BURBANK, CA–African-American actress Zendaya made headlines at this month’s D23 Expo when she was announced for the title role in Disney’s live-action Snow White remake.
While non-black actress Rachel Zegler had previously been cast as Snow White, Disney executives announced the change at the D23 Expo. “A white Snow White seems kind of on the nose, don’t you think?” asked director Marc Webb in an interview. “It’s been done before. Very 1937. But a black Snow White? Now that’s revolutionary!”
“At least Gal Gadot is non-white,” Webb continued. “But I do Wonder–are we allowed to like Israelis in the current political agenda? I can never remember.”
Also in the interest of racial diversity, Webb has filled the roles of the seven dwarves with the largely African-American members of the NBA Hall of Fame, including Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. “And I’m sure nobody will have a problem with a fictional dwarf being black,” Webb stated.
Webb is best known for directing remake movies that are universally loved and certainly do not fundamentally change the nature of the central character.
Snow Black premieres only in theaters in 2024.
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