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Hilarious Reactions Pour In After Disney Plans To Cast White Actress In Reboot And Ditches DEI
Disney’s HR department is rolling back its DEI protocols, sparking speculation that a white actress may be cast in the upcoming live-action remake of Tangled.
The move follows the subpar performance of Snow White in March 2025, starring Colombian-American actress Rachel Zegler, which fell short of its production cost by $115 million.
Highlights
- Internal HR memo signals Disney is rolling back DEI and "culture war" projects.
- Leak fuels speculation that "Tangled" remake will star a white Rapunzel.
- It comes weeks after ABC briefly suspended Jimmy Kimmel over his Charlie Kirk rant.
Other recent Disney projects, including Lightyear (2022) and The Little Mermaid (2023), have also been labeled woke-fueled failures due to a nonbinary character arc in the former and the casting of Halle Bailey in the latter.
The new memo comes in the wake of Kimmelgate, in which ABC briefly suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! over remarks about late right-wing blowhard, Charlie Kirk—and then reinstated the show just five days later.
RELATED:
A political commentator called out Disney CEO Bob Iger for crossing the political aisle
Image credits: Disney
“The comical wagon-circling seems most acute at Disney, whose brand makes it more vulnerable to political attacks,” Belloni writes.
This statement is made in the context of the empire’s CEO, Bob Iger, reportedly shifting from his previous progressive stance to the hard-right ideals of the Trump administration.
Underscoring this change in mood is the leak of HR chief Sonia Coleman’s recent internal communication.
Belloni writes that the change in stance has been received and “manifested”
Image credits: Disney
Said email touted mantras like “Talent Acquisition becomes Talent Connection,” “innovative approach to enabling success,” “Human Resources becomes People & Culture,” and even “people-first philosophy”—which was all just corporate for no more DEI.
“That message has definitely been received internally and has manifested itself throughout the content operation, I’m told,” Belloni writes.
He says that Disney’s new Rapunzel is likely to be white
Image credits: rachelzegler
In action, this translates to the “purge” of ongoing “projects that may embroil the company in the culture wars that plagued Lightyear and Snow White and Win or Lose and The Little Mermaid.”
“Disney is about to cast a new Rapunzel in the revived live-action remake of Tangled. I’ll bet you the price of that long, braided wig that the gig will go to a white actress,” he says in the October 10 opinion piece.
The decision comes after backlash for an LGBTQ relationship depicted in the film Lightyear, which was banned in 14 countries
Image credits: Anthea06274890
Lightyear’s shortcoming, according to critics, is its depiction of two characters, Alisha Hawthorne (voiced by Uzo Aduba) and her wife, Kiko, in a lesbian relationship, and it even shows them kissing at one point.
The Independent reported in the same year that due to the scene, the production was banned in 14 countries.
Snow White’s $115 million shortfall was blamed on Rachel Zeglar
Image credits: Disney/theoutset
Snow White, according to the likes of Belloni, tanked at the box office for using a part-Columbian–albeit fair-skinned–actress.
Zeglar is known for her pro-Palestine stance, but it must be noted that previously, the film’s tanking numbers were blamed on Gal Gadot’s refusal to denounce Israel.
In fact, the latter suggested as much when she gave an interview to Israeli TV show The A Talks.
Image credits: Disney
“I was sure this movie was going to be a huge hit,” she said, referring to Snow White, in which she played the role of the evil queen.
“But then it (the October 7 attacks from Gaza) happened,” she said.
The series Win or Lose has also been postured as a woke failure despite its high rankings on Rotten Tomatoes
Image credits: Anthea06274890
Then there was Win or Lose, which made headlines for wanting to highlight a trans perspective.
Negative feedback resulted in producers delaying the series’ release, then cutting dialogue from the production.
According to a 2024 NBC report, Iger claimed the move was in the interest of removing any messaging that could be construed as political.
While Belloni includes this production to make his case, its ratings tell a different story on Rotten Tomatoes, where it has a 91% rating.
Disney’s new policies come after it allowed Jimmy Kimmel back on air
Image credits: Disney
Disney’s new company-wide directive comes weeks after the Jimmy Kimmel Live! 5-day suspension.
Kimmel was kicked off the air, with the company using language like “indefinite” to describe his rap on the knuckles.
The US president celebrated the move, only for the network to make an about turn and allow Kimmel back onto the platform—essentially giving him the last word.
“I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back,” Trump raged in a Truth Social post.
“The White House was told by ABC that his show was cancelled!”
“You can’t believe they gave me my job back?” Kimmel retaliated the next day. “I can’t believe we gave you your job back.”
The internet says that Pocahontas should be played by a white actress
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What do you think ?
