Rachel Zegler has spoken publicly about the controversy that followed her casting in Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White, reflecting on the intense criticism she faced after the announcement.
In a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the 24-year-old actress said the backlash became so overwhelming at times that she wished she could simply disconnect from social media.
Zegler admitted that if she had known how intense the reaction would become, she might have avoided engaging online 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 said in the interview.
The actress was cast as Snow White in Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of the 1937 animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which is scheduled for release in 2025.
When the casting was first announced, the decision quickly sparked debate online. Some critics questioned Disney’s choice to cast Zegler, whose mother is Colombian American, in the role of a character traditionally portrayed as white.
Zegler said the situation reminded her of the response she received after being cast as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of West Side Story. At the time, some online commenters criticized her casting because of her Polish heritage on her father’s side.
“I was told I wasn’t enough of one thing for West Side Story and too much of another for Snow White,” Zegler said.
The actress also became the focus of another wave of criticism after expressing support for Palestinian human rights on social media. Looking back, she acknowledged that she might have approached the situation differently if she had anticipated the reaction.
Despite the controversies, Zegler said the experiences have helped her grow and reflect on how she handles public scrutiny as her career continues to expand in Hollywood.
