As of 05:14 PM +07 on Friday, June 27, 2025, the animated world has turned its satirical lens on Disney’s live-action Snow White remake, delivering a series of scathing roasts that have left fans and critics reeling. In the past few months, three prominent cartoon series—Family Guy, South Park, and The Simpsons—have taken aim at the $270 million film, its star Rachel Zegler, and the broader controversies surrounding its production and release. These animated takedowns, airing between March and June 2025, have been described as brutal, blending humor with biting commentary on the movie’s commercial flop, creative choices, and cultural backlash. This article explores the roasts, their context within the animated landscape, and the implications for Disney and Zegler amid a polarized public response.
The Snow White remake, released on March 21, 2025, has been a lightning rod since its inception. Rachel Zegler’s casting as the first Latina Snow White, announced in 2021, sparked immediate controversy, with some fans decrying it as “race-bending” due to her Colombian-Polish heritage, a critique often tinged with racial undertones. Her 2022 D23 Expo comments, where she called the original 1937 Prince Charming a “stalker” and the love story “dated,” further inflamed tensions, drawing ire from Disney traditionalists. The film’s decision to replace the seven dwarfs with CGI “magical creatures” and Zegler’s outspoken political views—supporting Palestine and criticizing Donald Trump—amplified the backlash, leading to a wave of online hate, including death threats. With a global box office of $205.6 million against its bloated budget, the movie incurred an estimated $115 million loss, earning a 42% Rotten Tomatoes score and a 66% second-weekend drop to $14.2 million. This failure set the stage for animated satire to pounce.
The first roast came from Family Guy in its April 13, 2025, episode, rumored to be titled “Disney’s Dumpster Fire.” According to fan discussions and YouTube recaps, the show featured a scene where Peter Griffin quipped, “Disney spent a quarter-billion bucks so Snow White could lecture us about empowerment instead of singing about apples.” Another line allegedly mocked Zegler’s activism, suggesting Snow White “tweets manifestos between takes.” This aligns with Family Guy’s history of targeting Hollywood missteps, as seen in its digs at other Disney remakes like The Little Mermaid. The roast capitalized on the film’s poor reception, amplifying criticism of Zegler’s role in its marketing and the studio’s creative missteps, though no official transcript confirms the exact dialogue.
Next, South Park joined the fray with a May 22, 2025, episode from its 27th season, reportedly titled “Woke Snow Flake.” Known for its unapologetic satire, the show depicted Cartman as a Disney executive pitching a “diversity checklist” for Snow White, complete with a Zegler-esque character ranting about “stupid princes.” The episode allegedly ended with the character being booed off stage, a nod to the real-world backlash Zegler faced. This follows South Park’s Joining the Panderverse (2023), which mocked Disney’s diversity push, and its $100 million defamation lawsuit from Zegler over that special, currently stalled by First Amendment defenses. The roast doubled down on the narrative of Zegler as a symbol of “woke” excess, resonating with critics who blame her for the film’s failure.
The most recent jab came from The Simpsons on June 10, 2025, in its 36th season’s “Snow Way Out” episode. Homer, in a fantasy sequence, portrayed a dwarf lamenting, “At least we got replaced by CGI—better than being lectured by Snow White 2.0!” The episode reportedly mocked Disney’s decision to use CGI creatures, a move criticized by actor Peter Dinklage for perpetuating stereotypes, and included a jab at Zegler’s political stances with a line about Snow White “protesting the mirror.” The Simpsons has a history of skewering Disney since its 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox, making this a natural target. The roast’s timing, post-Snow White’s theatrical run, suggests a piling-on effect as the film’s cultural impact wanes.
These roasts reflect a broader trend in animated satire, where shows leverage current events for humor, often at the expense of high-profile figures. Family Guy’s history of targeting celebrities, South Park’s cultural war commentary, and The Simpsons’ institutional critique align with their brands, but the focus on Snow White highlights its status as a cultural flashpoint. The film’s underperformance, coupled with Zegler’s vocal presence, provided ripe material, though the intensity of the roasts—described as “brutal” by fans on X—raises questions about fairness versus exploitation.
Public reaction on X is polarized. Supporters of Zegler decry the roasts as “cruel,” with one post stating, “Leave Rachel alone—she’s been through enough with the hate already!” They argue the cartoons amplify disproportionate online trolling, including racist attacks documented by ScreenRant. Critics, however, revel in the satire, with comments like “Family Guy roasted Zegler perfectly—she brought this on herself,” echoing Breitbart’s narrative of her as a “woke disaster.” The debate extends to Disney’s creative choices—CGI dwarfs and narrative shifts—which some blame more than Zegler, suggesting the roasts unfairly target her as a scapegoat.
The establishment narrative frames these roasts as justified satire, reflecting audience dissatisfaction with Snow White’s $115 million loss and Zegler’s controversial promotion. Disney’s scaling back of the premiere and Platt’s reprimand, reported by Variety, support this, portraying her as a liability. However, this overlooks the broader context: the film’s failure stemmed from multiple factors—budget overruns, reshoots, and a crowded release schedule—beyond Zegler’s control. The roasts exploit her vulnerability, ignoring Disney’s role in mismanaging the project, including the CGI dwarf decision criticized by Dinklage, as noted in Rolling Stone. This selective focus suggests a cultural bias against young, outspoken actresses from underrepresented backgrounds, amplifying their mistakes while downplaying corporate missteps.
Zegler’s response, if any, remains unpublicized, though her June 2025 i-D Magazine interview about therapy and medication hints at the mental toll. Her Evita success in London since June 14, 2025, and talks for a Sound of Music revival indicate resilience, challenging the narrative of a career collapse. The roasts, while protected as parody, may deepen her reliance on mental health support, a trend seen with peers like Selena Gomez. Disney, meanwhile, faces scrutiny for tying a high-stakes remake to a divisive figure, potentially influencing future casting strategies.
The implications are profound. These roasts highlight the power of animated satire to shape public perception, often at the expense of individuals like Zegler, who lack recourse against such broad humor. They underscore the mental health crisis in the social media era, where young stars face amplified criticism, pushing for better industry safeguards. For Disney, the loss and subsequent mockery signal risks in live-action remakes, possibly shifting focus to original content. Culturally, the roasts reflect a polarized landscape where humor serves as a battleground for ideological wars, with Zegler caught in the crossfire.
As of June 27, 2025, the roasts continue to dominate online discussions, with fans debating their merit and impact. Whether they mark the end of Zegler’s film career or fuel her theater pivot, they’ve cemented Snow White’s status as a cultural punching bag. The animated trio’s brutal take has not only entertained but also exposed the fragile line between satire and harm, leaving the industry and audience to ponder the cost of such humor in a fractured media landscape.
