Rachel Zegler is a Disney princess.
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Disney’s Snow White is a reimagining of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) that is both faithful and original, with its differences marking a refreshing and much needed change to its dated animated counterpart.
Directed by Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer, The Amazing Spider-Man films), the musical fantasy stars Rachel Zegler in the title role, alongside Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen and Andrew Burnap as the rebel Jonathan Princess (partially based on the Prince from the original film but more Robin Hood and Flynn Rider combined). The film also features the voices of Patrick Page as the Magic Mirror, with Andrew Barth Feldman, Tituss Burgess, Martin Klebba, Jason Kravits, George Salazar, Jeremy Swift and Andy Grotelueschen as the seven dwarfs Dopey, Bashful, Grumpy, Sneezy, Happy, Doc and Sleepy respectively.
Disney’s Snow White boasts catchy musical numbers that you’d be familair with (“Heigh-Ho”, “Whistle While You Work”) and powerful new ones (namely "Princess Problems" and "Waiting on a Wish") from award-winning duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman) that fortifies the use of music in Disney films that both benefits the plot and create connection between its audience and story. Not since Disney’s Encanto (2021) were we this excited for a film’s soundtrack!
For those quick to judge Zegler’s casting are clearly unfamiliar with her vocal talents. Her singing alone is almost enough credit to hail her as one of Disney’s better live-action princesses – Snow White’s 'I Want' song perfectly showcasing her incredible range is proof – but pair that with her defiance (à la Lucy Gray Baird of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), and we have a compelling case to shut down her naysayers.
The “fairness” that is so often mentioned throughout the film is never about the princess’ complexion (as the film clearly explains she was named for being born during a snowstorm, unlike her original counterpart famously known for having skin as white as snow.) In this reemagining of Disney’s first princess, Snow is given more dimension and stronger qualities–like her fellow Disney princesses (think Mulan and Jasmine)–she’s tough and resilient, her beauty is more than skin-deep. This Snow White can take care of herself and doesn’t wait around for a man to come save her (even if he does in the end because of the film’s faithfulness and all that, but she saved him first and at least this time the kiss was consented!)
Save for an ugrade on Snow White’s personality and characteristics, and the replacement of the Prince’s character, the film plays out just as you’d remember the animated film does–the Evil Queen marries the King, Snow is orphaned and is ordered to be killed, she stumbles upon the dwarfs, meets her “Prince Charming”, eats a poisoned apple, awakens from true love’s kiss–you know the drill. So what’s the lesson, what is the takeaway? We may not be able to fix the world baking apple pies but we sure can try change their outlook on the once too innocent and naive royalty and give the new generation an invigorating fairytale worth adoring.
Disney’s Snow White reignites the spark of magic the studio has been so desperately chasing for awhile now. In no way is it a perfect film but it sure is a promising piece of work. Do yourself a favour and block out the negative chatter–go experience it for yourself at the cinemas and we promise you’ll have a magical time!
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