Chloe Grace Moretz apologises for film ad slammed for body shaming

Actress Chloe Grace Moretz and the creators of her upcoming animated film apologised on Wednesday after promotional materials were criticised of body shaming women.

Moretz, 20, wrote on Twitter that she had talked to producers for the film Red Shoes & the 7 Dwarfs about the marketing choices, including a billboard appearing at the Cannes Film Festival last week. The ad depicted a tall, thin woman in red heels next to a shorter, heavier version of herself holding her heels. The tagline promoted a Snow White who was no longer beautiful.

A trailer posted by South Korea-based Locus Creative Studios showed two dwarfs hiding in Snow White’s bedroom watching her undress after a night out. After kicking off her red heels, the Snow White character is shown as a heavier woman lounging in her underwear.

The company removed the trailer from its YouTube channel after social media users criticised the film’s ads.

Locus apologised for the billboard and trailer in an e-mail. The company will terminate the current promos, saying they had the opposite effect of what was intended.

“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,” the studio said.

Moretz wrote that she stands behind the film’s script, which she says tells a powerful message to young women. “The actual story is powerful for young women and resonated with me,” Moretz wrote. “I am sorry for the offense that was beyond my creative control.”

The film has no release date.

Moretz has starred in films including Bad Neighbours 2 and Kick-Ass and its sequel.