10 Disturbing Facts About 'The Wizard Of Oz' That'll Ruin Your Childhood

Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault

'The Wizard of Oz' became the talk of the town recently, thanks to an upcoming reboot from New Line Cinema. The movie will be directed by Nicole Kassell. The producers have confirmed it will be a modern take on the classic story. "I am incredibly honored to join Temple Hill and New Line in bringing this beloved classic to the screen," Kassell said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

"While 1939 musical is part of my DNA, I am exhilarated and humbled by the responsibility of re-imagining such a legendary tale. The opportunity to examine the original themes —the quest for courage, love, wisdom, and home— feels more timely and urgent than ever. These are profoundly iconic shoes to fill, and I am eager to dance alongside these heroes of my childhood as we pave a newly minted yellow brick road," she concluded.

While fans are having mixed reactions about remaking a classic, the Judy Garland film was seriously problematic.

The iconic movie was based on the L. Frank Baum's classic children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and has been loved by many for decades. According to Buzzfeed, there were some truly shocking incidents surrounding The Wizard of Oz. Here are 15 disturbing facts about the iconic movie that will change how you see it, henceforth. 

1. Judy Garland was verbally abused by the studio executives at MGM. They would often allegedly call her "a fat little pig with pigtails." They also constantly kept a check on her weight and diet.

2. The iconic Tin Man role was originally played by Buddy Ebsen. However, he nearly choked to death after inhaling the aluminum dust in his makeup, which was extremely toxic. He was eventually replaced by Jack Haley.

3. Ray Bolger, who played the Scarecrow, almost suffocated plenty of times due to his face mask. It was made of rubber and was extremely heavy and tight.

4. The film producer Louis B. Meyer allegedly told Judy Garland to be on a strict diet of "black coffee, chicken soup, and 80 cigarettes a day." In fact, Meyer had people watch her diet and even gave her diet pills to reduce her appetite.

5. Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch of the West, had to go through a strict liquid diet because of the green paint. It was so toxic she had to ensure not to accidentally get the paint in her mouth. Jack Young, one of the makeup artists of the movie, had revealed that it contained copper oxide.

6. If you remember the 'snowstorm' scene at the poppy field, you will notice that it's actually asbestos. A highly toxic substance was falling on the actors, putting their lives in jeopardy.

7. Judy Garland was sexually abused by male actors who played Munchkins. They would often harass her on set, and some allegedly even put their hands under her dress.

8. The Munchkins actors were severely underpaid and were given $50 a week. In 2021, (adjusted for inflation) it is almost equivalent to $898 per week.  

9. Meanwhile Terry, the dog who played Toto, was paid thrice as the Munchkins. The dog made $125 per week which is equivalent to $2,246 per week in 2021.

10. The Cowardly Lion costume seen in the movie was made from real lion skin and hair. It also weighed close to 90 pounds and was recently sold for $3 million at an auction in New York.