Latest news with #snowwhite
Metro
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Controversial Snow White remake finally hits Disney+ and fans are split
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video After behind-the-scenes clashes, public criticism, and tanking at the box office, the live-action Snow White has finally arrived on Disney Plus. It was meant to be the jewel in Disney's remake crown and modernise the beloved classic, but Snow White was a poisoned apple from the start. While critics largely praised leading lady Rachel Zegler as 'enchanting', the scandal that surrounded the release overtook any positives about the film itself. However, fans are now able to judge for themselves as it has landed on Disney's streaming service – and they're feeling a little split. Some declared it made them cry, while others branded it 'unfinishable', many viewers likely watching for the first time out of morbid curiosity as it flopped in cinemas. In March, amid all the controversy, the box office clawed back $205.5million (impressive until you consider the budget was around $270million). 'Oh my god, the evil queen's song in SNOW WHITE is one of the worst things I've ever heard in a musical,' slammed cinemattie on X. 'I just tried to watch the live action Snow White… I can't finish it. It's awful. I want to cry,' complained NotTodayZurg__. FloridaFlyer86 added: 'I got some paint drying on a wall. Think I'll watch that instead.' The response hasn't been all bad though, as many were praising the film (particularly focused on Rachel's performance as Snow White). 'I give 8/10 it was very different to the classic one it's more extended I did enjoy it tho,' said lewisjneal. I just watched the live action snow white movie. yes, Gal Gadot is as bad as everyone says,' added inpainla67. 'But Rachel Zegler reminded me why snow white is one of my favorite princesses. The ending made me cry.' A_mitchell1991 shared: '7/10 for me, definitely better than people made it out to be.' The film had trouble from the start, with problems seeming to come from all angles as Disney reportedly rolled back the scale of their London premiere. With just 40% on Rotten Tomatoes, the remake may have even stopped the controversial live-action remake push from Disney (not in time to pull Lilo and Stitch, though). After the mixed response, Tangled has 'been put on pause', according to insiders speaking to The Hollywood Reporter. Moana, set for release on July 10, 2026, is still thought to be in the works as one of Disney's biggest animated hits of recent years. Disney was facing pushback from fans as its slate appeared to be overwhelmingly focused on these remakes, with some even boycotting. However, Snow White was hit was even more controversy than the others – until maybe the bizarre choices made for the recently released Lilo and Stitch. First came the complaints that Rachel, 24, was a 'woke' casting choice given her Colombian heritage, echoing similar (distasteful) sentiments voiced over Halle Bailey's Ariel. The West Side Story star may have proved those naysayers wrong but this was just the start of the problems. Game Of Thrones star Peter Dinklage then branded the studio 'backwards' for still making a 'story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together'. Peter, 55, has a common form of dwarfism known as achondroplasia and asked Disney to 'take a step back and look at what you're doing'. As well as dropping half the film's original title, director Marc Webb opted to portray the characters using CGI – which was pulled apart when the Seven Dwarfs were first unveiled in the movie's teaser trailer – after erroneous reports that Disney would be using diverse 'magical creatures' instead. Pro-wrestler Hornswoggle, 39, as well as other actors, said ultimately the decision was detrimental to their careers as the roles would have traditionally gone to seven actors with the condition. Then came the girl boss-ification of Snow White herself – a common move in all the live-action remakes but garnered extra heat for Rachel. Snow White was 'not going to be dreaming about true love' anymore and rather 'becoming the leader she knows she can be and the leader that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave, and true'. Fans slammed Disney (and its leading lady) for the outdated feminism, which many felt turned its back on the core of who Snow White is in the original 1937 film. Finally, there was the boycott over the casting of Gal Gadot, an Israeli actress who has publicly advocated for Israel over the years. More Trending She has stated that 'killing innocent Palestinians is horrific', but mostly her public posts are about Israeli hostages, while Rachel was criticised for her support of Palestine. After an incredibly messy road to get here, Snow White's release was quickly forgotten in the wake of other remake missteps. Snow White will be available to watch on Disney Plus now. This article was originally published on June 5, 2025. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: One of the 'best' psychological thrillers of the 90s has just been added to Netflix MORE: Rachel Zegler's West End debut sparks controversy over shock move MORE: How to get 4 months of Disney+ for £1.99 a month in time for The Bear's new series
Middle East Eye
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Middle East Eye
Snow White actress celebrated for refusing to delete 'free Palestine' post
