Snow White star Rachel Zegler has addressed the backlash she faced for the Disney reboot that tanked at the box office.
In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar UK, Rachel Zegler opened up about the criticism she faced for her looks throughout her career, especially during Snow White. Zegler played the titular princess in the live-action reboot version, which was released in March 2025. She said:
“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. 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 – but I do think there’s an argument to be made that.”
She continued:
“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. 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.”
Rachel Zegler’s casting as Snow White received immense criticism from the audience, as many considered it not appropriate in terms of ethnicity. Moreover, Zegler also faced backlash for her criticism of Donald Trump and her views on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. The actress shared the screen with Gal Gadot in the film, who played the Evil Queen, and had differing views on the Palestine conflict with her co-star.
Moreover, Rachel Zegler also expressed her reservations about the original Snow White film despite playing the main character.
Rachel Zegler comments on how women are treated in the industry
In her aforementioned interview with Harper’s Bazaar UK, Rachel Zegler criticized the way women’s bodies are judged, reflecting on her own experience. After she was cast as Snow White, the actress faced criticism for her Colombian-Polish origins. Many opined that Zegler was too Latino to play the part and did not suit Snow White’s original ethnicity. For context, the fictional princess is known for her blinding white skin.
Zegler, however, commented on how aging has affected women, saying:
“Honestly, the way people comment on women’s bodies and their faces, no matter what we say or do… It’s going to have an effect on how we perceive ourselves and the way we choose to age. Everybody’s doing everything they can to prevent ageing, and I don’t want to do that. It’s proof you’ve been here and lived a life. I have a mum who embraced that – she refuses to dye her hair because she loves her greys, and I love that about her. That’s the example I have going forward.”
Apart from Snow White, Rachel Zegler is also known for playing Maria in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 romance, West Side Story. The actress got selected for the part through open auditions. Speaking of her audition tape for Spielberg’s musical, which has gone viral since, Zegler added;
“It’s being taught, God help me, three blocks away from here in a casting class. That’s both horrifying and also very validating.”
Rachel Zegler went on to win a Golden Globe Award for her performance in West Side Story. Despite Snow White’s box office failure, Zegler has continued her work in theatre, and it remains to be seen what she works on for the big screen next.
Edited by Pratyasha Sarkar