Rachel Zegler opens up on ‘confusing’ Snow White backlash

EntertainmentLifestyle
10 Mar 2026 • 4:33 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • Rachel Zegler revealed she would have "thrown her phone into the ocean" if she had foreseen the intense backlash to her casting as Snow White.
  • The actress, who is of Colombian heritage, faced significant online criticism and threats to her safety for portraying a character traditionally described as having a "white as snow" complexion.
  • Zegler reflected on feeling "confused" by criticism that she "wasn’t enough of one thing for West Side Story and too much of another for Snow White."
  • She expressed a wish for more maturity at the time and affirmed her commitment to supporting future women of colour cast as Disney princesses.
  • Zegler also shared that she received support from British actress Dame Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu, and recently made her West End debut in Evita.

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