'I was told...': Rachel Zegler recalls 'Snow White' backlash
What's the story
Actor Rachel Zegler has opened up about the backlash she faced over her casting in Disney's live-action Snow White. In an interview with Harper's Bazaar UK, she recalled receiving criticism when she was cast in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, too. "I was told I wasn't enough of one thing for West Side Story and too much of another for Snow White," Zegler said.
Cultural identity
Zegler on her Colombian heritage
Zegler, who is Colombian, said she was proud of her heritage. "I grew up proud of being Colombian - eating the food, wearing the dresses, drinking the coffee," she said. "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."
Casting controversy
Why was there backlash to her casting?
Much of the debate around Zegler's casting in West Side Story was due to her not being Puerto Rican like Maria, the lead character from the musical. Similarly, for Snow White, critics argued that Zegler didn't match the character's description or look like the animated version from Disney's film.
Additional backlash
'I'd have thrown my phone into the ocean...'
The release of Snow White was also overshadowed by Zegler's remarks about the character being "outdated" and her vocal support for Palestine. Reflecting on the backlash, Zegler 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." But she maintained, "I've said what I feel, and that will always be a testament to my core beliefs as a human."