The short actor and “Game of Thrones” star Peter Dinklage has sharply criticized the Disney film studio. in one Interview on the “WTF” podcast the 52-year-old complained to presenter Marc Maron that Disney was hypocritical. The studio has been bringing live-action remakes of its cartoon classics to the cinema for years. The next recycling project is “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” from 1937 – the first feature-length film by old Walt Disney.
Dinklage, 1.35 meters tall, is upset that Disney is celebrating its own diversity on the one hand by those responsible praising themselves for the originally white Snow White now with the Latina actress Rachel Zegler to be cast. On the other hand, they stuck to a problematic depiction of short people. He was “a bit speechless” about it. And further: “Take a step back and see what you’re doing. That doesn’t make any sense to me. You guys are progressive on one point, but you still make this fucking backwards story about seven dwarfs living together in a cave . What the hell is that about?”
Disney now claims to be looking for a “different approach” to the “seven characters”.
The new “Snow White” film is to be shot this year, with a theatrical release planned for 2023. Directed by Marc Webb (“500 Days of Summer”). In addition to Rachel Zegler as Snow White, Gal Gadot (“Wonder Woman”) will play the evil stepmother. Because Peter Dinklage’s criticism is making waves on the Internet, Disney sent a spokesman to smooth the waves. In a statement to Variety the narrator attempted the somewhat complicated feat of sugarcoating: “To avoid repeating stereotypes of the original animation, we’re going to take a different approach to these seven characters, and also seek advice from members of the short stature community.”
With the “seven people” they want to take a “new approach”, says the Disney spokesman.
(Photo: Imago/Disney)
One can only say: have fun. Because how exactly Disney wants to get out of this number without upsetting anyone, but still paying tribute to the original, you can already be curious. Sequel follows. And until then, you can read through the well-formulated warnings about other offenses of discrimination that the company now displays before many classics on its Disney+ streaming service. Because they could all predict the remake problems of the future.