Rachel Zegler plays Snow White in Disney’s live-action Snow White remake, but deciphering how old the Disney princess is comes down to a few clues. As part of Disney’s initiative to turn beloved animated classics into modern live-action films, there have been several ways that the studio moves to update these stories. Snow White changes the animated movie in several ways, ranging from adding new characters to altering key sequences. One common practice with live-action remakes is changing the main characters’ ages, leaving questions about Snow White’s age with Rachel Zegler’s casting.
The majority of Disney princesses are 18 years or younger in animation. However, with live-action films, Disney has been willing to make changes to slightly age the characters. One example is The Little Mermaid making Ariel 18 instead of keeping her age at 16 as in the animated film. Even if the films do not outright confirm the older interpretations, Disney routinely casts actresses in their 20s to play the princesses in live-action. That’s the case again with Rachel Zegler in Snow White. While the movie doesn’t confirm her age, a general range can be considered.
Rachel Zegler’s Snow White Is Likely Between 17-20 Years Old
The Movie Doesn’t Directly Confirm Her Age
Since Disney’s live-action Snow White does not directly confirm Snow White’s age, a few factors can be considered to help determine a potential range. For starters, it’s worth noting that Rachel Zegler was 20 years old when production began and turned 21 as filming continued. Actors rarely play their exact ages in movies, but it does provide a rough idea of what age range Disney wanted Snow White to pᴀss for. She could be as young as 17 or 18 or be as old as 20 to match Zegler’s age.
While the movie doesn’t directly comment on Snow White’s age, there is one line that may hint at a smaller range. Early on, Huntsman refers to Zegler’s Snow White as a “child.” If that is taken literally, Snow White must be younger than 18 years old. Throughout most of the world, 18 is the age when someone is considered an adult instead of a child. If Huntsman correctly calls Snow White a child, she would be 17 years old or younger. Based on Zegler’s age, it’s unlikely Disney would try to make her pᴀss for anything younger than 17.
Without direct confirmation from the movie or Disney, an age range between 17 and 20 for Zegler’s princess feels right.
It’s also worth noting that Disney did something similar with Ariel in The Little Mermaid. Halle Bailey was 20 years old, playing an 18-year-old version of Ariel. She played the Disney princess two years younger than she was in real life. It’d make sense for Rachel Zegler’s Snow White to be around 18 years old then too. But without direct confirmation from the movie or Disney, an age range between 17 and 20 for Zegler’s princess feels right.
Snow White Was Only 14 Years Old In Disney’s Animated Movie
Snow White Is Even Younger Originally
Snow White’s age is a lot more clear in Disney’s original animated movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It is confirmed that she is 14 years old in the 1937 film. That is the age she is when the Magic Mirror finally recognizes her as the fairest in the land and becomes the Evil Queen’s target. With an undisclosed time jump between Snow White’s death and her resurrection by the Prince’s kiss, she may be a year older by the conclusion. In any case, Rachel Zegler’s Snow White is not 14 years old like her animated counterpart.
Adriana Caselotti was 18 years old when she voiced the animated Snow White, making her the youngest actress to play Disney’s Snow White
As a 14 year old, Snow White is the youngest of Disney’s princesses. The ages of Disney’s princesses are typically between 16 and 18 years old. Merida, Moana, Aurora, Ariel, and Mulan are all 16 years old. Belle is 17 in Beauty and the Beast. Pocahontas, Rapunzel, and Raya are all 18. The only princess nearly as young as Snow White is Jasmine, who is 15 in Aladdin. The oldest Disney princesses are 19-year-olds Cinderella and Tiana, Anna at 21 years old, and Elsa at 24 years old.
Why Rachel Zegler’s Snow White Is So Much Older Than The Animated Character
An Older Version Of Snow White Benefits The Character
There was never any real chance that Snow White would be 14 years old in live-action. That decision made the love story with her and the Prince more controversial. While the live-action remake took the love story in a different direction, it still would have been strange for Snow White to stay at 14 years old. As demonstrated by the ages of the other Disney princesses, Snow White being that young is an outlier. It makes sense to age her up to at least 17 or 18 so she’s more in line with the ages of Disney’s modern princesses.
Rachel Zegler’s Snow White has more life experience with her older portrayal, too. The movie is ultimately a journey of self-discovery for her. That’s more fitting for someone who is entering adulthood and turns the movie into a legitimate coming-of-age story as she discovers who she is during Snow White‘s ending. It also would not be believable for Zegler to play a character who was 14 years old. She may pᴀss for 17 or 18, but not that young. Rachel Zegler’s character needed to be older in Snow White.
