Disney has released a statement following Peter Dinklage’s criticism of the upcoming live-action adaptation of Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs.
The Game Of Thrones actor, who has a form of dwarfism called achondroplasia, previously accused Disney of double standards for pushing a racially diverse cast while reaffirming harmful stereotypes about disabilities.
Speaking on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast, Dinklage said: “No offence to anything but I was a little taken aback by… they were very proud to cast a Latino actress as Snow White, but you’re still telling the story of Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs.
“Take a step back and look at what you’re doing there. It makes no sense to me. You’re progressive in one way but you’re still making that fucking backward story of seven dwarves living in the cave. What the fuck are you doing, man? Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soapbox? I guess I’m not loud enough.”
Disney has since issued a statement, confirming they’re taking a “different approach” to the dwarf characters in the remake.
“To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters and have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community,” the statement reads.
“We look forward to sharing more as the film heads into production after a lengthy development period.”
According to casting sheets seen by TheWrap, the remake will replace dwarfs entirely with “magical creatures”. Disney is believed to be looking for voice actors for the characters.
Rachel Zegler (West Side Story) will play Snow White in the remake, alongside Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) as the Evil Queen. Marc Webb (The Amazing Spider-Man, 500 Days Of Summer) will direct the project.
The remake is the latest Disney classic to receive the live-action treatment, following Beauty And The Beast, The Jungle Book, Aladdin, The Lion King, and Dumbo. A release date for Snow White has yet to be announced.
