Snow White premiered in Los Angeles on Saturday, with stars Gal Gadot and Rachel Zegler in attendance. Despite reports of them not bonding well together, the two stars smiled and posed for pictures together at the red carpet. The first reviews of the film have also surfaced on social media, and if that is any indication, then this Disney live-action remake might be a winner. (Also read: Snow White co-stars Gal Gadot and Rachel Zegler have ‘nothing in common’, clash over political views: Report)
Snow White first reviews
The first reviews were mostly favourable, with special praise directed towards Rachel Zegler’s lead performance. Katcy Stephens of Variety said, “Rachel Zegler is a shining supernova in #SnowWhite, beautifully embodying the graceful, gentle nature of the OG Disney princess. It’s a visual feast with show-stopping new musical numbers and, of course, dozens of enchanting animated animals. The screenplay wisely gives its heroine newfound depth through her fervent desire to become the leader her father believed she could be, and a love story that’s sweet as apple pie.”
Praise for Rachel Zegler
Meanwhile, Ash Crossan of Screen Rant praised the actor’s singing. The review read, “Despite the bob being all over the place, #SnowWhite is quite charming! The message lands well, the critters are adorable, and Rachel Zegler and her enchanting voice are stunning. It almost got a full tear out of me, and I’ve never cried in my entire life.”
Matt DeGroot of CrookedMedia noted the film’s bad press so far and said, “Despite becoming an internet punching bag Disney’s remake of Snow White is actually mostly successful! Rachel Zegler is an absolute star, (most of) the new songs are catchy and beautifully performed, and the visual palette is sumptuous and vibrant. Gal Gadot had beautiful gowns.”
“Listen, I was worried, but let me tell you Snow White is PURE DISNEY MAGIC! This will end up being a lot of people’s favorite live-action remake,” read another review.
Snow White is an American musical fantasy film directed by Marc Webb with a screenplay by Greta Gerwig and Erin Cressida Wilson. It is a live-action reimagining of Walt Disney Productions’ 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which itself is based on the 1812 fairy tale Snow White by the Brothers Grimm. The film is slated to release in cinemas on March 21, 2025.
What were the controversies?
The negativity began way back in 2021, with the casting of Zegler, who is Latina, as Snow White — a character from a German fairy tale who was famously “the fairest of them all.”
This was predictably slammed as “woke” by some fans and conservative commentators.
“yes i am snow white no i am not bleaching my skin for the role” wrote Zegler, a US actress of Colombian and Polish descent, in a since-deleted tweet.
But criticism spread more broadly across Disney’s loyal fan base when Zegler appeared to repeatedly denigrate the 1937 “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” Walt Disney’s first feature-length animation.
Zegler described the beloved original as “weird” because Snow White’s love interest is “a guy who literally stalks her.” Compounding Disney’s headaches, Zegler has signed off social media posts with “Free Palestine,” while Gadot — who plays the Evil Queen — has expressed public support for her native Israel.
With AFP inputs
