Warner Bros. has issued a statement to ET Canada after being slammed by members of the disability community over the depiction of Anne Hathaway’s character in “The Witches”.

Hathaway’s character, Grand High Witch, is shown with hands that are similar to the limb abnormality Ectrodactyly, also known as “split hand,” in the film.

However, people have since pointed out that the studio should not be comparing a disability to something scary, like Hathaway’s witch.

British Paralympic swimmer Amy Marren posted:

RELATED: Anne Hathaway Reveals Her Baby’s Name And Talks Getting Into ‘The Witches’ Costume While Pregnant

Disability advocate Shannon Crossland posted a lengthy message on Instagram, which included: “Is this the kind of message we want the next generation to receive? That having three fingers is a witch’s attribute? It is an extremely damaging portrayal. Disability should NOT be associated with evil, abnormality, disgust, fear or monsters.”

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When you see my hands, what do you think? Do they remind you of something scary? Apparently @wbpictures think so. Thanks to @witchesmovie , a 2020 film adaptation of @roald_dahl book The Witches, my hands difference is being associated with a witch who frightens children. Used to demonise a fictional character and make her appearance more grotesque. @wbpictures and @witchesmovie either haven’t done much research or they have disregarded the harmful impact that giving this character a real life limb difference would have. The limb difference which has been added to the witch’s evil image is called Ectrodactyly – a disability I was born with. This is by no way a reflection of the original novel written by Roald Dahl. This is a PG rated film – they have a young audience. Is this the kind of message we want the next generation to receive? That having 3 fingers is a witch’s attribute?It is an extremely damaging portrayal. Disability should NOT be associated with evil, abnormality, disgust, fear or monsters. @limbbofoundation @lucky_fin_project @theiampossiblefoundation @reachcharity1 #notawitch #limbdifference #limbdifferenceawareness #disabilityactivism #disabilityawareness #ectrodactyly #thewitches

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It’s taken me all my life to feel comfortable to show my feet and reveal my disability, also known as Ectrodactyly. I used to be so ashamed of how my feet looked that I would even cover them up in front of family. Feeling the need to conceal my true self has held me back from a few things in my life. The recent release of @witchesmovie starring @annehathaway as the main character, The Grand High Witch has cause a LOT of anger and upset amongst the disability community and disability allies. In the 2020 film remake, the witch is given the appearance of 3 fingers and 1 toe on each foot (the same as my disability). These features have been added to her appearance to make her seem more scary, grotesque and freaky. This was completely unnecessary as this was not detailed in @roald_dahl original novel. The sole purpose of this addition of a limb difference is to exaggerate the character’s image of being monstrous. I can’t begin to explain how damaging and toxic this is. The message that it is sending to the audience, subconsciously associating my disability with the features of a scary evil witch. I have worked so hard to work past my insecurities. This is NOT the message young children with disabilities need to receive. Thank you to our amazing community who have been advocating, spreading awareness and sharing useful educational resources. You’re all amazing, keep going💙 Make our voice so loud that they can’t ignore it!🗣 @theiampossiblefoundation @lucky_fin_project @reachcharity1 @limbbofoundation @thoughtsondifference #limbdifference #limbdifferenceawareness #disabilityactivism #disabilityadvocate #ectrodactyly #thewitches #notawitch

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Former “Coronation Street” actress Melissa Johns shared:

The official Paralympic Twitter account added:

A Warner Bros. spokesperson has since told ET Canada that the studio was “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,” they added. “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.”

RELATED: Anne Hathaway Gets Masked Up As The Grand High Witch In Behind-The-Scenes Look At ‘The Witches’ Remake

In Dahl’s 1983 novel, the witches are said to have “square feet with no toes” and “claws instead of fingernails.”

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