Rachel Zegler has opened up about the intense backlash she faced after being cast in Disney’s 2025 live-action remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Casting Controversy
The 24-year-old actress told Harper’s Bazaar that the criticism surrounding her role was overwhelming. When Disney announced her casting, some conservative voices objected to a Latina actress playing a character traditionally depicted as white. Zegler’s mother is Colombian American, while her father is of Polish descent. Interestingly, Zegler recalled facing the opposite criticism during her breakout role in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story remake in 2021. “I was told I wasn’t enough of one thing for West Side Story and too much of another for Snow White,” she said.
Social Media Struggles
Zegler admitted that the backlash took a toll on her mental health. Reflecting on her experiences, she said she wished she had avoided social media altogether. “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,” she explained. The actress also acknowledged that her outspoken support for Palestinian human rights on social media added to the controversy. Looking back, she admitted she might have handled that differently.
Lessons Learned
Despite the challenges, Zegler emphasized that she has learned valuable lessons about navigating fame and public scrutiny. She noted that any “sane person” would want to protect themselves from the kind of online hostility she endured. Her candid reflections highlight the pressures young actors face in Hollywood, especially when their casting choices intersect with broader cultural debates.