TCW Sam Vimes 1 month ago
F**k Disney. They ruined Star Wars, everything after is just BS anyway. Also, Rapunzel is a fairy tale from my country, documented by the Grimm brothers. I highly doubt they ever saw a non-white person in their entire life. If you want non-white fairy tales, why not take the story out of their cultures, they are underrepresented anyway. No need to DEI our fairy tales, just take new stories from other cultures and cast from that ethnicity. It's not that hard.
Ellinor she/they/elle 1 month ago
I agree, there are so much stories from the various countries of Africa, or of Asia. I get tired of seeing good actors and actresses being targeted and blamed for playing "white characters", a lot of people use the opportunity to just be plain racist.
Load More Replies...
Gregory W 1 month ago
How about ditching live action remakes of movies? Disney should stick to animation.
Kit Black 1 month ago
Disney has made far more feature length live action films than animated, and most of them are pretty good. The remaking an animated movie into a live action movie as a way to avoid coming up with new ideas is the bigger problem.
Load More Replies...
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 month ago
Wonder when Disney will wake up and realize that if a movie is shite, people are not going to watch it. Who cares about casting if the movie is shite? They need to stop whining and actually write decent movies instead of switching the casting and hoping the wokeness gets people to watch it. Wokeness won't get people to watch - a GOOD movie will, regardless of who plays the characters.
Ellinor she/they/elle 1 month ago (edited)
Citation from this article --- "Snow White, according to the likes of Belloni, tanked at the box office for using a part-Columbian–albeit fair-skinned–actress. Zegler is known for her pro-Palestine stance, but it must be noted that previously, the film’s tanking numbers were blamed on Gal Gadot’s refusal to denounce Israel." Ah so they don't know who to blame so they blame anyone but the scenarists, special effects supervisor and movie director. (I saw that movie and the only 2 good things in my opinion were the songs and the performance of Rachel Zegler).
Jihana 1 month ago
I never understood Snow White's casting. She was described as skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood and hair as black as ebony. Rachel Zegler might be fair-skinned for a Columbian, but not as white as snow. She is very pretty though. Why not cast stereotypical European looking actors for European fairy tales, AND produce films about non-European fairytales. I have know idea what African stories are like, but I have no doubt that they are awesome. The only African story Disney turned into a movie is The Lion King, which they blatantely stole from a Japanese anime series. I know Japan and China have a ton of cool lore, but what about Tajikistan, Laos or Nepal? There are almost 200 countries out there, and Disney used stories from only maybe a dozen of them.
Ellinor she/they/elle 1 month ago (edited)
I fully agree with you, but I just want to add that in the remake she is called "Snow White" because she was born during a huge winter storm. (wow, downvoted for agreed with an opinion and stating a fact)
Load More Replies...
Julie S 1 month ago
Why are Disney just rehashing films they have already made? They used to make really cool films: Herbie, The cat from out of space, Escape to witch mountain, The parent trap, Freaky Friday. That's just a few I remember off the top of my head.
Maria Maria 1 month ago
I am merely a European, but this obsession with skin color is rather incomprehensible.
Gerry Higgins 1 month ago
Maybe Disney will start making animated remakes of their live action movies. Cartoon Old Yeller or animated musical Swiss Family Robinson
CK 1 month ago
How can anyone blame Rachel Zegler for ruining Snow White when it wasn't her choice to put on that costume, follow that script, and use the worst CGI in Disney history?
TotallyNOTAFox 1 month ago
Being a PR nightmare isn't helping a movie either
Load More Replies...
Gebidozo 1 month ago
Casting non-white actors to play unambiguously white characters from European fairy tales is not “diversity, equity, and inclusion”; it’s a condescending attitude that actually borders on racism itself. And I say it as a big Disney fan, I love most of their 21st century movies. “Tangled” was awesome, I love the two Wreck It Ralphs, and “Big Hero 6” is my personal favorite.
Forrest Hobbs 1 month ago (edited)
Gebidozo: you're missing the point. Old European fairy tales assumed everyone was white, because everyone was. If you happen to cast a character from such a tale with a non-white actor, it's absolutely 100% totally irrelevant because skin colour has no bearing on the original story. And I say this as a white European. Nothing condescending about it at all - tell the story, the colour of anyone's skin simply doesn't matter.
Load More Replies... Taffy Renee 1 month ago
They finally getting it that people don't want blackwashing anymore than they want whitewashing? Have dark skin character. It's fine. BUT do NOT replace light skinned with dark skin. Give them their own stories. It really is that easy.
Forrest Hobbs 1 month ago (edited)
Taffy Renee: "Give them their own stories"? Seriously? Have you even listened to yourself? (I'm from London - "they" are "us" if you ask me, much as in NYC) When you've got a story where the colour of someone's skin doesn't matter, then cast whoever you like, regardless. Think about Shakespeare. Othello really ought to be played by a black person (if practical or unless someone's making a point) because that matters. If you want to cast a Bangladeshi as Henry V, go ahead - why not? The skin colour doesn't matter in that case.
