Rachel Zegler’s role in Disney’s Snow White has been surrounded by controversy since her casting was first announced. From casting decisions to Zegler’s portrayal of the iconic character, this project has sparked strong reactions. With the film’s release, its controversies have once again taken center stage.
Rachel Zegler’s controversy explained
Disney’s live-action Snow White remake has been at the center of controversy since its announcement, with its lead star Rachel Zegler facing backlash for various reasons. The film, which finally premiered on March 21 after multiple delays, stars Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. While the initial criticism started from the decision to cast a Latina actress as the fair-skinned princess, the situation escalated when Zegler criticized the 1937 animated film in an interview.
Speaking at Disney’s D23 Expo in 2022, Zegler called the original movie outdated, particularly its portrayal of romance. She stated, “The original cartoon came out in 1937 and very evidently so. There’s a big focus on her love story with the guy who literally stalks her. Weird, weird.” She emphasized that the remake would take a different approach, focusing on Snow White as a leader rather than someone waiting to be rescued. Many longtime fans of the original film took offense. This also includes David Hale Hand, son of one of the original movie’s supervising directors. (via Extra TV)
As criticism grew, Zegler attempted to clarify her remarks, arguing that her words had been “taken out of context.” In an interview with Variety, the actress said, “It can be very upsetting when things get taken out of context or jokes don’t land,” adding that the love story is still an “integral” part of the story. However, the controversy started once again when she made a political statement following the 2024 U.S. election. She posted on Instagram, “May Trump supporters and Trump voters and Trump himself never know peace.” This statement fueled further backlash, with calls to boycott Snow White and demands for Disney to cut ties with her. The actress later apologized for her comments. (via The Guardian)
Beyond Rachel Zegler’s controversy, Snow White has faced multiple other issues. These include backlash over Gal Gadot’s pro-Israel stance and Zegler’s vocal support for Palestine. The decision to bring in non-dwarf actors, except one, to voice the dwarfs also sparked criticism.
