- The press will not be present at premiere
- “Disney are afraid” says Martin Klebba
- Zegler hits back at fan on Instagram
The premiere event of Snow White in Los Angeles tonight (15 March) will be a more intimate affair compared to the usual glitz of Hollywood premieres. The press will not be present on the red carpet, meaning a less exciting celebration for those involved in the project.
Read more: Why Has Disney Pulled Back Snow White Premiere?
This decision comes following the controversy surrounding the casting of Rachel Zegler, an actress of Colombian descent, as Snow White. Disney is facing backlash from right-wing critics who are upset about a person of color portraying a traditionally white character. A closed off premiere will prevent Zegler and Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen, from answering questions on the spot.
Read more: Rachel Zegler addresses Snow White live action backlash
Martin Klebba, who provides the voice for the dwarf Grumpy in the new movie and has appeared in two previous versions of Snow White, shared his thoughts on the ongoing debate in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
How does he feel about the scaled back premiere for Snow White?
The 55 year old actor says that the premiere changes were due to “the controversy with Rachel” but clarifies that he had not been given direct information on why the event was altered.
“It really isn’t going to be a red carpet. It’s going to be at the El Capitan [Theatre], which is cool. But it’s basically going to be a pre-party, watch the movie, and that’s it”.
He went to explain that the move shows that Disney are afraid, “There’s not going to be this whole hoopla of, ‘Disney’s first f****** movie they ever made.’ Because of all this controversy, they’re afraid of the blowback from different people in society.”
Disney decided to use CGI for the seven dwarves instead of casting actors. As the voice of Grumpy, Klebba is the only little person to voice one of the dwarfs in the film. He expressed support for the decision, stating, “It just makes sense to be able to draw them the way you want. This way, they’re all the same size. And finding seven little people actors to pull it off isn’t an easy task either.”
What has Zegler said about the controversy?
Speaking in a recent interview with Vogue Mexico, Zegler said that the backlash to the film is due to the “passion” for the original film.
The 23-year-old actress said, “I interpret people’s sentiments towards this film as passion. What an honour to be a part of something that people feel so passionately about. We’re not always going to agree with everyone who surrounds us and all we can do is our best.”
Zegler also spoke candidly and proudly about her Colombian heritage, “I understand that the community doesn’t want to be seen as a monolith, but the reality of being Latino and working in this industry is that we try to represent the entire diaspora. I know where I have been, I represent it in my narrative and I carry it in my heart every day.”
In an Instagram reel posted to promote the new Snow White film, which showcased Zegler’s singing talents, one disgruntled fan commented, “NO thanks”, questioning why Disney had trouble casting a soprano for the role. Zegler responded, saying, “I am a soprano! West Side Story is streaming now on Disney+,” accompanied by a heart and a Snow White-inspired apple emoji.
Snow White hits theaters on 21 March 2025.