Load More Replies...
Joe Publique 1 month ago
Statistically speaking, six of the seven dwarfs in the 1937 movie Snow White were not Happy.
Skywitness 1 month ago
Disney purchased Pixar and forgot the lesson that Pixar tried to hammer home, plot first. They have been doing live action versions of successful franchises to suck the last bit of marrow out of the bones of long dead carcasses. Snow White was only the logical extreme with predictable results.
Ivy la Sangrienta 1 month ago
I've refused to watch any of their live action remakes and casting doesn't make a difference. To be fair, I've refused to give Disney a single cent of my money in years.
Michael Melfa 1 month ago
Selected "I'm only here for the casting meltdown." Comment section never disappoints.
Sa Ruuu 1 month ago
I'm baffled cause does this mean people hate DEI? Love Israel? I'm confused
Tyranamar Seuss 1 month ago
People don't hate true DEI. Which is finding the best fit for a job regardless of color. People dislike using a European fairy tale and casting it with persons of color. Because that's not the best fit. Especially when an essential part of the character's whole make-up is that she had skin as white as snow. It would be much more DEI to tell the story of a myth from Columbia, using a Columbian actress.
Load More Replies... TotallyNOTAFox 1 month ago
And it took them exactly how long to realize that DEI, calling everybody a sexist, bigotted N**i and listening to a loud minority of keyboard activists on Twitter isn't profitable at all? Honestly, they sacrificied quality of any kind to send a political message - It's not like only right wingers refused to buy their products, the average customer and target audience (families) also were chased away by their decisions. And god forbid a white actress plays a character based in EUROPEAN folklore..... The western gaming industry already burns down because they pulled the same stunt in the last few years, was only a matter of time till Disney eventually panics given their losses
Forrest Hobbs 1 month ago
TotallyNOTAFox: Disney reversed its decision to follow white supremacist pressure because its share price dropped on account of so many people leaving its on-line platforms. Disney did indeed cave in to pressure from right wing extremists, but found that doing so caused its business to suffer. Basically, colluding with right wing extremism chased away Disney's profits - the average customer didn't like it.
Load More Replies...
TCW Sam Vimes 1 month ago
F**k Disney. They ruined Star Wars, everything after is just BS anyway. Also, Rapunzel is a fairy tale from my country, documented by the Grimm brothers. I highly doubt they ever saw a non-white person in their entire life. If you want non-white fairy tales, why not take the story out of their cultures, they are underrepresented anyway. No need to DEI our fairy tales, just take new stories from other cultures and cast from that ethnicity. It's not that hard.
Ellinor she/they/elle 1 month ago
I agree, there are so much stories from the various countries of Africa, or of Asia. I get tired of seeing good actors and actresses being targeted and blamed for playing "white characters", a lot of people use the opportunity to just be plain racist.
Load More Replies... Gregory W 1 month ago
How about ditching live action remakes of movies? Disney should stick to animation.
Kit Black 1 month ago
Disney has made far more feature length live action films than animated, and most of them are pretty good. The remaking an animated movie into a live action movie as a way to avoid coming up with new ideas is the bigger problem.
Load More Replies... T'Mar of Vulcan 1 month ago
Wonder when Disney will wake up and realize that if a movie is shite, people are not going to watch it. Who cares about casting if the movie is shite? They need to stop whining and actually write decent movies instead of switching the casting and hoping the wokeness gets people to watch it. Wokeness won't get people to watch - a GOOD movie will, regardless of who plays the characters.
Ellinor she/they/elle 1 month ago (edited)
Citation from this article --- "Snow White, according to the likes of Belloni, tanked at the box office for using a part-Columbian–albeit fair-skinned–actress. Zegler is known for her pro-Palestine stance, but it must be noted that previously, the film’s tanking numbers were blamed on Gal Gadot’s refusal to denounce Israel." Ah so they don't know who to blame so they blame anyone but the scenarists, special effects supervisor and movie director. (I saw that movie and the only 2 good things in my opinion were the songs and the performance of Rachel Zegler).
Jihana 1 month ago
I never understood Snow White's casting. She was described as skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood and hair as black as ebony. Rachel Zegler might be fair-skinned for a Columbian, but not as white as snow. She is very pretty though. Why not cast stereotypical European looking actors for European fairy tales, AND produce films about non-European fairytales. I have know idea what African stories are like, but I have no doubt that they are awesome. The only African story Disney turned into a movie is The Lion King, which they blatantely stole from a Japanese anime series. I know Japan and China have a ton of cool lore, but what about Tajikistan, Laos or Nepal? There are almost 200 countries out there, and Disney used stories from only maybe a dozen of them.
