Snow White movie is the latest in a long line of live-action remakes from Disney. The film, which also stars Gal Gadot, Andrew Burnap, and Lorena Andrea, among others, is set to follow Zegler's titular protagonist as she encounters seven quirky dwarves living in a cabin in the woods as she is hunted by her evil stepmother, the Queen.

In a recent interview with Variety, Zegler reveals one change that the Snow White remake is making to her character's origin story. According to the actor, the film is changing the reason for her being named Snow White. While in the original it was due to the Disney princess having "skin as white as snow," the remake is set to feature a new inspiration for the name. Check out Zegler's comment below:

“It fell back to another version of ‘Snow White’ that was told in history, where she survived a snowstorm that occurred when she was a baby. And so the king and queen decided to name her Snow White to remind her of her resilience. One of the core points in our film for any young woman or young person is ing how strong you actually are.”

What Snow White's Origin Story Change Means For The Film

The Disney Remake Has Generated Controversy

The Snow White remake has been controversial essentially since it was announced, with much of the backlash aimed at Zegler herself. Some of this backlash is racial in nature and due to Zegler, a Latina actor, being cast in the lead role of a character who had very white skin in the 1937 animated film. Zegler's promise that the film will modernize aspects of the original, such as making Snow White more of a leader and less reliant on her true love prince also led to backlash.

The remake's handling of the dwarves in the film has also been controversial. Actor Peter Dinklage, for example, took issue with the way the film perpetuates harmful stereotypes about those with Dwarfism

The reveal that Snow White is changing the origin story of the main character's name is sure to only add fuel to the fire and further incense those who are already incensed. It's also not immediately clear what other version of the Snow White Zegler is referring to. The 1937 film is based on the 1812 folk tale by the Brothers Grimm, but there have been suggestions that the Grimms were inspired by historical figures such as the Spanish countess Margaretha von Waldeck in the 16th century.

Our Take On Snow White's Origin Story Change

Why It Might Work Better For The Story

With Zegler leading the Snow White remake cast, it makes sense on a practical level that the film is changing her origin story. The change will also seemingly be working on a thematic level. If the film is telling a story of empowerment and of how a young woman finds herself and becomes a leader, an origin story that includes a traumatic snowstorm could actually end up being more meaningful than her getting her name just because of an aspect of her appearance.

Of course, it's also understandable why making changes to the story of one of Disney's most beloved animated movies isn't sitting well with everyone. Any remake, after all, needs to recapture what made the original special while also feeling fresh. The good news for those not willing to embrace these changes, however, is that the 1937 film still exists and will presumably be streaming on Disney+ for the foreseeable future. It remains to be seen how the Snow White remake will actually fare with audiences upon its release next year, but the film is sure to remain divisive moving forward.

Source: Variety