Disability campaigners have criticised the new Roald Dahl film The Witches as stigmatising those with missing limbs. Photo / Supplied
Disability campaigners have criticised the new Roald Dahl film The Witches as stigmatising those with missing limbs. Photo / Supplied
Members of the disability community including Paralympians have condemned the remake of a Roald Dahl film.
In the recently released movie The Witches, Anne Hathaway's character is shown with hands that are similar to the limb abnormality ectrodactyly, otherwise known as "split hand".
British Paralympic swimmer Amy Marren was oneof the first to call out the studio for the depiction, saying the use of distinct physical impairments in their hands is offensive to those with limb differences.
"Is this the kind of message we want the next generation to receive? That having three fingers is a witch's attribute?" wrote disability advocate Shannon Crossland on Instagram.
In response to the backlash, a Warner Bros spokesperson told Deadline it had been "deeply saddened to learn that our depiction of the fictional characters in The Witches could upset people with disabilities" and that it "regretted 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," said the spokesperson.
