During a recent appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Rachel Zegler, star of the upcoming live-action Disney Princess film “Snow White,” discussed the unique filming process involving scenes with the Seven Dwarfs. Zegler explained that these scenes were shot three times to create the necessary layers for integrating her performance with the computer-generated (CG) depictions of the Dwarfs.
She noted, “You basically do three different versions of every scene. You do one with humans in the space so you’re having an emotional connection with somebody and then you do it with puppets, in our case for Dopey and Grumpy and these iconic characters.”
The approach taken for the dwarfs could have featured puppets instead of relying on CG, a technique that has, in some instances, proven to detract from the charm of beloved Disney sidekicks. Zegler described the puppets as being reminiscent of Julie Taymor’s work, likening them to the puppetry used in the Broadway production of “The Lion King.” This method involves attaching the puppets to the feet of puppeteers who then manipulate them for expressive movements.
This alternative method could have provided a balance between live-action performances and artisanal puppet creations, potentially avoiding controversial casting and unattractive CG representations. Zegler further detailed the process, “And then you do what’s called a clean pass, where it’s essentially me doing ‘Whistle While You Work’ to nobody, dancing and singing. The thing you have to do with props… you just drop it on the floor.”
Rachel Zegler expressed a wish for the version of the film featuring puppets to be released, highlighting the filming experience where she performed choreographed sequences, which involved dropping props for later CG inclusion. “Snow White” is set to open this Friday.
