As the very first Disney Princess,Snow Whiteholds a significant place in cultural history, pioneering the now-iconic franchise. She established a template for futureDisney heroines giving actresses their big starts, laying the groundwork for their character development and narrative arcs.Snow Whiteis still seen by many as the best Disney princess movie because, in general, it revolutionized animation for generations to come.
Since the original 1937 movieSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs,several actors have taken the mantle of acting or voice acting the iconic princess. While Adriana Caselotti’s performance is inimitable, there have been some impressive takes on the character that range from homage to pastiche, coming in both animation adaptations and live-action versions.
6Adriana Caselotti
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Adriana Caselotti is the definitive Snow White. Disney personally hired her for the 1937 production when she was 18 years old. They were looking for a voice that sounded“ageless, friendly, natural and innocent”(perNYT), and Caselotti fit the bill. Adriana Caselotti landed the role of Snow White after a Disney casting scout, searching for a voice enchanting enough for the part, consulted her father, a Los Angeles voice coach. He recommended his daughter, andshe won the role over more than 150 other hopefuls, including actress Deanna Durbin.
According toThe Disney Classics,Caselotti thought she was taking part in a short film and did not realize until the premiere ofSnow Whitethat it was a full-length feature. Additionally, at the time,Walt Disney did not credit heras the voice actor in the movie. This was part of his approach to preserving the fantasy of Disney. Although this put her career at a disadvantage, the star still recalled her time working with Disney very fondly throughout her whole life despite thestupid company rule, saying she still remembered most of her lines.
5Ginnifer Goodwin
Once Upon A Time (2011-2018)
Ginnifer Goodwin starred in ABC’s fantasy dramaOnce Upon a Timefrom 2011 to 2017,portraying both Snow White and her modern-day counterpart, Mary Margaret Blanchard. She and her husband, Josh Dallas, also a cast member, left the show after season 6 to relocate to Los Angeles with their family but returned for the series finale in season seven.
Speaking on the possibility of aOnce Upon a Timereboot,Goodwin said the following:
“I live around the corner from the creator, so I’m sure I’ll hear things. I’d love to go back. My whole life is kind of built around it.”
One of Ginnifer Goodwin’smost iconic scenes inOnce Upon a Timewas when she saved Charming from the trolls. This scene highlights Snow White’s bravery, resourcefulness, and selflessness. Despite having a chance to escape with the ring and save herself, she risked everything to return for Prince Charming. The quick-thinking and proactive Snow White Goodwin portrays is an asset to the series. The Shakespearean-trained actress’ performance inOnce Upon a Timewas highly praised, opening doors to other exciting projects, such as her highest-rated role inZootopia(perRotten Tomatoes).
4Katie Von Till
Sofia The First (2012-2018)
Katie Von Till plays Snow White in an episode ofSofia the First,“The Enchanted Feast.”Snow White was the fifth Disney princess to featurein the animated series. This season 2 episode saw Von Till reprising her role as Snow - she had previously played the iconic character in a video game,Kinect Disneyland Adventures.The TV show was onDisney Kids.
As a cameo in the episode, Snow White visits Sofia, offering magical guidance and a cautionary warning: appearances can be deceiving. When Sofia decides to heed her advice, she finds Snow has already vanished, leaving a cloud of glitter behind. According toKGET,Von Till aimed to “voice match” to Adriana Caselotti, who originated the role. Her performance as Snow is inspired by the classic role because she considers Caselotti“forever”Snow White.
3Stephanie Bennett
Descendants (2015)
In the 2015 Disney Channel Original MovieDescendants, Snow White was portrayed by Stephanie Bennett. InDescendants,Snow White is a celebrated hero in Auradon. She reigns as Queen of Charmington, works as a news reporter, and owns Snow White’s Snack Shack. She is the stepdaughter of the Evil Queen, stepsister to Evie, and married to Prince Florian.
Disney’s Snow White Could Fulfill A 13-Year-Old Promise With Another Live-Action Movie Coming In 2025
The live-action adaptation of Disney’s Snow White could world with another 2025 film to fulfill a 13-year-old promise, much to the excitement of fans.
When Bennett’s Snow White is giving a news broadcast, the Evil Queen mocks her, saying she’s“definitely had work done”, and the villains throw popcorn at the TV. The movie is a modern take on the timeless Disney characters. According toRotten Tomatoes, Descendantsis Stephanie Bennett’s highest-rated film.
2Pamela Ribon
Ralph Breaks The Internet (2018)
InRalph Breaks the Internet: Wreck It Ralph 2, Vanellope von Schweetz and Ralph explore the internet’s vast landscape. A new trailer showcases a scene where Vanellope encounters the Disney princesses and discovers surprising similarities. Notably, many of the original voice actresses reprise their roles for this scene - except for Snow White. She is played by Pamela Ribon, who is also the co-writer of the movie.
According toA Worthy Read, “In the initial stages of making this scene, she voiced each character as they put it together. It was later decided to have her continue to do the voice of Snow White”.In the Princess scene,the creators poke light fun at Disney and the princesses, with their bizarre and sometimes dark backgrounds from the fairytales. Snow White plays into this comedy, having been poisoned.
1Rachel Zegler
Snow White (2025)
Most recently, Rachel Zegler played Snow White in a live-action remake aimed to modernize the classic tale. This is part of what made the reimagining the subject of controversy regarding the original Disney animation.Disney aimed to make the remake diverse and inclusiveand address contemporary changes in values since the original - however, the actress’ forthright approach to commenting on the beloved original caused a backlash, which even resulted inSnow White fans showing up to Zegler’s apartment.
Despite all the controversy surrounding Rachel Zegler in the role, she remained committed to it andearly reactions toSnow Whiteindicate that it was the right move to have her play the titular character. While the overall consensus seems to be that the film is pretty great,Rachel Zegler has gotten a lot of praise directed towards her performance specifically, which could hopefully mitigate a lot of the unwarranted backlash she has received.
Snow White Actresses Outside Of Disney Films
Disney is not the only studio to produce Snow White films, as there have been several others over the years, most notablySnow White and the HuntsmenandMirror Mirror. In terms of actresses who have played Snow White outside of Disney,Kristen Stewart plays the character inSnow White and the Huntsmen, while Lily Collins takes up the role inMirror Mirror.
Of course, those aren’t the only films to feature Snow White.Snow White: The Fairest of Them Allwas a TV film released in 2001, featuring Kristin Kreuk (Smallville) in the role. There have also been low-budget horror films likeSnow White: A Deadly SummerandSnow White: A Tale of Terror(featuring Sigourney Weaver) also made. Still, the most popular adaptations remain the Disney ones, asSnow Whitehas been an iconic staple of the studio for nearly nine decades.
Snow White
Cast
A live-action adaptation of the classic fairy tale. The film follows Snow White as she escapes into the forest and seeks refuge with seven dwarfs to elude her jealous stepmother, the wicked Queen, who is threatened by Snow White’s surpassing beauty.
