Rachel Zegler Reflects on Backlash and Identity Crisis After Snow White Casting
Rachel Zegler has candidly shared the severe backlash and personal turmoil she experienced following her casting as Snow White in Disney's 2025 live-action remake, which underperformed at the box office. The 24-year-old actress described it as a profoundly confusing period, having grown up embracing her Colombian-Polish heritage, only to face vile trolling that claimed her skin tone was unsuitable for the fictional fairytale princess.
Navigating Identity and Public Scrutiny
In an exclusive interview with Harper's Bazaar UK, Zegler posed for a stunning floral-themed spring photoshoot and vowed to never assimilate for others' comfort. She revealed that the criticism extended beyond online trolling to include threats against her safety. This backlash was compounded by earlier comments about her role as María in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, where she was deemed not Latino enough, only to be labeled too Latino for Snow White.
Zegler expressed her bewilderment, stating, "I was told I wasn’t enough of one thing for West Side Story and too much of another for Snow White. It was a really confusing time to be in my early twenties and hearing that." She emphasized her pride in her Colombian roots, from enjoying traditional food and dresses to drinking coffee, but noted the public perception that being mixed-heritage often leads to being seen as nothing. "In the public eye at least, when you’re two things, you’re simultaneously nothing. But I refuse to assimilate for anybody else’s comfort," she declared.
Safety Concerns and Mental Health Support
The actress admitted that if she had foreseen the extent of the backlash, including safety threats, she would have discarded her phone. "If I’d been able to predict everything that would come my way, the threats to my safety, I would have just thrown my phone into the ocean. I think any sane person would have," she said. Zegler also highlighted the crucial role therapy has played in maintaining her mental health since her rapid rise to fame, advocating for more open discussions about mental wellness. "I long for a time when it’s not taboo to talk about and explore in a way that is universal and accessible. Everybody deserves to understand what’s going on in their own mind and heart," she added.
Controversy Surrounding the Snow White Remake
The Snow White remake, directed by Marc Webb, was mired in controversy from the outset. Speculation arose about a behind-the-scenes clash between Zegler and co-star Gal Gadot, reportedly over their differing views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Gadot being from Israel. Fueling the rumors, fans recently noticed Zegler unfollowing Gadot on Instagram.
Disney's decision to give the film a politically correct revamp, based on the 1937 original cartoon, sparked further disputes. In 2022, Zegler defended the contemporary take, telling Vanity Fair, "It needed that." However, actor Peter Dinklage criticized the remake, calling it a "f***ing backward story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together."
Amid the backlash, Disney canceled a large-scale premiere planned for Leicester Square in London. A source told People at the time, "Disney are already anticipating an anti-woke backlash against Snow White and have reduced the media schedule to just a handful of tightly controlled press events. That is why they have taken the highly unusual step not to host a London premiere for the film and are minimizing the amount of press questions that Rachel Zegler gets."
Box Office Failure and Co-Star Comments
Gal Gadot initially pointed to anti-Israel sentiment as a reason for the film's box office failure but later clarified her remarks on Instagram. She wrote to her 107 million followers, "Sometimes we respond to questions from an emotional place. When the film came out, I felt that those who are against Israel criticized me in a very personal, almost visceral way." Gadot added, "They saw me, first and foremost, as an Israeli, not as an actress. That’s the perspective I spoke from when I answered the question." She concluded by noting that multiple factors contribute to a film's success or failure, not just external pressures.
Zegler's full interview is available in the latest issue of Harper's Bazaar UK, offering deeper insights into her experiences and resilience in the face of public scrutiny.
