “They needed to make sure I can sing because this is a musical. So, for a month, I was working on the song, and then I auditioned, and we filmed the song, and I got the part, and it was very exciting.”

The Wonder Woman star also revealed to People that she has plenty of support for playing the iconic villain – from her oldest daughter, of all people. Her daughter originally thought she was playing Snow White. However, when she found out that Gadot was, in fact, playing the Evil Queen, she remarked, “Oh, how appropriate.”
While it may not be the kind of endorsement one dreams of receiving from their child, at least it’s a pretty positive sign for us as the audience. Catch Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen in her villainous debut alongside Zegler in Snow White on March 22, 2024.
Are you excited to see Gal Gadot take on the role of the Evil Queen? Let us know your hopes for Snow White in the comments!