Rachel Zegler’s Snow White Tribute Backfires as Fans Call Out Inconsistency
Rachel Zegler’s latest Instagram post has stirred up a hornet’s nest just days before her “Snow White” remake hits theaters. The 23-year-old actress shared photos and videos of herself sporting a curly bob with a red bow as a tribute to Adriana Caselotti, who voiced Snow White in Disney’s 1937 animated classic.
Why are fans calling Zegler a hypocrite?
The Instagram tribute, captioned “just had to pay homage to the original snow white, miss adriana caselotti, to whom i owe everything ❤️,” immediately drew criticism from fans who remembered Zegler’s previous comments about the original film. Many pointed out that she had criticized the very movie she now claims to “owe everything” to.
“But you dissed the film you was in so so much,” wrote one commenter on her Instagram post. Another added more bluntly, “You talk bad about this movie and now is your inspiration hahahahah.”
The backlash stems from Zegler’s earlier interviews where she described the 1937 film as outdated and criticized its romance plot. In 2022, she told Extra TV that the original film featured “a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird, weird,” according to The New York Post.
What’s different about the new Snow White?
Zegler has been clear about her vision for a modernized Snow White since being cast. She previously told Variety, “She’s not going to be saved by the prince, and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love; she’s going to be dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be.”
The $270 million remake has reimagined several elements of the classic tale. The Seven Dwarfs have been replaced with a diverse group of “magical creatures” of varying heights, genders, and races. Even the male lead isn’t playing Prince Charming but a new character named Jonathan.
“We have a different approach to what I’m sure a lot of people will assume is a love story just because we cast a guy in the movie,” Zegler explained in earlier interviews. She even joked, “All of Andrew’s scenes could get cut, who knows? It’s Hollywood, baby!” according to the Daily Mail.
Could this hairstyle have saved the movie’s image?
Ironically, the tribute that sparked controversy also has fans wishing the film had embraced a more classic look for Zegler’s character. Many commenters expressed disappointment that the hairstyle shown in her Instagram wasn’t used in the actual movie.
“THIS hairstyle should’ve been in the movie! In my opinion,” wrote one fan. “Disney robbed you of this hair 💔💔💔,” lamented another. A different commenter summarized the sentiment: “We were robbed!!!! THIS HAIR IS EVERYTHING,” Yahoo Entertainment reported.
Is there tension behind the scenes?
The Snow White drama extends beyond Zegler’s comments about the original film. Reports suggest tension between Zegler and co-star Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen.
The actresses allegedly stand on opposite sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict and have rarely been seen promoting the film together. A source told People magazine that Gadot was perplexed by Zegler’s comments describing the original “Snow White” as dated.
How has Zegler responded to the criticism?
When approached by TMZ reporters at LAX airport last Friday, Zegler avoided answering questions about the controversy surrounding the film. However, in a February interview with Vogue Mexico, she addressed some of the backlash.
“I interpret people’s feelings about this film as passion for it, and what an honor to be able to be a part of something that people are so passionate about,” she said. “We’re not always going to have the same feelings as everyone around us and all we can do is give our best.”
This isn’t the first controversy for Zegler, who also faced criticism for her social media comments against Donald Trump voters after the 2024 election. Whether these controversies will impact the film’s performance remains to be seen when “Snow White” hits theaters on March 21.
