Another Disney Setback: Snow Show and the Several Empty Theatres
Abigale Giordano
Digital Editor
Throughout its production and now premier, the live-action remake of Snow White has been nothing but a poisoned apple for Disney. The company is no longer the fairest of them all: from public relations crises to lackluster profits to political controversy, the film has been nothing but a disaster. Unfortunately, no Prince Charming can save the day for what the Observer describes as a “toe-curlingly terrible” film.
Rachel Zegler, who stars as Snow White, had her big break in the film adaptation of the musical West Side Story, where she became recognized for her multifaceted range of talents. The racism she experienced on that set carried over to her role as Snow White. According to The Guardian, while on the set of West Side Story, white executives repeatedly asked Zegler, who is of Columbian-American descent, to prove that she is Hispanic. While interviewing with Allure in the run-up to Snow White’s released, Zegler discussed her cultural identity, commenting “There’s confusion because I don’t have a single ounce of Latin in my name…When I was in the running for María in West Side Story, they kept calling to ask if I was legit. I remember thinking, ‘Do you want me to bring my Abuelita in? I will. I’ll bring her into the studio if you want to meet her.’” When Zegler was announced to be playing Snow White in 2022, she was harassed online for her skin color, as it isn’t “as white as snow,” according to the BBC. The BBC report additionally states that some of Zegler’s early comments about the film in 2022 sparked controversy as well: the actress coined the original film as outdated, specifically “…when it comes to the ideas of women being in roles of power.” This commentary came with claims that Snow White’s prince stalked her, rather than the traditional take that he saved her with true love’s first kiss from the Evil Queen.
But Rachel Zegler wasn’t alone in giving Disney negative attention for the film. Online critics claim that Gal Gadot was not acting, as they truly believe she is an Evil Queen. Since the attack by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023, Gadot has shared her support for the nation, despite the ongoing attacks it is carrying out against the Palestinians living in Gaza. Immediately following the attacks, in an Instagram post, the star shared “I stand with Israel, you should too.” That wasn’t the problem though. As Israel’s bombardment on Gaza has continued for almost two years, with Reuters reporting that Israel’s campaign has murdered more than 50,000 people, with nearly under a third of victims being under 18, Gadot has continued to defend Israel’s actions, not condemning the state for any of the humanitarian crimes it is currently and has historically committed against Palestinians. In a new interview with Variety, Gadot would not discuss her politics, other than that as a descendant of a Holocaust survivor, she is advocating for the hostages.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, her costar, Rachel Zegler, received a slew of online threats for apost she shared on X that states “and always remember, free Palestine,” to a post that thanked fans for their support for her role in Snow White. Jonah Platt, son of the Snow White producer, Marc Platt, slammed her online for her pro-Palestine stance, calling her a “narcissist,” as his father allegedly had to fly out to New York to reprimand her for “dragging her personal politics into the middle of promoting the movie for which she signed a multi-million dollar contract to get paid and do publicity for,” according to the New York Post. His comment has since been deleted, as several Instagram users responded, calling him hypocritical for condemning Zegler as being too political for supporting Palestine but not Gadot for supporting Israel.
Since the movie premiered, multiple social media users shared videos of empty theatres, and the film has seen disappointing box office returns. The film cost $270 million to make and was reshot multiple times due to scheduling drawbacks and criticism. In opening weekend, it only earned $43 million, according to Variety. Its profits in relation to its budget are incredibly low, as typical high-budget films end up being multi-billion dollar movies.
Image courtesy of Getty Images.