Disney has announced that there won't be any dwarves in the live-action remake of Snow White after actor Peter Dinklage slammed the studio for reinforcing "backward" stereotypes.
The remake of the classic fairy-tale has been in the works for three years, during which Disney claims to have been consulting with members of the Dwarfism community.
But it was only after Dinklage's scathing remarks on Monday that a spokesperson from the studio announced they were taking a "different approach" with Snow White's seven companions.
"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," they said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
"We look forward to sharing more as the film heads into production after a lengthy development period," the spokesperson added.
Their response comes just days after Game of Thrones star Dinklage criticized the project on Marc Maron's WTF podcast while promoting his new movie Cyrano.
Although he praised the casting of breakout West Side Story star Rachel Zegler as the eponymous Snow White, the 52-year-old actor had harsher words for Disney's decision to adapt the animated classic.
"Literally no offense to anyone, but I was a little taken aback when they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White — but you’re still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," he told Maron.
'Take a step back and look at what you’re doing there. It makes no sense to me. You’re progressive in one way and you’re still making that f***ing backward story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together, what the f*** are you doing man?" he added.
Dinklage went on to lament that people were still so blind to stereotypes, saying: "Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soap box? I guess I’m not loud enough.
"All love and respect to the actress and all the people who thought they were doing the right thing. But I'm just like, what are you doing?"
The animated Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was first released in 1937. Based on 1812 German fairy-tale by the Brothers Grimm, the movie was Disney's first animated feature film and the first full-length traditionally animated film ever made.
Disney's live-action remake will not be their first to bring in cultural consultants, who also played a role in Aladin (2019) and Mulan (2020).
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