Following her casting in the live-action Snow White, Rachel Zegler addressed the public’s reaction. In a recent interview for Harper’s Bazaar, the actress discussed the issue. The film faced heavy criticism during promotion and after release.
Rachel Zegler addresses the Snow White Controversy
The remake had been in development at Disney for several years before its release. Upon Zegler’s casting announcement in 2021, the internet reacted with considerable force. The film’s modern version of the story also faced criticism about her heritage.
In her interview, she mentioned, “I was told I wasn’t enough of one thing for West Side Story and too much of another for Snow White,” Zegler said. “It was a really confusing time to be in my early twenties and hearing that.”
“I grew up proud of being Colombian, eating the food, wearing the dresses, drinking the coffee, doing all the things that were so intrinsic to who I was as a kid and who I am as an adult.”
Taking pride in her heritage and responding to her critics, she then added, “But I do think there’s an argument to be made that 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.”
Disney is pushing forward with its plan to turn classic cartoons into live-action movies. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a huge part of the studio’s history, as the 1937 original basically built the foundation for Disney animation. Because of that legacy, people had massive expectations for the remake.
The new Snow White struggled once it hit theaters. Reviews were largely negative, and audience scores across multiple sites stayed low. The movie couldn’t live up to the early buzz, and the box office numbers were a letdown. The reviews and ratings were very low.
Zegler was already a big name in Hollywood before the movie came out. Steven Spielberg cast her as Maria in West Side Story, which put her in the global spotlight. She followed that up with roles in major studio films like Shazam! Fury of the Gods and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
The actress also opened up about how the backlash affected her personally. She noted that the online response included harsh criticism and even threats. She also stated that therapy was essential in helping her deal with the intense pressure and the public’s reaction to the film.
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