The actress once portrayed the princess in the 2012 fantasy-comedy also starring Julia Roberts, ‘Mirror, Mirror.’
Lily Collins has earned herself several memorable roles over the years, and one gig is finally earning its flowers decades later, and amid scrutiny related to Disney’s plans for a live-action Snow White remake.
While the actress didn’t play the part of the Disney princess, she did once portray the fictional character associated with the Brothers Grimm collection in the PG fantasy-comedy Mirror, Mirror.
Now, 13 years later (spooky), her part in the 2012 film has come back to haunt–not the actress, but rather Disney as a whole following the rampant criticism of the $300 million reboot starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot.
Amid the ongoing controversy about the upcoming live-action remake, which fans say deviates too far from the original story and has entertained questionable casting decisions, many have taken to social media to declare Mirror, Mirror–which also starred Julia Roberts as the Queen–the “best Snow White remake.”
Sharing a gif of the then-20-something-year-old actress in costume from the movie, one movie buff suggested Mirror, Mirror was “the best Snow White remake and it was not even made by Disney. They made her more assertive and independent while ultimately making her feel like the same character.”
“Lily Collins was beautiful as Snow White and this movie introduced me to her!” another top-liked comment read in part. “She’s still one of my favourites. I could write three full-length essays about this movie and how many wonderful qualities it possesses. It’s definitely my favourite retelling of the original fairytale because it reinvigorates the original story and emphasizes its distinct uniqueness. This movie is a masterclass in ‘remakes.'”
“I watched this movie when it came out, and I loved it,” a third shared. “Despite it not being a Disney movie, Lily Collins’ version of the character honestly felt like Disney’s Snow White brought to life even before Ginnifer Goodwin did it for Once Upon a Time.”
“Mirror mirror had some of the BEST costumes I’ve ever seen. I’m willing to die on that hill,” one more wrote. “[Lily] was so perfect as Snow white. If I close my eyes and try to conjure up an irl version of Snow white, I picture [Lily] Collins with her deep dark beautiful hair contrasting on her pale skin,” adding that she is “a phenomenal actress and she gave such life and charm, not just with her words but with her facial expression and body language.”
“I wish Disney could’ve taken notes from them about this movie, especially being the legacy that it is for their company,” the fan concluded.
Several others voted for Sigourney Weaver‘s horror-fantasy version, Snow White: A Tale of Terror (1997), as a close second.
Though some are sold on Mirror, Mirror as reigning supreme with 4.2 stars out of 5 on Google, not all critics are on the same page. Rotten Tomatoes reviewers only scored the film at a 50 percent tomatometer–not quite rotten, but certainly not the fairest of them all.