On February 20, 2025, Disney released the official trailer for their live-action remake of the classic 1937 movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, starring Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen.
The initial reaction to the trailer was highly adverse, with fans criticizing several aspects of the film, like the decision to cast Rachel Zegler as Snow White. Fans wondered if she was “white enough” to be the protagonist, as the original movie and fairy tale state that Snow White has “hair as black as midnight and skin as white as fresh snow.” Additionally, many said that the trailer, CGI, and casting lacked the magic and charm of the original movie. Fans felt that Zegler’s mixed-race heritage deviated significantly from the traditional image of Snow White, and fans felt that Gal Gadot’s portrayal of the Evil Queen was “far too villainous.” Some felt the CGI used for the dwarves instead of casting actual dwarves was disrespectful to dwarfism.
Behind the scenes, several of the crew members and producers have said that Zegler was hard to control during the filming process. She refused to cooperate with the team and acted out. She posted disparaging comments on her social media and even got the script changed so that her male lead co-star, Andrew Bernap, ended up with fewer lines. She would show up late to filming and show no respect for those on set. Many felt fearful about complaining, as Zegler’s parents, especially her father, were influential, having built the World Trade Center and the new Yankee Stadium.
Zegler would continuously disrespect the original movie and its writers, and constantly push for script changes. One particular incident stood out to the crew members. They recalled seeing Andrew Burnap pacing with his script in hand, clearly frustrated as he tried to adjust to last-minute changes for a pivotal scene, pushed by Zegler. Some recall that when he tried to offer his creative opinion, Zegler disregarded it with a wave of her hand. They said it created a very uncomfortable silence, and soon basic morning greetings became strained interactions. Some crew members felt that the environment had grown toxic and that they had to either pick a side or maintain inconvenient neutrality.
All in all, the studio environment deteriorated every day, and many crew members dreaded entering work every morning. They were divided between Zegler’s modern twist to the beloved fairy tale and Burnap’s more traditional approach. The movie itself cost $240-270 million, which didn’t include marketing costs. Some suggest that the total expense could be around $4oo million. The movie is considered Disney’s biggest flop, and it only made $169 million at the box office.
