Disney’s live-action Snow White remake continues to face a firestorm of backlash over its so-called ‘woke’ reinterpretation of the classic fairytale.

Trying to steer clear of controversy, Disney has moved the film’s premiere to a remote castle in Spain, dialing back its promotional push as criticism over the movie’s themes—and its stars, Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot—continues to grow. 

Now, actress Ali Chapman is speaking out, calling out Disney for what she sees as a huge missed opportunity to properly represent the little people community in its take on the Seven Dwarfs. 

‘This is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, so it’s a movie that’s supposed to have real dwarves,’ Chapman told TMZ on Wednesday. ‘Instead, Disney chose to use CGI dwarves to replace actors and actresses that are little people that are very talented.’

Chapman, known for her work in Little Women LA, Freakshow and Better Things, didn’t hold back, emphasizing that the studio had the chance to cast skilled performers from her community—only to ‘miss the boat’ entirely.

Her husband, Matt McArthy, echoed her frustration: ‘There are a lot of little people actors out there that would love to have a part in this kind of movie.’

Disney’s live-action Snow White remake continues to face a firestorm of backlash over its so-called ‘ woke ‘ reinterpretation of the classic fairytale, as actress Ali Chapman said the company  missed an opportunity to properly represent the little people community in its take on the Seven Dwarfs; (Chapman in 2022)

‘This is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, so it’s a movie that’s supposed to have real dwarves,’ Chapman told TMZ on Wednesday

He added, ‘It feels like we’re getting our dreams shut out.’

McArthy’s criticism of Hollywood’s handling of dwarf representation isn’t new. 

Read More Divisive Snow White live action film slammed by viewers AGAIN following release of new clip

He previously voiced concerns about the 2012 live-action adaptation Snow White and the Huntsman, which starred Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart. 

At the time, he told TMZ that casting average-sized actors as Snow White’s dwarfs was akin to ‘casting a white actor to play a role written for an African-American person and digitally changing the color of their skin.’

Meanwhile, Disney’s remake has been thrown into the spotlight once again after the release of a new clip—one that only fanned the flames of controversy. 

The footage, shared on Good Morning America, shows Zegler’s Snow White pleading with Gadot’s Evil Queen on behalf of the struggling villagers, urging her to show them ‘some kindness.’

Rather than winning over audiences, the clip drew widespread criticism, with viewers blasting Gadot’s performance and many admitting they plan to watch the movie solely to ‘hate-watch’ it.

Directed by Marc Webb and penned by Erin Cressida Wilson, Snow White is a live-action reimagining of Disney’s 1937 animated classic, itself inspired by the Brothers Grimm’s 1812 fairy tale. 

Chapman, known for her work in Little Women LA, Freakshow and Better Things, didn’t hold back, emphasizing that the studio had the chance to cast skilled performers from her community—only to ‘miss the boat’ entirely

‘Instead, Disney chose to use CGI dwarves to replace actors and actresses that are little people that are very talented,’ (seen in 2022)

Her husband, Matt McArthy, echoed her frustration: ‘There are a lot of little people actors out there that would love to have a part in this kind of movie’ 

Disney first confirmed plans for the remake in 2016, with principal filming taking place in London between March and July 2022, followed by additional shoots in June 2024.

The film has been embroiled in controversy long before its release, with critics taking aim at everything from its color-blind casting to drastic story changes. 

Zegler, in particular, has been branded a PR nightmare for Disney, with resurfaced interviews fueling the backlash.

In a 2022 interview, she dismissed the original Snow White as ‘dated,’ ridiculing its romance by calling Prince Charming ‘a guy who literally stalks her.’ 

She also slammed Disney’s past portrayals of princesses, calling them ‘problematic,’ and admitted that the original film frightened her as a child—comments that only deepened the divide between the film and its skeptics.

With its March 21 release date fast approaching, Snow White finds itself caught in a storm of controversy—one that Disney seems unable to outrun.

Film bosses had originally planned to stage a glittering Hollywood soiree worthy of the staggering $269.4million spent on making the movie – with events planned in Los Angeles, London and around the world. 

Yet amid the series of scandals, Disney scaled back the planned lavish premieres to a ‘handful’ of тιԍнтly controlled Press events.

The biggest of these is now thousands of miles away from the media’s glare, with Zegler (Snow White) and Gadot (Evil Queen) jetting to the tiny city of Segovia, north-west of Madrid, which boasts a population of just 51,000. 

Media outlets have not been invited to the event at Alcázar of Segovia, a medieval castle that rests on a rocky crag at the western end of Segovia’s Old City, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Earlier this month, an insider told the Mail: ‘Disney are already anticipating an anti-woke backlash against Snow White and have reduced the media schedule to just a handful of тιԍнтly controlled Press events.

‘That is why they have taken the highly unusual step not to host a London premiere for the film and are minimising the amount of Press questions that Rachel Zegler gets.’ 

The premiere for the Snow White remake has been relocated to a remote castle in Spain, the Alcázar of Segovia, after Disney were forced to ‘scale back’ the promo amid backlash

The premiere is being held thousands of miles away from the glare of the media, with Rachel Zegler (Snow White) jetting to the tiny city of Segovia, north-west of Madrid, on Wednesday

Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen, is also expected to arrive in Segovia, which boasts a population of just 51,000, to attend the event this week 

While the premiere is being held away from typical haunts one would expect for a movie of such grandure, there is some significance in its choice. 

The Alcázar of Segovia was the inspiration behind the castle in Disney’s 1937 original animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, with its distinctive shape, turrets and steep roofs seen in the feature. 

The Alcázar was built and rebuilt over hundreds of years, beginning as a palace of the Moslem governor in the tenth century.

Today it is a prominent example of Mudéjar architecture, a Moorish-influenced style common in Iberia from the 13th to the 16th centuries.

The upper stories of the palace are still used by Spain’s royal family when they visit Seville.

The public have been banned from entering the castle on Wednesday and Thursday, with a notice stating it has simply been closed for a ‘private event’. 

In a further sign that Press are being held away from the event, the date of the premiere has not been confirmed on media calendars.