When it comes to classic movies, there are plenty of things that just don't age well. Thanks to broader access to the lived experiences of others, we often come across insensitive jokes or stereotypes in older media that make viewers cringe. And the family-friendly mega-media giant Disney (DIS) -) is no exception. Classic Disney cartoons made for children of the day have been called out for promoting racist, sexist, and generally xenophobic viewpoints that were common beliefs held in past decades.
Still, the studio's brand is built on loveable characters who make the films so lucrative. The solution? Modernizing classic stories like 'Beauty & the Beast' and 'The Little Mermaid' as live-action adaptations that make updates to song lyrics, story themes, and casting choices.
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But more representative casting choices, like singer Halle Bailey's casting as the redheaded mermaid Ariel, have been subject to an "anti-woke" social media backlash. Disney's newest live-action adaptation, 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarves' is now having a similar moment after photos surfaced showing the alleged cast of the production.
EXCLUSIVE Snow White and the Seven... Politically-Correct Companions? https://t.co/gOantUJDEQ pic.twitter.com/Gn8NpFIEKP
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) July 14, 2023
The jury is still out on whether or not this image is accurate, but one thing is clear -- the internet is mad that Snow White is being portrayed by a Latina actress. Rachel Zegler's casting was actually announced more than two years ago -- sparking a more nuanced conversation about another casting choice the film's production team would have to make.
After the live-action remake was announced, 'Game of Thrones' actor Peter Dinklage spoke out against the prospect of Disney bringing the seven dwarves to the screen. On an episode of Marc Maron's "WTF" podcast, Dinklage praised Disney's choice to cast a Latina lead, saying that the production was "progressive in one way, but you're still making that ... backward story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together."
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But in the wake of Dinklage's comments, other members of the little people (LP) community have pointed out that leaving LP actors out of casting may not be the answer, either. One anonymous LP actor told IndieWire in 2022 that while most LP actors are keen to play roles that portray them as multi-dimensional characters, Disney controls a majority chunk of the jobs available to actors.
“'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,'" because it’s in production and by the biggest studio in the world that many people would like to work for, [has actors] walking a bit of a fine line," the actor said.
If the photos circulating today are, in fact, confirmed a part of the production, it would mean that six of the cast's seven dwarves aren't little people. And it's fueling valuable conversations about disability representation in major media.
