'The Witches' Sparks Backlash From Disability Community

Warner Bros. has apologized to the disabled community for the depiction of Anne Hathaway’s character in the HBO Max film “The Witches” as having a “split hand,” something that disability advocates have said perpetuates a harmful trope that disabilities are scary and unnatural.

Robert Zemeckis’ film was called out by Paralympic swimmer Amy Marren on Monday, who said that “limb difference is not scary” and that disabilities should be celebrated and normalized.

“It’s not unusual for surgeons to try and build hands like this for children/adults with certain limb differences, and it’s upsetting to something that makes a person different being represented as something scary,” Marren wrote.

Also Read: 'The Witches' Film Review: Robert Zemeckis' Roald Dahl Remake Is Creepy But Superfluous

“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,” a studio spokesperson said in a statement.

“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,” the spokesperson said. “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.”

Hathaway’s character in the film is at times seen with three webbed fingers on each hand, something that can happen naturally and is often referred to as “split hand,” or clinically as ectrodactyly or symbrachydactyly.

Also Read: How 'The Craft: Legacy' Made an Inclusive Space for Trans Star Zoey Luna

In the Roald Dahl novel on which the film is based, the witch characters are described as having “claws instead of fingernails” or “square feet with no toes,” but an illustration in the first edition of “The Witches” shows the witches with five fingers on each hand.

Villains with physical disabilities has long been a trope in films, and Hathaway’s character also has a facial scar.

“I am not evil, a disability trope that has been perpetuated by @wbpictures in “The Witches” movie,” Elizabeth Wright said on Twitter. “I was born with upper limb difference. My hand looks similar to how Anne Hathaway’s is made up to look in the movie. My condition is called Symbrachydactyly.”

Also Read: RJ Mitte Says There's a 'Time and Place' for Able-Bodied Actors to Play Characters With Disabilities

“Why missing fingers?? Here we go again,” actress Melissa Johns added. “Using disability as a costume and to highlight a character as a “baddie”. Children with limb differences rarely get to see themselves represented truthfully. But instead get shown as scary monsters? Not what we need.”

“The Witches” is streaming now on HBO Max.

I am not evil, a disability trope that has been perpetuated by @wbpictures in “The Witches” movie. I was born with upper limb difference. My hand looks similar to how Anne Hathaway’s is made up to look in the movie. My condition is called Symbrachydactyly. #DisabilityTwitter pic.twitter.com/4rCEoqYYnm

— Elizabeth Wright 🎤🦿🦾💜 (@esioul) November 3, 2020

@WarnerBrosUK was there much thought given as to how this representation of limb differences would effect the limb difference community?! @ReachCharity @RoaldFull pic.twitter.com/kiTEAuYt7i

— Amy Marren (@amy_marren) November 2, 2020

Limb difference is not scary. Differences should be celebrated and disability has to be normalised. #NotAWitch calls out ‘#TheWitches’ movie for portrayal of disability 👉 https://t.co/aSY1U6TymE pic.twitter.com/UCU87bUeV8

— Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) November 3, 2020

Why missing fingers??

Here we go again…
Using disability as a costume and to highlight a character as a “baddie”.

Children with limb differences rarely get to see themselves represented truthfully. But instead get shown as scary monsters?

Not what we need 😑#TheWitches pic.twitter.com/AApqu1Nodx

— Melissa Johns (@MelissaJohns_1) November 2, 2020

14 Movie Villains With Facial Scars, From The Joker to Kylo Ren (Photos)

The British Film Institute recently announced that it would no longer be funding movies that feature villains who have facial scars, burns or disfigurements. It's in support of a charity campaign called #IAmNotYourVillain, which wants to change the stigma that people with facial differences should be seen as ugly, wrong, unnatural, or in the case of many films, evil. It's a negative representation that shows up more often than you think among movie villains because it's an easy visual way of showing that a character is different or menacing. Here are some famous examples that use this trope.
"The Phantom of the Opera"

The movie-villains-with-scars trope dates all the way back to the silent era, when silent film star and make-up artist Lon Chaney earned the nickname "The Man of a Thousand Faces." Chaney frequently portrayed characters with disfigurements or characters depicted as grotesque or monstrous, including "The Phantom of the Opera" (1925) and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1923).
Universal
Ernst Stavro Blofeld - "You Only Live Twice"

