A poison apple, seven dwarfs, a red bow, and a “complexion as white as snow”–everyone is familiar with the classic fairytale: Snow White.
In March of this year, Disney released a live-action remake of the beloved 1937 animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The new movie–and more specifically, its casting–was a topic of acrimonious debate for putting Rachel Zegler, a mixed actress of Polish and Colombian descent, in the titular role.
Some believed that the diverse casting was a way to put a modern spin on the traditional story and empower women of color. After all, if Zegler is such an outstanding singer and actress, why shouldn’t she be cast? Isn’t all diversity good diversity?
Not necessarily. Diversity in film must be a true effort to authentically represent people of various cultures, and the mere act of casting people of color is not automatically worthy of praise.
As a filmmaker and a Japanese American, I wholeheartedly believe in the importance of representation in cinema. Everybody deserves to see themselves reflected in the media they consume, and seeing their identities celebrated has the power to make people feel like they belong.
This was attempted in Snow White, but it didn’t quite hit the mark. Critics and fans alike harshly criticized the remake for its controversial casting.
While some were upset because they simply wanted to hold onto their traditional version of Snow White, others felt that the casting choice was driven by monetary incentives rather than the sincere desire to tell a story that audiences could truly connect with.
This is not an isolated case. Another movie that faced similar backlash was the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, released in 2023. This starred a black woman, Halle Bailey, as Ariel.
Ultimately, these shallow attempts at diversity cause more harm than good. The actors themselves, of no fault of their own, received truckloads of backlash for changing the image of a classic and beloved character.
In addition, opportunities for richer representation are missed because production companies are not compelled to go one step further to innovate and create something new, relevant, and meaningful.
The problem is that Disney has slapped a diverse face onto a pre-existing white princess while neglecting to change any other details of the story or character. Instead, they should develop new stories that weave in parts of the cultures they are supposedly representing.
While it is good for kids to see people who look like themselves in mainstream media–such as Zegler cast as Snow White–seeing the authentic experiences of their culture would connect with audiences in a much more impactful way than casting that only goes skin-deep.
