Rachel Zegler recently opened up to Harper’s Bazaar about the backlash she faced for playing Snow White in Disney’s 2025 live-action remake.
Because of her Colombian heritage, Zegler faced intense backlash from conservatives who believed the title role of Snow White should be played by a white woman. The “Y2K” star said the experience was “really confusing” considering she also faced backlash for playing Maria in 2021’s “West Side Story” because her father is white.
“I was told that “West Side Story” was missing one thing and “Snow White” had too much of another,” Zegler said.
“I grew up proud to be Colombian,” she later added. “Eating food, wearing dresses, drinking coffee, doing all the things that were essential to me as a child and to me as an adult. But I think there’s an argument that when you’re two things, at least in the public eye, you’re nothing at the same time. But I refuse to assimilate for someone else’s comfort.”
Zegler also faced backlash for posting in support of Palestine on social media during the press tour for “Snow White.” Although she still stands by her decision to use her platform to promote social change, she now sees the controversy as “a complete study in intent and impact.”
“You live and learn, and that comes with caution,” she said. “There is an understanding that the temptation to speak out doesn’t necessarily mean you have to, and there are more opportunities to effect meaningful change than a tweet.”
In 2024, days after releasing the first trailer for Snow White at the D23 fan event, Zegler featured X and thanked fans for all their support. And a few minutes later, in the same thread, she wrote: “And always remember, liberate Palestine.” Zegler went on to admit that the backlash from the post was completely unexpected.
“If I could have predicted everything that was going to happen to me, all the threats to my safety, I would have thrown my phone overboard,” Zegler said. “Any sane person would think so.”
