Two prominent actresses spoke out this week against Disney storylines, with one even saying she’s banned some of the older Disney films from her house.
Keira Knightley, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star, said in an interview on Oct. 16 that she’s banned “The Little Mermaid” and “Cinderella” from her house.
“This is the one that I’m quite annoyed about because I really like the film,” she said. “I mean, the songs are great but do not give your voice up for a man. Hello?!”
“I love ‘The Little Mermaid,’ so that one’s a little bit tricky, but I’m keeping to it,” she added.
She then explained her reasoning for not letting her daughter Edie, who was born in 2015, watch “Cinderella.”
“Because, you know, she waits around for a rich guy to rescue her. Don’t! Rescue yourself, obviously,” Knightley said.
The audience clapped after she announced the bans.
Bell Speaks Out
Kristen Bell, who voiced the character Anna in “Frozen,” also took issue with some storylines.“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 said.
Bell said what she found most offensive about “Snow White” is the kiss the princess received from Prince Charming to wake her up.
“Don’t you think that it’s weird that the prince kisses Snow White without her permission?” Bell said she has told her daughters. “Because you can not kiss someone if they’re sleeping!”
Reactions
While a few people have spoken out in support of the criticism of the movies, others have criticized the positions taken by Knightley and Bell.“Cinderella is not a bad or weak character. She is hardworking, brave, and kind, despite being abused and going through loss. She goes after her dreams. She is a beacon of compassion. Ariel is adventurous, daring, and a fighter. She brought two worlds at odds with each other together. These are great films for kids.,” said one YouTube user commenting on the Knightley interview video.
“Instead of banning movies, couldn’t they watch them together and use the opportunity to discuss the decisions the characters made?” added another.
“She doesn’t know what she is talking about in regards to Disney Princesses,” added another.
