Peter Dinklage and the hypocrisy of Disney (and woke culture today)

[Anonymous]

I have been following this story for a few days with much interest probably because I am physically disabled myself and often seen very ablest posts here on DCUM. I was waiting to see if anyone else would post about it but surprisingly (or maybe unsurprisingly) no one has so I will.

On Monday a podcast called WTF published an interview session with the actor Peter Dinklage during which the conversation discusses Disney's announcement to remake Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Disney's promotion of casting Rachel Zegler (whose mother is Colombian) as Snow White as being evidence of Disney's commitment to diversity, inclusion and progressiveness. If you listen to the podcast (I have), the conversation starts around the 50-55 min mark. Dinklage makes the criticism of Disney for patting itself on the back as being so "progressive" with hiring Zegler but still even remaking the movie at all when the entire premise is discriminatory against little people and promotes a stereotype/connotation of dwarfs that is very negative.

“They were very, very proud to cast a Latino actress as Snow White, but you’re still telling the story of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,’ ” Dinklage said, adding, “You’re progressive in one way … but you’re still making that … backward story about seven dwarfs living in a cave. What … are you doing, man?”

Disney responded with the following statement: To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters and have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community,” a Disney spokesperson told Variety in a statement. “We look forward to sharing more as the film heads into production after a lengthy development period.”

IMO, there is zero reason that this movie needs to be remade in 2022. There are many troubling issues with the storyline in addition to the seven dwarfs. But with regards to Dinklage's complaints in general, I am aghast at the online push back against a dwarf reporting what is discriminatory against dwarfs (including a story about seven dwarf men who are rejected by society so they have to live together in house and their job is to work in a diamond mine, they can't seem to clean or feed themselves until Snow White comes along, because dwarfs apparently are so childlike they need a non disabled person to take care of them). Do white people get to tell black people when something qualifies as racists against blacks? So why is this different? It's not. Diversity, equity and inclusion should ALWAYS include the disabled, otherwise it's none of those.

Do people understand the issues here? The ableism? The pushing of a narrative that is harmful towards a marginalized population?

Here is the WaPo article re it: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/01/26/peter-dinklage-snow-white-dwarfism/

And another article whose author is a dwarf in support of Dinklage: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jan/27/peter-dinklage-snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs-disablist-representation-disney

[Anonymous]

It’s. A. Fairy tale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s. A. Fairy tale.

This. Another manufactroversy.

[Anonymous]

I agree that they should not remake the movie for the reasons you mentioned and a few more. I do think it is also sexist that a group of men needed a woman to come in and cook and clean for them.

[Anonymous]

Obviously touched a never with Dinklage. I doubt any of us can truly understand his feelings which are based on his experiences.

He's entitled to his opinion and his expression of it. I don't have to agree. Disney doesn't have to agree.

I think it's brave to speak out when he must realize cancel culture will be coming for him.

[Anonymous]

To be sure, all fairy tales have something like this wrong with them. Many are sexist and downright misogynistic or romanticize sexual violence.

Of course, same is true of the Bible. So.

Dinklage does have a point. And I think it caught Disney out.

[Anonymous]

Are there issues with other dwarves in lit/entertainment like Lord of the Rings?

Would it offend anyone to make a change from dwarves to 7 assorted outcasts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Obviously touched a never with Dinklage. I doubt any of us can truly understand his feelings which are based on his experiences.

He's entitled to his opinion and his expression of it. I don't have to agree. Disney doesn't have to agree.

I think it's brave to speak out when he must realize cancel culture will be coming for him.

If there was ever a sentence to demonstrate that "cancel culture" means whatever you want and nothing at all, this is it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Obviously touched a never with Dinklage. I doubt any of us can truly understand his feelings which are based on his experiences.

He's entitled to his opinion and his expression of it. I don't have to agree. Disney doesn't have to agree.

I think it's brave to speak out when he must realize cancel culture will be coming for him.

Huh? This is nonsensical. Whatever are you prattling on about a culture "coming for" someone? Do you mean to suggest that Dinklage said something deeply offensive for which he should suffer natural consequences of popular censure? What did he say, exactly?

[Anonymous]

I agree with Dinklage here and I’m glad he raised the point. Barriers are often invisible to those who don’t face them, so unfortunately he does need to speak out and educate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously touched a never with Dinklage. I doubt any of us can truly understand his feelings which are based on his experiences.

He's entitled to his opinion and his expression of it. I don't have to agree. Disney doesn't have to agree.

I think it's brave to speak out when he must realize cancel culture will be coming for him.

Huh? This is nonsensical. Whatever are you prattling on about a culture "coming for" someone? Do you mean to suggest that Dinklage said something deeply offensive for which he should suffer natural consequences of popular censure? What did he say, exactly?

He clearly said nothing offensive

[Anonymous]

Snow White just did not need to be remade. The Disney original is a masterpiece and one of the hallmarks of animation. Countless other Snow White movies have been made. Disney isn’t doing this out of fidelity to art, but greed. There are so many wonderful books and stories and myths from other cultures that Disney can look to instead of yet another remake but they’d rather not take the risk.

So they should have to deal with any reasonable critique, and this is more than reasonable.

Furthermore, the name “Snow White” literally came from the idea that Snow White was so beautiful because her skin was as white as possible. Why do we need to remake this movie in 2022??? Just do something different already!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To be sure, all fairy tales have something like this wrong with them. Many are sexist and downright misogynistic or romanticize sexual violence.

Of course, same is true of the Bible. So.

Dinklage does have a point. And I think it caught Disney out.

+1 Lots of things wrong with fairy tales. I'd like to see them all re-written.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s. A. Fairy tale.

This. Another manufactroversy.

Good thing Peter Jackson already made Lord of the Rings. There's dwarves in that too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Snow White just did not need to be remade. The Disney original is a masterpiece and one of the hallmarks of animation. Countless other Snow White movies have been made. Disney isn’t doing this out of fidelity to art, but greed. There are so many wonderful books and stories and myths from other cultures that Disney can look to instead of yet another remake but they’d rather not take the risk.

So they should have to deal with any reasonable critique, and this is more than reasonable.

Furthermore, the name “Snow White” literally came from the idea that Snow White was so beautiful because her skin was as white as possible. Why do we need to remake this movie in 2022??? Just do something different already!!!

Agree with this - the original was really a masterpiece and does not need to be remade. Cmon Disney, do better and stop being lazy! pump out something new and fun!

PS - her hair was also "black as ebony" her "lips as red as blood" - i dont see that her skin was white as "snow" to be problematic. the descriptions were illustrating the dramatic contrast of her coloring.