Actress Kristen Bell—who voices Anna in Disney’s Frozen—had some interesting thoughts about another popular Disney movie this week.
In an interview with People magazine, Bell, who is the mother of two young children, observed how the movie sends some concerning messages to children. She said, “Every time we close Snow White I look at my girls and ask, ‘Don’t you think it’s weird that Snow White didn’t ask the old witch why she needed to eat the apple? Or where she got that apple?’ I say, ‘I would never take food from a stranger, would you?’ And my kids are like, ‘No!’ And I’m like, ‘Okay, I’m doing something right.’”
She also pointed out how one of the main plot points—Snow White being awoken from her coma (after eating a poison apple) by a kiss from a man—sends a bad message about consent. She explained, “Don’t you think that it’s weird that the prince kisses Snow White without her permission? Because you cannot kiss someone if they’re sleeping!”
Evidently, her thoughts caused some backlash among some Disney fans, but as she noted on Twitter, the comments also show how much value she places on teaching her children critical thinking skills.
