Disney’s “Snow White,” a live remake of the 1937 film, will be released Mar. 21. As the company’s first full-length film, the 20th century movie’s magic cannot be captured again. It should not be remade, considering the modern day controversy surrounding the two components of the title. 

The starring role has been taken on by singer and actress Rachel Zegler, who is of Colombian and Polish descent. The dwarves, after much controversy, are being ‘played’ by CGI animated characters referred to as ‘magical creatures.’ 

Talented as she is, Rachel Zegler is not the right candidate for Snow White. Disney is trying to incorporate diversity and representation in an inappropriate manner. 

Zegler is already subject to harsh scrutiny. She faced intense criticism after her starring role in “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” (2023) due to her handling of public relations. She openly stated her crude opinions on acting in the film, for example. Playing Snow White—as a person of color—doesn’t improve the audiences’ perception of the actress.

This isn’t the first time Disney has swapped the race of a princess. Halle Bailey starred in the live action “The Little Mermaid” (2023). Even though Ariel is a traditionally Caucasian, European role, the 2023 race swap was more defensible than the Snow White situation. 

Ariel is a mermaid, a mythical creature which has been portrayed in many different ways throughout art and literature. The original stories that inspired “The Little Mermaid” do not revolve around the protagonist’s race. In other words, Ariel’s skin color is irrelevant to her story.

Snow White originates from a German fairy tale, and she famously has “skin as white as snow.” Her complexion is an integral part of the story. 

Moreover, the reason the original “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” is so special is because it was Disney’s first full-length film. So, taking away from the animation studios’ origin story diminishes its cultural significance. 

The casting decision is irresponsible on the company’s part. It is historically inaccurate and disrespectful to the princess story’s origins, considering how special it was to Disney. If Disney truly wants to diversify its range of characters, there are better ways.

A majority of Disney princess movies are based on western stories. “Snow White” and “Cinderella” are European fairy tales, among countless others. Some tales from the East include “Mulan” and “Aladdin.” Disney should explore more stories from the Eastern world, rather than cast characters unrealistically for Western stories. Respectful representation of different cultures, ethnicities and races shouldn’t be sacrificed for inaccurate ‘diversity.’

Besides, if characters of color like Tiana (“Princess and the Frog”) and Pocahontas were portrayed by white actresses, Disney would immediately be canceled. Ethnically appropriate casting goes both ways, so characters should be kept to their original identities. 

New films based in Eastern culture should be the basis for diversity, not ethnically inauthentic casting. Many Disney films in the past have been based on western stories, like “Snow White,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Cinderella.” To diversify its characters, Disney should now focus on using stories from eastern traditions.

Snow White’s identity isn’t the only one being completely changed in the remake. Disney has also decided not to cast real people as the dwarves to “avoid reinforcing stereotypes.” But, with its changes, Disney is only creating more cultural conflict surrounding the inherently stereotypical characters. Originally, the company was deciding between casting actors with dwarfism for the roles, or individuals with no such condition. They have instead decided on CGI to portray the seven dwarves as animated ‘magical creatures.’

Referring to dwarfs as creatures, who are non-human entities, is degrading to those born with dwarfism. There is a line between people with dwarfism and short humanoid fantasy creatures, a very fine line—one Disney shouldn’t step on. This issue may not have been widely discussed at the time of the original animated movie’s creation, but the public is definitely more aware of it now.

The seven dwarfs cannot be casted in a way that pleases everyone, and Snow White’s actress doesn’t meet one of the major characteristics of the role. Beloved as it is, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” is an outdated movie with inappropriate characters for the modern day. Rather than remaking the iconic yet questionable film, Disney should move forward with new movie ideas to incorporate respectful and accurate diverse characters. 

It doesn’t make sense to recreate one of the most influential American animated films of all time. It’s been almost 90 years. “Snow White” will prove to be the biggest mistake Disney has made in its princess films’ repertoire.