American actress Rachel Zegler revealed that if she had anticipated the backlash following her casting as Snow White, she might have discarded her phone entirely. Known for her breakthrough role as Maria in the 2021 remake of West Side Story, the 24-year-old took on the lead role in Disney’s live-action adaptation of the 1930s animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. However, the decision sparked controversy on social media due to her Colombian heritage and the character’s description of having a complexion “as white as snow.”
Experiencing Criticism Based on Heritage and Identity
Zegler shared the complexities she faced, explaining how her Latina background became a point of contention. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar UK, she described feeling caught between conflicting expectations:
“I was told I wasn’t enough of one thing for West Side Story and too much of another for Snow White.”
She conveyed how those challenges impacted her during a formative period of her life, saying,
“It was a really confusing time to be in my early twenties and hearing that.”
She spoke about her pride in her Colombian roots, mentioning how integral cultural practices like food, traditional dress, and coffee were to her identity. Yet, she expressed a feeling that public perception often erased those nuances, stating,
“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.
– Rachel Zegler
The Emotional Toll of Online Backlash
Zegler also opened up about how the experience affected her well-being. Reflecting on the threats she endured, she said,
“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
She acknowledged the challenges of suddenly rising to fame at a young age, wishing she had more life experience to handle the pressures:
I wish I’d had maybe five more years on me before all that happened – a little more of a frontal lobe.
Continuing Work and Support in the Entertainment Industry
Beyond Snow White, Zegler also appeared in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the prequel to the Hunger Games series, with another franchise film, Sunrise on the Reaping, expected later this year. She described reaching out to her successor in the franchise, Ugandan–Canadian actress Whitney Peak, with supportive encouragement:
“I reached out to say, ‘I’m here, even though I hope to God you don’t need me.’”
And the next time a woman of colour 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.
– Rachel Zegler
Zegler also detailed receiving encouragement from established actresses like British Dame Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu, who starred alongside her in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Reflecting on those conversations, she noted:
We’d have long conversations about what it means to be a woman in this industry, and the disappointments they both faced at times.
Stage Success and Future Aspirations
In addition to her film career, Rachel Zegler made her West End debut last year as Eva Peron in the musical Evita, earning critical acclaim for her performance as the iconic Argentine politician. She is set to return to the stage this year playing Cathy in Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years—a role she described as her “dream role” since she was 16 years old.
Her experiences navigating both film and theatre highlight her versatility and determination to remain authentic in the face of public scrutiny. As her career advances, Zegler’s openness about her struggles and strength positions her as a prominent voice advocating for diversity and resilience within entertainment.
