Why did Snow White live action adaptation choose to omit Prince Charming from their story

Andrew Burnap's part in Disney's Snow White has been a much talked about one as the film undergoes intense criticism and backlash for Rachel Zegler's statements about the film and its premise. Burnap's role as Jonathan has also been subjected to many conversations as the new film decided to move forward without the role of The Prince.

Rachel Zegler has criticized the Prince's impact on the story several times, talking about Snow White's story being larger than her love story and joking about Burnap's role as Jonathan being cut from the film.

In an interview with Extra TV in 2022, the actress talks about how Snow White's story has nothing to do with her love story at all, even joking about having Andrew's role omitted from the film. After she received backlash, in later interviews the actress clarified her statement by adding that she simply meant that the romance will not play a huge role in the film, as Snow White's portrayal as a brave, fierce leader is the central aspect of the plot.

In the original story and the 1937 film, The Prince is the one who saves Snow White after she gets poisoned by the Evil Queen. In the live-action adaptation, however, the role of The Prince has been omitted and has been replaced by a new character, Jonathan, who is caught stealing at the royal palace and is set on extracting revenge from the Evil Queen.

What has Andrew Burnap said about his role in Snow White?

Andrew Burnap has nothing but happy thoughts about his role as The Prince and has praised his co-actress for her work while expressing what an honor it is to work with the team. Known for his performances on stage, he has also bagged a Tony Award for his performance as Toby Darling in The Inheritance.

Burnap has talked about the new role he's stepping into and what it means for Snow White, as he elaborated on Jonathan being a misfit in the world of fairytales by telling SciFiNow,

“Marc was very clear that he wanted Jonathan to be very playful and not someone who lives in a fairy-tale world, He is more of a contemporary character and someone who is almost making fun of everyone else in the Kingdom that takes themselves so seriously.”

He further talks about how the character is far different from the Prince in the film, adding,

“Jonathan is first and foremost a cynic. So, when Snow White comes into his life, he’s shocked by not only her innocence but her naivety about how the world works outside of the palace walls.”

It would certainly be interesting to see how Jonathan's character contributes to the classic tale and if the Prince's absence will make a difference in the film's plot.

Snow White is set to hit theaters on 21 March 2025.