The billboard for the actor’s new animated film Red Shoes and the 7 Dwarfs has attracted criticism for its beauty standards message

Actor Chloë Grace Moretz has spoken out against a promotional poster for her new film Red Shoes and the 7 Dwarfs, which has been accused of body-shaming.

The poster for the South Korean film, an animated parody of the Snow White tale, was first brought to widespread attention by a New York Magazine journalist at the Cannes film festival last week. It features two versions of the film’s lead character, one tall and thin, the other shorter and wider. The accompanying text reads: “What if Snow White was no longer beautiful and the 7 Dwarfs not so short?”

Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) This Chloe Moretz cartoon also seems, uh, questionable pic.twitter.com/93ieRc9JnQ

The poster has received widespread condemnation on social media, with plus-size model Tess Holliday among those criticising its message. Responding to the reaction in a series of tweets, Moretz, a prominent advocate of body positivity among women, said that she was “appalled and angry” at the poster.

“I have now fully reviewed the mkting for Red Shoes, I am just as appalled and angry as everyone else, this wasn’t approved by me or my team,” The Kick-Ass actor wrote. “Pls know I have let the producers of the film know. I lent my voice to a beautiful script that I hope you will all see in its entirety. The actual story is powerful for young women and resonated with me. I am sorry for the offence that was beyond my creative control.”

Chloë Grace Moretz (@ChloeGMoretz) I have now fully reviewed the mkting for Red Shoes, I am just as appalled and angry as everyone else, this wasn't approved by me or my team

According to a synopsis on the website of production company Locus Creative Studios, Red Shoes and the 7 Dwarfs concerns “a princess who doesn’t fit into the celebrity world of princesses — or their dress size”. Moretz provides the voice of the film’s lead character, with Gina Gershon playing the evil queen, Regina.

In a statement to Salon, Red Shoes producer Sujin Hwang apologised for the poster and confirmed that the advertising campaign had been terminated.

“Our film, a family comedy, carries a message designed to challenge social prejudices related to standards of physical beauty in society by emphasising the importance of inner beauty,” she said.



“We sincerely regret any embarrassment or dissatisfaction this mistaken advertising has caused to any of the individual artists or companies involved with the production or future distribution of our film, none of whom had any involvement with creating or approving the now discontinued advertising campaign.”