Ernst Stavro Blofeld, as portrayed with a massive scar down his forehead and past his eye by actor Donald Pleasence, kicked off the James Bond franchise's long history with facial scars, including Alec Trevelyan from "Goldeneye" and Le Chiffre from "Casino Royale," whose nervous tick is that he sometimes cries blood. It became such a cliche that when "Austin Powers" parodied the spy-movie genre, its villain, Dr. Evil, naturally had to have a facial scar of his own.
United Artists
Darth Vader (Anakin Skywalker) - "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi"

When Darth Vader removes his mask to look upon Luke with his "own eyes" as Anakin Skywalker, we see a withered old man, scarred and pale, to represent having become more machine and monster than man.
Lucasfilm
Tony Montana - "Scarface"

Tony Montana got his scar from a fight he got into as a kid, he explains to an immigration officer, and not, as was suggested, by "eating p---." "You should see the other kid," Tony says in the film. "You can't recognize him.
Universal Pictures
Freddy Krueger - "The Nightmare on Elm Street"

Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees are plenty scary while wearing masks, but Freddy Krueger's terrifying selling point - aside from his ability to murder children in their sleep with knives for hands - is that his face has been horribly burned and disfigured.
New Line Cinema
Kakihara - "Ichi the Killer"

Takashi Miike's hyper-violent cult film features its scarred protagonist, Kakihara, as a sadomasochist who tortures and hunts down a rival Yakuza boss. Miike's considerably controversial film, which was banned in several countries, has enough problems as it is, though, without considering the scars.
Media Blasters
The Joker - "The Dark Knight"

The Joker gets a lot of mileage out of his scars in "The Dark Knight," telling two contradicting backstories about how he received them, feeding into the mystique and manipulating nature of his character. And The Joker isn't the only one, because the evil turn of Harvey Dent is symbolized with half his face burning off as he transforms into the villain Two Face.
Warner Bros.
Richard Harrow - "Boardwalk Empire"

Jack Huston's character in "Boardwalk Empire" is a war veteran who suffered his facial deformity in battle. He's soft-spoken and timid, always hiding his face behind a mask that covers all but the corner of his mouth, designed to look like his old visage. He's one of the HBO drama's most tender and likable characters, but also its most ruthless killer.
HBO
Miles Quaritch - "Avatar"

The colonel from James Cameron's "Avatar" mentions that he received his facial scar from battling a beast on the Na'vi home planet of Pandora, which only feeds his hatred and racism toward the native civilization.
Twentieth Century Fox
Deadpool - "Deadpool"

"Looks ARE everything," Ryan Reynolds' Wade Wilson says in "Deadpool." "Ever heard Dave Beckham speak? It's like he mouth-sexed a can of helium. You think Ryan Reynolds got this far on a superior acting method?"
Twentieth Century Fox
Dr. Poison - "Wonder Woman"

Actress Elena Anaya said in an interview that her character Dr. Maru - a.k.a. Dr. Poison - melted the corner of her face off when she tested her own experimental gas on herself. Anaya said the idea generated from director Patty Jenkins. "This is the sadistic side of Dr. Maru," Anaya said. "She’s obsessive. She’s a maniac. And she doesn’t care about her face. It’s not important to her. She just doesn’t want attention."
Warner Bros.
Kylo Ren - "Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi"

Kylo Ren receives his facial scar after his battle with Rey at the end of "The Force Awakens," though people were more upset about how that scar may have moved across his face in between movies.
Walt Disney Pictures
Thanos - "Avengers: Infinity War"

"Infinity War" doesn't fully explain how Thanos got the three scars on his face, though it hasn't stopped fans from speculating as to how the purple overlord received them, whether from birth or self-inflicted. Though it does vaguely look like the handiwork of Wolverine.
Marvel Studios
Scar - "The Lion King"

Well duh, Scar is his name. You think his appearance has anything to do with his character?
Walt Disney Pictures

1 of 15

Old film trope promotes stigma about people with facial differences

The British Film Institute recently announced that it would no longer be funding movies that feature villains who have facial scars, burns or disfigurements. It's in support of a charity campaign called #IAmNotYourVillain, which wants to change the stigma that people with facial differences should be seen as ugly, wrong, unnatural, or in the case of many films, evil. It's a negative representation that shows up more often than you think among movie villains because it's an easy visual way of showing that a character is different or menacing. Here are some famous examples that use this trope.

View In Gallery

14 Movie Villains With Facial Scars, From The Joker to Kylo Ren (Photos)

7DAYFREETRIAL

7
DAY
FREE
TRIAL