As the very first Disney Princess, Snow White holds a significant place in cultural history, pioneering the now-iconic franchise. She established a template for future Disney heroines giving actresses their big starts, laying the groundwork for their character development and narrative arcs. Snow White is still the best Disney princess movie because, in general, it revolutionized animation for generations to come.

Since the original 1937 movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, several actors have taken the mantle of acting or voice acting the iconic princess. While Adriana Caselotti’s performance is inimitable, there have been some impressive takes on the character that range from homage to pastiche.

Adriana Caselotti

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Adriana Caselotti is the definitive Snow White. Disney personally hired her for the 1937 production when she was 18 years old. They were looking for a voice that sounded “ageless, friendly, natural and innocent” (per NYT), and Caselotti fit the bill. Adriana Caselotti landed the role of Snow White after a Disney casting scout, searching for a voice enchanting enough for the part, consulted her father, a Los Angeles voice coach. He recommended his daughter, and she won the role over more than 150 other hopefuls, including actress Deanna Durbin.

According to The Disney Classics, Caselotti thought she was taking part in a short film and did not realize until the premiere of Snow White that it was a full-length feature. Additionally, at the time, Walt Disney did not credit her as the voice actor in the movie. This was part of his approach to preserving the fantasy of Disney. Although this put her career at a disadvantage, the star still recalled her time working with Disney very fondly throughout her whole life despite the stupid company rule, saying she still remembered most of her lines.

Ginnifer Goodwin

Once Upon a Time (2011-2018)

Ginnifer Goodwin starred in ABC’s fantasy drama Once Upon a Time from 2011 to 2017, portraying both Snow White and her modern-day counterpart, Mary Margaret Blanchard. She and her husband, Josh Dallas, also a cast member, left the show after season six to relocate to Los Angeles with their family, but returned for the series finale in season seven.

Speaking on the possibility of a Once Upon a Time reboot, Goodwin said the following:

“I live around the corner from the creator, so I’m sure I’ll hear things. I’d love to go back. My whole life is kind of built around it.”

One of Ginnifer Goodwin’s most iconic scenes in Once Upon a Time was when she saved Charming from the trolls. This scene highlights Snow White’s bravery, resourcefulness, and selflessness. Despite having a chance to escape with the ring and save herself, she risked everything to return for Prince Charming. The quick-thinking and proactive Snow White Goodwin portrays is an asset to the series. The Shakespearean-trained actress’ performance in Once Upon a Time was highly praised, opening doors to other exciting projects, such as her highest-rated role in Zootopia (per Rotten Tomatoes).

Katie Von Till

Sofia the First (2012-2018)

Katie Von Till plays Snow White in an episode of Sofia the First, “The Enchanted Feast”. Snow White was the fifth Disney princess to feature in the animated series. This season 2 episode saw Von Till reprising her role as Snow – she had previously played the iconic character in a video game, Kinect Disneyland Adventures. The TV show was on Disney Kids.

As a cameo in the episode, Snow White visits Sofia, offering magical guidance and a cautionary warning: appearances can be deceiving. When Sofia decides to heed her advice, she finds Snow has already vanished, leaving a cloud of glitter behind. According to KGET, Von Till aimed to “voice match” to Adriana Caselotti, who originated the role. Her performance as Snow is inspired by the classic role because she considers Caselotti “forever” Snow White.

Stephanie Bennett

Descendants (2015)

In the 2015 Disney Channel Original Movie Descendants, Snow White was portrayed by Stephanie Bennett. In Descendants, Snow White is a celebrated hero in Auradon. She reigns as Queen of Charmington, works as a news reporter, and owns Snow White’s Snack Shack. She is the stepdaughter of the Evil Queen, stepsister to Evie, and married to Prince Florian.

When Bennett’s Snow White is giving a news broadcast, the Evil Queen mocks her, saying she’s “definitely had work done”, and the villains throw popcorn at the TV. The movie is a modern take on the timeless Disney characters. According to Rotten Tomatoes, Descendants is Stephanie Bennett’s highest-rated film.

Pamela Ribon

Ralph Breaks The Internet (2018)

In Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck It Ralph 2, Vanellope von Schweetz and Ralph explore the internet’s vast landscape. A new trailer showcases a scene where Vanellope encounters the Disney princesses and discovers surprising similarities. Notably, many of the original voice actresses reprise their roles for this scene – except for Snow White. She is played by Pamela Ribon, who is also the co-writer of the movie.

According to A Worthy Read, “In the initial stages of making this scene, she voiced each character as they put it together. It was later decided to have her continue to do the voice of Snow White”. In the Princess scene, the creators poke light fun at Disney and the princesses, with their bizarre and sometimes dark backgrounds from the fairytales. Snow White plays into this comedy, having been poisoned.

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Rachel Zegler

Snow White (2025)

Most recently, Rachel Zegler played Snow White in a live-action movie. The remake aimed to modernize the classic tale. This is part of what made the reimagining the subject of controversy regarding the original Disney animation. Disney aimed to make the remake diverse and inclusive and address contemporary changes in values since the original – however, the actress’ forthright approach to commenting on the beloved original caused a backlash, which even resulted in Snow White fans showing up to Zegler’s apartment.

Rachel Zegler’s Snow White controversy stems from her seeming to alienate fans of the classic animation. While Zegler’s remarks have generated discussion, she remains on board with the major film. The movie also stars Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. The Snow White movie uses a combination of live-action and CGI and features Snow White’s classic look, songs, and affinity with animals.