Lois Chapman gets paid to dress up as her favourite Disney princess, Snow White, and believes the ‘magic’ of the widely-criticised new film is being eroded by naysayers
As a child, Lois Chapman knew one thing – she wanted to be a princess.
And the 23 year old from Essex had her sights set on one particular heroine – Disney’s Snow White. From the age of three, Lois has idolised the raven-haired beauty. And she now gets to live her own fairytale every day – by dressing up as the beloved character.
The influencer – whose handle is loismiaa – delights her two million social media followers with regular updates in character, and has become a huge name in the cosplay world. It takes two hours for her to transform into her idol, who she can sing, dance, act and perform like.
For the theatre school alum, working as a full-time Snow White is a dream come true. “I’ve always loved Snow White since I was tiny, she was my favourite. I was so obsessed with her as a child to point I cut my really long hair just so I could have a bob like her,” she told Daily Mirror.
“I’ve always been a fan of her. I always admired the passionate, kind and selfless character she is. Many people don’t think she’s brave but I have to disagree. She tolerates growing up with an evil stepmother but never once resents her for her actions, not to mention she travels far on her own and helps the animals.”
As a child, she would binge-watch the film. “I love the original movie. It has such a cosy element to it for me that reminds me of being a kid and loving being carefree. I used to watch it nearly everyday when I was around three, so I’d say I’ve seen it probably hundreds of times.”
After leaving theatre school she set up her own princess party company and now makes a living as an influencer touring Comic Con events and town carnivals.
She said: “People are always impressed just by my appearance but once they hear me sing, the reaction is wild, and will say ‘Wow, you really are Snow White!’ I even have a viral video with millions of views of me singing with live birds.
“I am looking to continue with my cosplay for fun but I’d like to push my performing and singing online more. I now have a theatre agent so I’m attending lots of auditions for stage and screen alongside my online career.”
The performer makes thousands of pounds a month with her videos and content. “As a content creator you can make money in so many ways such as view rates, live streaming, brand collabs & campaigns, UGC work, being a brand ambassador.
“Originally I started with a really cheap dress that was awful quality but it did the job! It got me out there and that’s why I’ve reinvested back into her. My custom dress was £150, I make my own wigs and accessories however I still spend costs on materials probably around £50. I also love props, however her main one is an apple so just a quick trip to a supermarket and I’m sorted!”
Her partner loves Disney as much as she does and planned a surprise birthday trip to Disneyland Paris for her last year and the couple are also heading off to Disneyland Paris this summer. But it hasn’t been an easy road to achieving her dream. She struggled to fit in at college because of her online hobby, and almost dropped out at one point. But now, her epic success has everyone wanting to be her friend instead.
“I had a difficult time fitting in and felt that dressing up and ‘trying hard’ online would make me look embarrassing. But now, I’m so glad I pushed through those silly fears because I get to do what I love and be my own boss, walk red carpets, travel and be appreciated for my craft!”
For Lois, cosplay served as a distraction from the mental health struggles she experienced during covid lockdown. She left college as a result but never had to find a regular 9-5 thanks to her popularity as an influencer.
When it comes to the new film, Lois will be front and centre watching it on the big screen. As she’s a huge fan of leading actress Rachel Ziegler, Lois said she expects it to be “magical”. “I am so excited for the movie! I’m actually being sent a good bag of merch & free tickets to go see the movie directly from Disney.
“The new music will be fantastic because it’s written by Pasek & Paul who are just as talented. I will definitely be watching.” The film has found itself dogged by controversies that dragged the retelling of the 1937 animated classic into the culture wars, potentially threatening its box office performance. But for Lois, she doesn’t agree and shared: “I think the film will be magical in its own new way. If it isn’t of interest to you that’s completely fine but try not to ruin the excitement and magic for everyone else. I can’t wait to see it.”
