One translation of the original Brothers Grimm fairy tale, written in 1812, reads: "Snow-White grew up and became ever more beautiful. When she was seven years old she was as beautiful as the light of day, even more beautiful than the queen herself." This line leads into the famous story of Snow White meeting the seven unique dwarfs and being tricked by the evil queen.
Since there are no other references to her age, we are led to the conclusion that Snow White is only a little girl of seven. Throughout
the fairy tale, Snow White is consistently referred to as a child by the other characters: The huntsman who spares her, the curious dwarfs, and the narrator. The story ends with the prince dislodging the wicked queen's apple from Snow White's throat and declaring, "I love you more than anything else in the world. Come with me to my father's castle. You shall become my wife." Snow White happily accepts, and they have a wedding of "great splendor and majesty." There is no reference to the prince's age, but it seems unlikely that he is as young as Snow White. This romantic ending, culminating in marriage, certainly complicated things for any future adaptations; audiences were not going to want to witness a prepubescent girl become a wife.
During the time period of the medieval folk stories that inspired "Snow White," it was not uncommon among royalty for children as young as six or seven to be betrothed to other royals (mostly for political reasons). However, they would not formally marry or consummate the union until their early teens. While Snow White's youth plays a part in her exceptional beauty and overabundant sweetness, the Disney adaptations had to adjust her age to reflect the transformed cultural standards.
Read more: 5 Reasons Why Disney's Live-Action Snow White Bombed At The Box Office
Disney's Animated Version Of Snow White Is Only 14 Years Old
Disney's first feature-length film, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," was a huge creative and financial risk. It reworked the original tale to be more family-friendly by adding whimsical songs, and, thankfully, updating Snow White's age (well, only a little bit). The book "Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: An Art in Its Making" includes a casting breakdown from 1934 that reads (via Internet Archive): "Snow White: Janet Gaynor type – 14 years old" and "The Prince: Douglas Fairbanks type – 18 years old."
Janet Gaynor was a silent movie star whose pixie-like features clearly inspired Snow White's character design. She was petite at only 5 feet, with a delicate frame, wide, expressive eyes, and a cutesy bob. She could certainly pass for a 14-year-old girl. The Snow White voice actress, Adriana Caselotti, was just a few years older at 18, but her tinkling-bell type of voice embodies the pure-hearted innocence of someone that young. Disney even prevented Caselotti from getting other roles so she would be their little princess forever and never grow up on screen.
Although 14 is technically a teenager, it's still very young — especially next to the 18-year-old prince modeled after a debonair Hollywood heartthrob. An adult is still romantically involved with a child. This is made even more uncomfortable because Disney adds the climactic moment of the "true love's kiss," giving us visual proof of their love. Having young princesses would not be unusual for Disney; Aurora from "Sleeping Beauty" is 16, as is Ariel from "The Little Mermaid," whose movie ends with a giant wedding celebration. Compared to them, Snow White is closer to being a child than a young woman, in both age and fluttery behavior.
Disney's Live-Action Snow White Likely Matches Actress Rachel Zegler's Age
Over 80 years since "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was released, a happily-ever-after featuring the marriage of a 14-year-old is more than just taboo. Many of Disney's live-action remakes align more closely with modern feminism, giving the princesses ambitions beyond finding a prince. These reimaginings often avoid referencing the princesses' ages altogether, or lead audiences to assume they're around the same age as the actresses playing them (who are typically in their mid-20s).
Rachel Zegler was 20 years old (and turned 21 during production) when she starred in the controversial live-action remake of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." This made her only a few years older than the original voice actress, Adriana Caselotti. Hardly the fairest remake of them all, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" does not reveal Snow White's age. The character no longer has a warbling baby voice, but instead Rachel Zegler's powerful Broadway belt. The huntsman still refers to Snow White as a child, but this seems more a reference to her innocence and her being younger than him.
Zegler has a very fresh and youthful presence that still makes her look like a teenager, but her interpretation of Snow White is certainly older than 14. The princess is not just flitting around with cuddly forest animals, but has a grounded strength and maturity. She actively engages in political resistance by holding onto the values her parents instilled in her, shaping her into a leader of the kingdom. This socially conscious version of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" still ends with a marriage, but Snow White is likely not a teen bride. At the very least, she is 18 and still technically an adult.
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Read the original article on SlashFilm.
