Rachel Zegler has spoken out about the backlash she faced relating to her Colombian heritage after being cast in Disney’s 2025 live-action remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The actress reflected on the criticism during a recent interview, revealing how the controversy unfolded and the challenges she encountered while defending her identity.
Conflicted Reactions to Zegler’s Casting Reveal Broader Identity Struggles
In the Harper’s Bazaar interview, Zegler explained that the backlash was partly fueled by conservatives who objected to her playing a character traditionally depicted as white. This was familiar territory for her, as she had previously faced opposite criticism for portraying Maria, a Puerto Rican role, in the film West Side Story, despite her mixed Colombian American background. She described the experience as confusing.
“I was told I wasn’t enough of one thing for West Side Story and too much of another for Snow White,”
Zegler told the outlet. Emphasizing her connection to her heritage, she said,
“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, 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.”
She contrasted her stance with her mother’s experience, highlighting how assimilation was once a survival strategy.
“It was the experience of so many people in my family: the idea that you will get a job, you will be American, and that’s how you survive — that’s the only way you’re guaranteed a future,”
she explained, reflecting on generations before her.
Political Views Spark Further Controversy Amid Snow White Promotion
As Zegler began promoting the film in 2024, her open support for Palestinian rights led to an additional wave of public backlash, including hostile messages directed at her online. Despite the negativity, she remains steadfast in her beliefs.
“I’ve said what I feel, and that will always be a testament to my core beliefs as a human,”
Zegler emphasized. “That’s where I stand.”
She also shared that this tumultuous period became a learning experience.
“A complete study in intent versus impact,”
she described the situation.
“You live and you learn, and there’s a caution that comes with that,”
Zegler added, recognizing that speaking out doesn’t always lead to the desired effect.
“There’s an understanding that the temptation to speak doesn’t always mean that it must be done, and that there are a lot of opportunities to make more meaningful change than a tweet.”
Unanticipated Backlash and Support from Industry Veterans
The actress admitted that she did not expect the sheer intensity of the backlash and the personal threats she received.
“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 revealed.
“I think any sane person would have.”
To cope with the difficult times, Zegler leaned on support from colleagues Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu during the filming of Shazam: Fury of the Gods. The veteran actresses shared with her
“long conversations about what it means to be a woman in this industry, and the disappointments they both faced at times,”
highlighting the importance of solidarity among women in Hollywood.
Extending Support to Future Disney Princesses of Color
Building on the advice from Mirren and Liu, and following her lead role in 2023’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Zegler reached out to Whitney Peak, who is set to star in the next franchise installment Sunrise on the Reaping.
“I reached out to say, ‘I’m here, even though I hope to God you don’t need me,’”
she said.
“And the next time a woman of color is cast as a Disney princess, I’ll be there with bells on to support them, to lift them up, to advise and to tell them what not to do.”
Significance of Zegler’s Stand on Identity and Activism
Rachel Zegler’s experience underscores the persistent cultural tensions surrounding race, representation, and political expression in Hollywood, especially for multiracial actors. Her refusal to conform to narrow public expectations and her commitment to her heritage and beliefs highlight ongoing debates about identity in an evolving industry. As the live-action Snow White approaches release, her stand may encourage more inclusive casting and provoke reflection on how public figures engage with activism in an era of intense scrutiny.
