Rachel Zegler, the breakout star of Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, is currently filming Disney’s live-action Snow White movie in London. However, she is still finding time to attend various awards shows, including the Grammys, where she offered an update on the character while on the red carpet.
Zegler says that this version of the movie will focus on Snow White as a hero; “It’s an iconic cartoon, it’s 85 years old and Marc Webb our director is so dedicated to making a hero princess for his daughter. I just really love that sentiment, and I hope it gets echoed for all eternity. When we make live-action versions of these Disney cartoons, where women are seen a little bit as less than the male characters, I think it’s possible to be a princess and a hero and I like to be both.”
In case you need reminding, we did get a live-action Snow White movie in 2012, which saw an armour-clad version of the character (played by Kristen Stewart) riding into battle on a horse, with a sword. While the movie was not exactly critically-acclaimed, this latest version won’t be the first time we’ve seen a “hero Snow White.”
Disney’s Snow White, as it will be called, has faced a few challenges, not least of which was the set catching fire recently, although fortunately no one was hurt. Game of Thrones and Cyrano star Peter Dinklage has also been vocal in his criticisms of making a big-budget Hollywood movie in 2022 that features an outdated depiction of dwarves.
Joining Zegler in the cast are Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, and Andrew Burnap as Jonathan. It is expected to be released sometime in 2023. Other upcoming live-action Disney movies include The Little Mermaid and Pinocchio.
While we wait for more news on Snow White, check out our ranking of the Disney princesses.