Ellinor she/they/elle 1 month ago (edited)
I fully agree with you, but I just want to add that in the remake she is called "Snow White" because she was born during a huge winter storm. (wow, downvoted for agreed with an opinion and stating a fact)
Load More Replies... Julie S 1 month ago
Why are Disney just rehashing films they have already made? They used to make really cool films: Herbie, The cat from out of space, Escape to witch mountain, The parent trap, Freaky Friday. That's just a few I remember off the top of my head.
Maria Maria 1 month ago
I am merely a European, but this obsession with skin color is rather incomprehensible.
Gerry Higgins 1 month ago
Maybe Disney will start making animated remakes of their live action movies. Cartoon Old Yeller or animated musical Swiss Family Robinson
CK 1 month ago
How can anyone blame Rachel Zegler for ruining Snow White when it wasn't her choice to put on that costume, follow that script, and use the worst CGI in Disney history?
TotallyNOTAFox 1 month ago
Being a PR nightmare isn't helping a movie either
Load More Replies... Gebidozo 1 month ago
Casting non-white actors to play unambiguously white characters from European fairy tales is not “diversity, equity, and inclusion”; it’s a condescending attitude that actually borders on racism itself. And I say it as a big Disney fan, I love most of their 21st century movies. “Tangled” was awesome, I love the two Wreck It Ralphs, and “Big Hero 6” is my personal favorite.
Forrest Hobbs 1 month ago (edited)
Gebidozo: you're missing the point. Old European fairy tales assumed everyone was white, because everyone was. If you happen to cast a character from such a tale with a non-white actor, it's absolutely 100% totally irrelevant because skin colour has no bearing on the original story. And I say this as a white European. Nothing condescending about it at all - tell the story, the colour of anyone's skin simply doesn't matter.
Load More Replies... Taffy Renee 1 month ago
They finally getting it that people don't want blackwashing anymore than they want whitewashing? Have dark skin character. It's fine. BUT do NOT replace light skinned with dark skin. Give them their own stories. It really is that easy.
Forrest Hobbs 1 month ago (edited)
Taffy Renee: "Give them their own stories"? Seriously? Have you even listened to yourself? (I'm from London - "they" are "us" if you ask me, much as in NYC) When you've got a story where the colour of someone's skin doesn't matter, then cast whoever you like, regardless. Think about Shakespeare. Othello really ought to be played by a black person (if practical or unless someone's making a point) because that matters. If you want to cast a Bangladeshi as Henry V, go ahead - why not? The skin colour doesn't matter in that case.
Load More Replies... Joe Publique 1 month ago
Statistically speaking, six of the seven dwarfs in the 1937 movie Snow White were not Happy.
Skywitness 1 month ago
Disney purchased Pixar and forgot the lesson that Pixar tried to hammer home, plot first. They have been doing live action versions of successful franchises to suck the last bit of marrow out of the bones of long dead carcasses. Snow White was only the logical extreme with predictable results.
Ivy la Sangrienta 1 month ago
I've refused to watch any of their live action remakes and casting doesn't make a difference. To be fair, I've refused to give Disney a single cent of my money in years.
Michael Melfa 1 month ago
Selected "I'm only here for the casting meltdown." Comment section never disappoints.
Sa Ruuu 1 month ago
I'm baffled cause does this mean people hate DEI? Love Israel? I'm confused
Tyranamar Seuss 1 month ago
People don't hate true DEI. Which is finding the best fit for a job regardless of color. People dislike using a European fairy tale and casting it with persons of color. Because that's not the best fit. Especially when an essential part of the character's whole make-up is that she had skin as white as snow. It would be much more DEI to tell the story of a myth from Columbia, using a Columbian actress.
Load More Replies... TotallyNOTAFox 1 month ago
And it took them exactly how long to realize that DEI, calling everybody a sexist, bigotted N**i and listening to a loud minority of keyboard activists on Twitter isn't profitable at all? Honestly, they sacrificied quality of any kind to send a political message - It's not like only right wingers refused to buy their products, the average customer and target audience (families) also were chased away by their decisions. And god forbid a white actress plays a character based in EUROPEAN folklore..... The western gaming industry already burns down because they pulled the same stunt in the last few years, was only a matter of time till Disney eventually panics given their losses
Forrest Hobbs 1 month ago
TotallyNOTAFox: Disney reversed its decision to follow white supremacist pressure because its share price dropped on account of so many people leaving its on-line platforms. Disney did indeed cave in to pressure from right wing extremists, but found that doing so caused its business to suffer. Basically, colluding with right wing extremism chased away Disney's profits - the average customer didn't like it.
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