Wee Man Slams Disney Over SNOW WHITE Remake; Hugh Grant's Oompa Loompa Casting in WONKA Also Blasted
Actors with Dwarfism are getting upset with Hollywood because of how recent acting jobs are being taken away from them in big-budget movies because studios have not been casting little people in roles that have traditionally been played by little people in the past.
Some set photos from Disney’s Snow White remake recently leaked out featuring Snow White’s seven companions in the film, and they clearly aren’t seven dwarves. Then there’s Hugh Grant being cast as an Oompa Loompa in the upcoming Wonka movie.
Jackass star Wee Man was recently asked by TMZ about his opinion on the Snow White remake and he slammed Disney saying:
"It’s a bad thing. I’m not agreeing with it. One, because what they’re doing is pretty much replacing jobs that people could have as little people. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It’s for dwarfs."
Former WWE star and Leprechaun: Origins actor Dylan Postl also isn’t happy with Disney and explained during an appearance on Uncensored with Piers Morgan, he would like to take his career to the next level by starring in a big-budget Disney movie like Snow White. He explained how people in his community have have a hard enough time finding roles in Hollywood, and is pissed at Disney for taking away what could have been several major roles for little people. He said:
"There are actors, dwarf actors, that live that dream to be in a major motion picture such as this Disney remake, and now, because Peter Dinklage said what he said last year, now it's taken away, because of 'progression’. It's not right, because there are roles made for actors of my stature. Roles that aren't ever really given. I can't go out for the Harrison Ford or George Clooney roles because that's not for me. These dwarf roles are for people of my stature, and now it's taken away. I don't feel that's right, and not only that, but now, think about the additional stunt actors, or body doubles, now you're talking multiple actors of my stature that don't get these major roles."
Peter Dinklage lashed out at Disney a couple of years ago criticizing the remake due to the fairytale’s “f**king backwards” depiction of dwarfs. The actor shared, “There’s a lot of hypocrisy going on. Literally no offense to anyone, but I was a little taken aback when they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White. But you’re still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Take a step back and look at what you’re doing there. It makes no sense to me.”
So, as you might imagine other dwarf actors are a little mad at Dinklage for saying that because it took work away from them.
In another interview, George Coppen, a British actor who appeared in Willow, Artemis Fowl, and played Sweet Cupid in Netflix’s The School for Good and Evil, expressed his feelings about Hugh Grant taking on the role of an Oompa Loompa telling BBC:
“A lot of actors [with dwarfism] feel like we are being pushed out of the industry we love. A lot of people, myself included, argue that dwarfs should be offered everyday roles in dramas and soaps, but we aren’t getting offered those roles. One door is being closed but they have forgotten to open the next one.”
In the Wonka trailer, Willy Wonka meets Grant’s Oompa Loompa, who is in a glass jar, and when talking about his appearance, Coppen said: “They’ve enlarged his head so his head looks bigger. [I thought] what the hell have you done to him?”
These Hollywood studios really need to put their common sense hats back on. Little people want to work! They want these acting jobs!