After an article reported that Rachel Zegler 'trashed' the production of Disney's Snow White due to her stance on Palestine, thousands online are applauding her vocal stance this week despite the pressures of working with Disney and former Israeli army soldier Gal Gadot. Disney's live-action version of its first animated princess film had a lacklustre opening weekend, garnering only $44.3m domestically and a 42 percent score from critics - making it the lowest-scoring major live-action Disney adaptation, according to Forbes. On Tuesday, Variety released the article 'Inside Disney's 'Snow White' Fiasco: Death Threats, Beefed-Up Security and a Social Media Guru for Rachel Zegler,' in which the first paragraph refers to Zegler tweeting 'and always remember, free palestine' in a thread thanking fans for getting the trailer to 120 million views in a day. and always remember, free palestine. — rachel zegler (she/her/hers) (@rachelzegler) August 12, 2024 The article continued to say that the tweet 'shocked' the studio and 'spiked' death threats to her Israeli co-star, Gadot, leading Disney to pay for additional security for the actress. The film's producer and Disney executive Marc Platt flew to New York to personally tell Zegler to take the tweet down. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The Variety reporter, who also wrote an article that criticised actress Melissa Berrera for her pro-Palestine advocacy, said that Zegler, who 'trashed the beloved original 'Snow White'," refused. Platt approached Zegler an additional time after she posted 'Fuck Donald Trump' and 'May trump supporters … never know peace' on Instagram, which eventually led to Platt requiring the actress to have a 'social media guru' to vet any posts of hers before the film's release on 21 March. Zegler's posts on Trump added another audience demographic, Trump supporters, who decided to boycott Snow White, in addition to pro-Palestine audience members who were boycotting the film for its inclusion of Gadot, and pro-Israel audience members for Zegler's firm stance on Palestine. ur boycotting snow white bc u hate rachel zegler and im boycotting snow white bc i hate gal gadot. we are not the same — izzy🍓 (@fbhslut) March 22, 2025 'Backfired' Although the journalist appeared to blame Zegler for the film's box office flop, that notion has "backfired" among pro-Palestine social media users, who say that the "hit piece just makes her look infinitely cooler." rachel zegler went up against the entire zionist disney franchise, with a whole IDF genocidal soldier as her costar and promoted her film while also saying free palestine - and is now attemtping to be blacklisted by hollywood... i never wanna see anyone speak ill on her again. — milk (@milkstrology) March 25, 2025 "Rachel Zegler had one of the most powerful producers in Hollywood fly out specifically to ask her to delete a tweet in support of Palestine and she refused. More backbone and integrity at 23 than 99% of powerful people in this country. A queen," one social media user posted on X, receiving more than 150 thousand likes. Many social media users have pointed out that, amongst the myriad of bad reviews that Snow White has received, her performance has consistently been praised in comparison to that of her co-star Gadot. I love how every review of this movie is literally just 'it's TERRIBLE so AWFUL made me want to DIE. But not you Rachel Zegler, you were AMAZING, we're not talking about you, you were the only good part of the movie, you did and incredible job' and honestly I love that for her — the tortured Noah department (@noahlevy13) March 21, 2025 "I think a lot of what the producers are trying to pin on Rachel Zegler's (very correct) decision to oppose genocide is that it's obvious the film is going to bomb, and they want to save Gal Gadot's career because they know that she, specifically, is the reason that it's going to bomb," journalist Heidi Moore posted on X. "It's a scapegoating campaign to cover their asses for low box office. They don't want to admit that Gal Gadot's wooden acting and genocidal floundering is turning their blockbuster into a flop." Social media users have also pointed out the apparent double standard, both in the Variety article and from Disney, in the treatment of Zegler's pro-Palestine and anti-Trump stances as opposed to Gadot's support for Israel and the Israeli forces, which she served in for two years. rachel zegler wasn't the problem with snow white. the problem was that it was bad and her co-star can't act. and speaking of said co-star, i fail to see how two words from rachel are any more 'political' than gal gadot being a former idf soldier - a fact curiously omitted here. — zoë rose bryant (@zoerosebryant) March 25, 2025 "It's not lost on me that Gal Gadot is allowed to give a lengthy speech about Israel and Zionism but Rachel Zegler writing 'Free Palestine' is immediately too political and should be looked down upon," one social media user wrote on X. "Obviously, we know the bias exists but these articles are brutal." Many online have argued that Zegler wouldn't have been used as a "scapegoat" for Snow White's poor performance if she had not been speaking about the Palestinian cause. "Everyone knows if she'd said something about Sudan, none of this would have happened," one social media user posted on X. "Only political messages about one particular foreign country end up causing all this browbeating, nagging, and handwringing." One social media user highlighted the irony of Zegler playing the role, a princess that is known for being the "fairest in the land". "So let me get this straight, they made her Snow White, a princess who fights and advocates for her people, but didn't expect her to do the same in real life when actual lives are taken." Zegler is one of many actors who have faced backlash for being outspoken about Palestine since Israel's war on Gaza began in late 2023, including Palestinian-Egyptian actress May Calamay, who was allegedly cut from the Gladiator sequel late last year due to her Palestine advocacy.
