Martin Klebba has confirmed his role as Grumpy in the upcoming Snow White. After the blockbuster success of live-action reimaginations of classic fairytale properties like Cinderalla and Beauty and the Beast, Disney announced in 2019 that a live-action Snow White based on the House of the Mouse's first 1937 animated featured film was in the works, with Spider-Man director Marc Webb at the helm. Last year, the movie took a major step forward when it cast Shazam! Fury of the Gods actress Rachel Zegler to play the leading princess, and only a few months later Gal Gadot joined Snow White as the Evil Queen.
When Snow White was announced, Game of Thrones alum Peter Dinklage openly spoke out against remaking what he called a "backwards" story that perpetuates negative views of people with dwarfism. The actor, who is a member of the dwarfism community, called out Snow White's problem of misrepresentation and appealed to Disney to rethink adapting the Seven Dwarfs characters in the live-action remake. Dinklage's comments against Snow White were met with a quick response by Disney, who said the live-action film wouldn't "reinforc[e] stereotypes" and would approach the original characters differently after "consulting with members of the dwarfism community." There were later reports that Disney was contemplating replacing the Seven Dwarfs with various magical creatures, although now it seems that Snow White could be handling things differently.
Speaking in a video taken at a Fan Expo in Denver (via Disney Insider), Pirates of the Caribbean star Klebba confirmed that he is playing Grumpy in Snow White. Rumors about Klebba being a part of the movie have been cirulating for a while, but it's only now that this has come directly from the actor himself. Klebba additionally revealed that he has already finished filming for his parts in the movie, and believes that Snow White will release in theatres by the end of 2023. Read what he said below.
"Just got done filming Snow White, which will be coming out late next year. And, of course, I play Grumpy. Gal Gadot is our witch, and Rachel Zegler will be our Snow White. So, come on by and have a good time."
Although Klebba has confirmed that he is playing Grumpy, and the actor is also a member of the dwarfism community, this doesn't necessarily mean that his character is the same version as one of the original Seven Dwarfs. Instead, it's possible that Disney has changed Grumpy's origins to be an entirely different character, and the new interpretation may include CGI or be entirely live-action. What's more, Grumpy's involvement in Snow White doesn't confirm that all Seven Dwarfs are coming back. Even if Grumpy is returning, it's possible that he is living solo, and meets Zegler's titular character in a new way.
Considering the original animated movie's depiction of the Seven Dwarfs, Dinklage's comments are certainly justified. Historically, people in the dwarfism community have been discriminated against in the entertainment industry, and Dinklage's comments pointing out the concerning nature of a faithful adaptation emphasise how this would serve to further negative stereotypes. Based on the studio's previous statement, it would seem that Disney took note of Dinklage's Snow White criticisms, and it is making attempts to reintroduce the classic story to a new audience in a more inclusive and sensitive way. Right now, Klebba's casting doesn't explain what the studio is doing to rectify the problems of the animated original movie, or why it has chosen to move forward with Grumpy's character. Details regarding Klebba's role in Snow White will likely become clearer in the coming months.
Source: Disney Insider