In October 2016, Disney announced that they were doing a live-action remake of Disney’s first feature-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Five years later, it was revealed that West Side Story actress Rachel Zegler had been cast as the titular princess. Filming took place six years later, from March through July 2022. Snow White is scheduled to hit theaters on March 22, 2024.
Since the day Zegler’s casting was announced, Disney has received a ton of backlash. Trolls attacked the company for casting someone who was part Colombian to play a princess who had “Lips red as the rose, hair black as ebony, skin white as snow.”
Unfortunately, Zegler has not helped her cause, and is frequently being called out for the things she says that people deem “problematic.” Things have gotten so bad that rumors began to circulate that Disney had decided to fire Zegler from the role.
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Those rumors are completely unfounded, but they have permeated social media.
Zegler herself has finally addressed the false narrative but took a lighthearted approach to it.
the rumors are true 🙁 i am three apples tall
the rumors are true 🙁 i am three apples tall
— rachel zegler (she/her/hers) (@rachelzegler) September 26, 2023
Zegler’s Repeated Problematic Comments
For months, Zegler has been promoting Disney’s new live-action Snow White, but not in the way people have hoped for. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released in 1937 and tells the story of a young woman who is saved by a handsome prince, and they live happily ever after. But Zegler has been open about the fact that she doesn’t like that idea.
According to Zegler and costar Gal Gadot — who plays the Evil Queen — have said that Disney’s new remake will have Snow White making more of her own choices and not being a victim. Zegler has said that her version of Snow White will be more modern.
The problem that a lot of people are having is not that the new movie will make Snow White more independent. It is the way Zegler is talking about the original film. Zegler has seemingly insulted the original story, and has even gone so far as to call Prince Florian a “stalker”.
Related: Disney Fans Called Out on Hypocrisy Over Rachel Zegler’s Snow White Comments
She even suggested that Disney could decide to completely cut the prince from the story. That comment reportedly angered the film’s director, Marc Webb. Webb had allegedly already been frustrated by Zegler’s constant criticisms of the movie, and this was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Reports indicate that Webb moved into the “anti-Zegler” camp.
Fans also think that Zegler is insulting to those who like the original film. The actress has been called out multiple times for acting as though it’s not okay to like a traditional happily ever after story. Zegler has apologized for some of her comments and says that she is grateful she got the role.
One woman’s critique even went viral. She said that it was okay to like the concept of being rescued by a handsome prince. It is okay to want to just fall in love and focus on creating a family. The TikToker said that not every woman wants to be a “boss” and not every woman wants to be completely independent. She implored Zegler to appreciate that all women want different things, and it’s all okay and acceptable.
Snow White will be released in theaters nationwide on March 22, 2024.
