Snow White Has Not Been Banned from Disney Parks Despite Rumor — Here's What Really Happened
A false rumor circulating that the princess has been removed from the parks, including Disney World, seems to have originated with an article about one cast member's alleged firing
Snow White, the character, isn't going anywhere. But one Disney cast member who seemingly portrayed her alleges she was given the boot.
In a lengthy YouTube video, Sophia Dottir, who claims to have been part of the Disney College Program, says she was placed "under investigation for breaking character integrity online" and later fired over social media posts that appear to show her playing Snow White at the Orlando Resort.
Disney did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
In order to keep the magic alive, Disney does not allow cast members to reveal that they play any of the characters in the parks. It's longstanding Disney lore that those who portray characters say they are a "friend of Tinkerbell," as a nod to their position.
Related: Snow White Live-Action Movie: Everything to Know
Walt Disney Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection
Snow WhiteDottir has posted several videos on her Instagram that show a person that appears to be her dressed as Snow White and interacting with guests at the park, including meeting children and skipping through a restaurant during a character breakfast.
In her YouTube video, Dottir references a photo of her dressed as Snow White as a little girl. It's followed by two photos of what appears to be her as an adult as Snow White on the job at Akershus, a Disney World restaurant where visitors can dine with various princesses. The trio of photos was captioned, "Some things are simply meant to be."
She seems to jokingly deny the allegations that the post implies she plays Snow White, saying that there is only one real Snow White "and I'm Sophia, so how can I be Snow White?" before breaking with a laugh. Elsewhere in the video she couches her comments saying that "this is just my version of events" and "I am an unreliable narrator."
Dottir says she was called into a meeting and told by company officials that she had been placed under investigation. She says they took her company ID and escorted her off the property.
"Not even 24 hours [later] they gave me a call," Dottir claims. At that point, she says, she assumed she would be let go. Three days later she was called back in and told "her case was closed" and she would be terminated, she claims.
Dottir says her bosses didn't bring up the numerous other videos of Snow White posted on her Instagram.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Dottir also claims that other cast members commit the same misdeed she was let go for: "So many people do what I did. So why was I the one to get fired for it? I have proof. Because of course after that, naturally I scoured social media and I screenshotted every example of it that I could find."
The rumor among Disney fans that Snow White as a character would be removed from the park seems to have originated with a headline on the fan site Inside the Magic, which wrote, "Disney Suspends Snow White’s Presence in Theme Parks Indefinitely Amid Ongoing Investigation." There does not appear to be any sign that Snow White at large has been impacted by the alleged firing.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
