Who’s the Fairest of Them All? Apparently, Not Germans.

 Who’s the Fairest of Them All? Apparently, Not Germans.

So Disney cast Rachel Zegler, a Colombian-Polish actress, as Snow White, a character from German folklore. You know, that extremely pale girl whose defining trait is literally being “white as snow”? Seems like a bold choice. But hey, it’s 2025—who needs historical accuracy when you have diversity points?

Now, let’s be clear. I’m not saying Zegler isn’t talented. I’m sure she sings like an angel and can talk to woodland creatures just fine. But the casting raises an interesting question: Why is it always European folklore that gets the modern “update” while other cultures’ stories stay untouched?

The Disney Double Standard

Picture this: Hollywood announces a live-action Moana starring Emma Watson. The internet would burn faster than Notre Dame. There’d be petitions, boycotts, and an emergency UN resolution on cultural appropriation. Yet, when a Hispanic actress is cast in a German fairy tale, anyone who raises an eyebrow is suddenly a raging bigot.

The rule seems to be:

• European folklore? Free real estate. Cast whoever, rewrite whatever.

• Asian, African, or Indigenous folklore? Stay in your lane, Hollywood.

It’s like Germany’s contribution to storytelling—Grimm’s fairy tales, Nibelungenlied, Oktoberfest horror stories—doesn’t count anymore. No offense to Colombia, but they have their own amazing folklore—La Llorona, El Silbón, and whatever ghost keeps moving your abuelita’s car keys. So why not adapt those instead of repainting German tales with a modern brush?

The “Representation” Math Doesn’t Add Up

Now, here’s where the numbers get weird. Hispanic people make up about 7% of the world’s population, while Germans and their descendants? Less than 2%. By these numbers, Snow White is getting “reclaimed” by a much larger ethnic group. That’s not representation—it’s cultural gentrification.

Imagine if Disney made Coco 2 and cast Chris Hemsworth as Miguel. “Well, Coco is a universal story,” they’d say, as Thor strums a guitar in Dia de los Muertos face paint. Wouldn’t fly, would it?

The Slippery Slope of “Updating” Fairy Tales

The argument goes, “Snow White is just a fairy tale! It’s open to interpretation.” Fair enough. But when does “interpretation” become “erasure”?

• If ethnic origins don’t matter, why is Black Panther always Wakandan and not, say, Norwegian?

• If fairy tales are flexible, why not make Mulan a French knight while we’re at it?

There’s an invisible rule at play: European stories are “fluid,” while non-European ones are “sacred.” The same people who scream about authenticity when it comes to The Little Mermaid’s dreadlocks are eerily silent when German folklore is rewritten for a modern audience.

Final Thought: If Race Doesn’t Matter, Prove It

If Disney really believes that race is irrelevant in casting, I have a few suggestions for their next remakes:

• Pocahontas, starring Margot Robbie

• Mulan, played by Florence Pugh

• The Lion King, but all the lions have Scottish accents

If that makes you uncomfortable, congratulations—you just admitted there’s a double standard. Either every folklore gets modernized, or we stop cherry-picking which ones “deserve” authenticity.

Until then, if you’re German and waiting for Hollywood to adapt your folklore without turning it into a diversity experiment, don’t hold your breath. Or do—just make sure it’s not white as snow.

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