Editing Snow White (2025) (section)

==== Zegler's criticism of the 1937 film ====
Zegler attracted criticism over statements expressing disapproval with aspects of [[Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)|the original film]], including the Prince and Snow White's characterization.<ref name="THRinsulting">{{Cite web|last=Hibberd|first=James|date=August 18, 2023|title='Snow White' Director's Son Criticizes "Insulting" Disney Remake Starring Rachel Zegler|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/snow-white-remake-rachel-zegler-criticism-1235569835/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230819223154/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/snow-white-remake-rachel-zegler-criticism-1235569835/|archive-date=August 19, 2023|access-date=August 20, 2023|website=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Power|first=Ed|date=August 14, 2023|title=Disney's failing remake strategy is trashing its legacy|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/disney-remakes-snow-white-lion-king-dumbo-trashing-legacy/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816181446/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/disney-remakes-snow-white-lion-king-dumbo-trashing-legacy/|archive-date=August 16, 2023|access-date=August 16, 2023|work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref> In 2022, Zegler criticized "jokes" about the new Snow White character being "PC", saying that the cartoon was old and needed a refresh to give the character "a function beyond 'Someday My Prince Will Come.<ref>{{Cite web|last=White|first=Abbey|date=October 16, 2022|title=Rachel Zegler on Snow White Being "PC," Stressful West Side Story Press|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/rachel-zegler-snow-white-politically-correct-stressful-west-side-story-press-1235242520/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207010324/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/rachel-zegler-snow-white-politically-correct-stressful-west-side-story-press-1235242520/|archive-date=December 7, 2022|access-date=October 16, 2022|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> She also spoke about story changes at the 2022 [[D23 Expo]]:

“The original cartoon came out in 1937 and very evidently so. There's a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird! Weird. So we didn't do that this time. We have a different approach to what I'm sure a lot of people will assume is a love story just because we cast a guy in the movie, Andrew Burnap, great dude. [...] But it's really not about her love story at all, which is really, really wonderful. [...] All of Andrew's scenes could get cut, who knows? It's Hollywood, baby!”<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/snow-white-star-rachel-zegler-angers-conservatives-and-disney-fans-insists-the-movies-prince-stalks-her-character/|title=''Snow White'' Star Rachel Zegler Angers Conservatives and Disney Fans, Insists the Movie's Prince 'Stalks' Her Character|date=August 13, 2023|first=Stephanie|last=Kaloi|website=[[TheWrap]]|access-date=August 12, 2024|archive-date=September 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240919161859/https://www.thewrap.com/snow-white-star-rachel-zegler-angers-conservatives-and-disney-fans-insists-the-movies-prince-stalks-her-character/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In response to her comments, many rebuked her for making Snow White "more feminist",<ref>{{Cite news|last=Issa|first=Natalie|date=August 15, 2023|title=The Rachel Zegler, Disney "Snow White" remake controversy explained|url=https://www.deseret.com/entertainment/2023/8/15/23833288/disney-snow-white-rachel-zegler|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816040026/https://www.deseret.com/entertainment/2023/8/15/23833288/disney-snow-white-rachel-zegler|archive-date=August 16, 2023|access-date=August 16, 2023|work=Deseret News}}</ref> while others criticized her for misinterpreting feminism, with accusations of promoting the girlboss archetype or maligning women that seek traditional feminine roles or are uninterested in power or leadership. Ashten Stein, a brand strategist, felt that Zegler's statements made it appear that she had not received media training for marketing.<ref>{{Cite news|date=August 15, 2023|title=Rachel Zegler stirs viral backlash after comments resurface about 'Snow White' remake|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/rachel-zegler-viral-backlash-snow-white-disney-live-action-rcna99848|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816133523/https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/rachel-zegler-viral-backlash-snow-white-disney-live-action-rcna99848|archive-date=August 16, 2023|access-date=August 16, 2023|publisher=NBC News|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=August 14, 2023|title=Disney's Snow White: Has the fairy tale already gone sour?|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-66496850|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816043534/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-66496850|archive-date=August 16, 2023|access-date=August 16, 2023|work=BBC News}}</ref> Ultimately, critics inferred and claimed that Zegler disliked the original film.<ref name="THRinsulting" /><ref name="USAsad">{{cite web|last=Marrow|first=Brendan|title=Rachel Zegler addresses backlash to controversial 'Snow White' comments: 'It made me sad'|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2024/10/02/rachel-zegler-snow-white-backlash/75483157007/|website=[[USA Today]]|access-date=11 March 2025|date=2 October 2024}}</ref> David Hand, whose father of the same name co-directed the original animated film, criticized the remake, describing it as "insulting" and suggesting that his father and Walt Disney would be "turning in their graves".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Susie Coen|date=August 18, 2023|title=My dad and Walt Disney would be turning in their graves over woke Snow White remake|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/08/18/disney-snow-white-seven-dwarfs-remake-woke-backlash/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230828222717/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/08/18/disney-snow-white-seven-dwarfs-remake-woke-backlash/|archive-date=August 28, 2023|access-date=August 28, 2023|work=The Telegraph}}</ref> This controversy prompted conservative media organization ''[[The Daily Wire]]'' to announce its own live-action adaptation of the original fairy tale, titled ''Snow White and the Evil Queen'', which was originally to star actress and ''Daily Wire'' commentator [[Brett Cooper (commentator)|Brett Cooper]] as Snow White for a release in 2025 in an effort to compete with Disney's version.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wiseman|first=Andreas|date=October 16, 2023|title=Daily Wire Makes Live-Action Snow White Starring YouTuber Brett Cooper|url=https://deadline.com/2023/10/daily-wire-snow-white-movie-youtuber-brett-cooper-watch-1235574937/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231021160556/https://deadline.com/2023/10/daily-wire-snow-white-movie-youtuber-brett-cooper-watch-1235574937/|archive-date=October 21, 2023|access-date=October 16, 2023|website=Deadline|language=English}}</ref> However, following Cooper's departure from ''The Daily Wire'' in December 2024, no updates on the production of this version have been given.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cockburn|date=2024-12-11|title=Brett Cooper departs Daily Wire following days of speculation|url=https://thespectator.com/topic/brett-cooper-leaving-daily-wire-jeremy-boreing/|access-date=2025-03-20|website=The Spectator World|language=en-US|archive-date=December 11, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211150441/https://thespectator.com/topic/brett-cooper-leaving-daily-wire-jeremy-boreing/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Zegler addressed the backlash to her comments in a ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' interview in October 2024, saying the film would still involve a love story, and that "it made me sad that it was taken in such a way [...] It can be very upsetting when things get taken out of context or jokes don't land".<ref name="USAsad" /><ref>{{cite web|last1=Hailu|first1=Selome|last2=Stephan|first2=Katcy|title=Rachel Zegler on Reinventing Snow White and Juliet and Facing Off Against Toxic Disney Fans: 'I've Watched Women Get Torn Down My Whole Life'|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/rachel-zegler-snow-white-backlash-romeo-and-juliet-gaza-1236160365/|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]]|access-date=11 March 2025|date=2 October 2024|archive-date=October 2, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241002182537/https://variety.com/2024/film/news/rachel-zegler-snow-white-backlash-romeo-and-juliet-gaza-1236160365/|url-status=live}}</ref>