Credit: Edited by Inside the MagicActress Rachel Zegler has made a major change in how she’s approaching public comments with the iconic Disney princess Snow White.
Last year, Rachel Zegler went viral when she was discussing the part of Snow White and drew the ire of many fans when she said the character would not be saved by a prince and that it was “no longer 1937.”
“I just mean that it’s no longer 1937,” Zegler said. “We absolutely wrote a ‘Snow White’ that … she’s not going to be saved by the prince, and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love; she’s going to be dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave and true.”
Amid these comments and the flurry of backlash that Disney received over reported changes to the film, the company ultimately elected to put the movie on the back burner and release it in 2025 rather than 2024. Since this change, Zegler has turned her comments around and, just recently, had more to say about the upcoming film.
“It’s been amazing to work alongside Disney to breathe life into such an iconic fairy tale… Of course, she’s an iconic Disney princess, and so a lot of those iconic beauty moments for her are still scattered throughout the film,” she told Gotham Magazine.
This is the second major interview in which Zegler shared her thoughts on playing the princess since the determination that the film would be delayed. In both, there have been different talking points compared to what was said previously.
“The cartoon is so beloved. It was the first feature-length cartoon movie. It won honorary Oscars. And all these amazing things that happened for that film are the reason that you and I get to sit here today, because it made Disney what it is. Obviously, that’s come with a lot of pressure that I’ve put on myself,” Zegler said in a Variety piece. “Much like Hunger Games, there’s a very dedicated group of people who love Disney cartoons. I’m one of them. I love everything that the Disney Co. has put out in the past 100 years. So how do you put little baby Rachel at ease with what you’re doing in your career? How is it that you come to this role and make little Rachel proud? That was really what I used to fuel my emotion on that set. Because all the pictures are out there of little me in my Snow White gown.”
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) holds a paramount significance in the history of The Walt Disney Company, marking its inaugural venture into feature-length animation. At the time of its release, animated films were considered a risky investment, and many doubted the feasibility of producing a full-length animated feature.
However, Walt Disney’s unwavering belief in the project, coupled with his innovative techniques such as the multiplane camera, paid off immensely. The success of Snow White not only solidified Disney’s position as a pioneer in animation but also revolutionized the entertainment industry, establishing animation as a legitimate and lucrative form of storytelling. The film’s unprecedented success not only saved Disney from financial ruin but also laid the foundation for the company’s future endeavors in animation and theme park entertainment.
Furthermore, the success of Snow White paved the way for Disney to produce a string of beloved animated classics, including Cinderella (1950), The Little Mermaid (1989), and The Lion King (1994), shaping the company’s identity for years to come.
What are your thoughts on the upcoming live-action Snow White movie? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!