November 5, 2020
'The Witches' Receives Backlash From Disability Community
Kevin Schattenkirk READ TIME: 2 MIN.
The new Anne Hathaway film "The Witches" has received backlash from the disability community, Deadline reports.
In the film directed by Robert Zemeckis ("Back to the Future" trilogy), Hathaway's character's hands have a similar appearance to the limb abnormality ectrodactyly – or, "split hand" – which is characterized by the absence of one or more fingers or toes on the hand or the foot.
Among those who called out the film on social media was Amy Marren, a British Paralympic swimmer: "@WarnerBrosUK was there much thought given as to how this representation of limb differences would effect the limb difference community?!"
Shannon Crossland, a disability advocate, commented in an Instagram post that the film's imagery is in "no way a reflection of the original novel written by Roald Dahl. Is this the kind of message we want the next generation to receive. That having three fingers is a witch's attribute? It is an extremely damaging portrayal. Disability should NOT be associated with evil, abnormality, disgust, fear or monsters."
In the 1983 novel, Dahl's characters were witches that had "square feet with no toes" and "claws instead of fingernails." Deadline also notes that on the book's cover, the witches had five fingers on their hands.
The Paralympic Games and disability advocate Melissa Johns also addressed the film on social media:
Warner Bros. issued a statement in response:
"We the filmmakers and Warner Bros. Pictures are deeply saddened to learn that our depiction of the fictional characters in THE WITCHES could upset people with disabilities, and regret any offense caused. In adapting the original story, we worked with designers and artists to come up with a new interpretation of the cat-like claws that are described in the book. It was never the intention for viewers to feel that the fantastical, non-human creatures were meant to represent them. This film is about the power of kindness and friendship. It is our hope that families and children can enjoy the film and embrace this empowering, love-filled theme."
