Rachel Zegler’s name has been the subject of countless headlines and conversations since her breakout role in Steven Spielberg’s rendition of West Side Story in 2021 and more recently in the 2025 live action remake of Snow White directed by Marc Webb. At only 23, Zegler has had multiple leading roles, a broadway debut and most notably, a Golden Globe. Being so young and accomplishing so much would likely be a reason to praise Zegler for her talent, but her presence in the public eye seems to make a large portion of the internet mad.
Growing up I quickly realized the love I had for musical theater but as quick as that realization came, I discovered I unfortunately did not have the talent to back it up. Although this was not ideal for my dreams, it didn’t derail my passion. So in typical iPad kid nature, I scoured YouTube for videos of musicals, theater songs and the thing I loved the most: covers.
That is when I found Rachel Zegler on YouTube. Her channel was filled with countless videos of song covers ranging from chart-topping pop to Disney and musicals. I immediately fell in love with not only her voice, but the unfiltered passion she had for the songs she was singing. That raw and unabashed passion drew me to musical theater in the first place. I was enthralled by the display of emotions someone could show with merely their voice and the full body experience it was to listen to a song I could only wish to perform. To me, watching Zegler in those videos made me feel like I was being transported into the magical world of Oz or to the swamp to sing with Shrek.
So, it’s easy to say I was a little more than completely and absolutely shocked when she was the subject of a vicious hate train beginning in 2021.
The events vary a bit, but one of the clearest beginnings of the hate started with a red carpet interview she gave for the live action Snow White film. Zegler was cast as Snow White herself, and when she was asked about it, she described how the writers took a different approach to the classic tale.
She mentioned that her version of Snow White wouldn’t be “saved by the prince” and that the prince in the film is just a “man that stalks her.” When asked, she explained that herself and the creators of the remake felt as though the original 1937 tale was “outdated,” and they put a different spin on the classic.
And so, that was the beginning of a multi-year hate train that Zegler has faced.
While I do not think her thoughts on the original movie were particularly negative, or even wrong, a large part of the internet does not share the same opinion. Many of her critics say that she does not believe that love can be powerful in regards to other Disney characters and that she is ruining her own career by being entitled and opinionated.
She has also been the victim of relentless racism following her announcement as Snow White.
Zegler proudly acknowledges that she is of Colombian descent and is proud to share that honor with the women of her family. But because of this, she is not the exact classic image of Snow White from the 1937 movie.
This fact has caused her to be called inadequate for the role and that it is not fair that she is depicting Snow White in the remake.
The racism from Disney “fans” has been seen before, and just as viciously, with Halle Bailey’s role as Ariel in the 2023 “The Little Mermaid” remake.
Many fans like to defend their hatred of Zegler by saying they just want the “original,” or they want the concept of falling in love to be powerful.
But in my opinion, that is bullsh*t and a poor excuse to be hateful, misogynistic and in many cases, racist.
Now, I don’t think what Zegler said in regard to the 1937 movie was wrong or hateful towards Snow White herself, I actually found it very true. To me, the prince and Snow White’s relationship wasn’t “true” love or a sweet love story. Snow White was a child that suffered at the hands of her abuser, and the prince was just there.
I do agree that Snow White displays how love can be powerful. To me, Snow White’s superpower was showing love, kindness and fairness to everyone even in the face of evilness and adversity. Throughout the entirety of the classic she showed radical love through her treatment of the world and the people around her.
And so, because of this, I think Zegler makes the perfect Snow White.
I recently watched the remake, and I can say that the most powerful characteristics of the original Snow White still shone through in the live action. Throughout the film I could feel the kindness and generosity of Snow White in every line she delivered and interaction she had. I truly have never felt as infatuated with a princess as I did with Zegler’s.
The love Zegler has for the princess is abundantly present in the film and even more so in the recent press. In every interview, live performance and fan interaction, it is obvious to me that playing Snow White is one of the greatest honors of her life.
So, after seeing the ever present love and adoration Zegler has for the princess, I wonder why anyone would hate her for something that means so much to her.
And while I do not have an answer for that or control over anyone’s actions, I can say that the more people hate Zegler, the more I admire her.
In 2023 Zegler uploaded a video to her YouTube channel titled “i got sad in paris (but it’s okay).” In this video she is vlogging her time in Paris attending fashion events, movie press and a Disneyland trip. Towards the end of the vlog she addresses her career in Hollywood so far and how she has struggled and dealt with being in the public eye so young. She describes her struggles, but she also acknowledges how she is still growing and does not intend to stop learning from her past mistakes and giving herself grace in her personal life.
I find myself constantly rewatching this particular vlog of Zegler’s. Throughout the video, she shows the audience a vulnerable and raw side of herself that she is not obligated to show but allows us to see.
Within the last minutes of the video, Zegler says something that I believe will stick with me for a lifetime, “The Winged Victory came to the Louvre in pieces, and people still line up to see her.”
When I watch Rachel get emotional over the hate she has gotten throughout her career so far, I can’t help but feel it too. And even while she is expressing her sadness over various insecurities or unfair treatments, the love for her job and her life as an actor is still seeping into every word she says, and that reminds me of why I loved Zegler in the first place.
I realized that the passion I felt through watching Zegler sing was the same even when she is just merely speaking about the projects that she has done, and I realized that it wasn’t just her singing, but it was her and the passion for the performance world that drew me to her.
So I find myself, a regular teenage girl, looking up to someone I have found to always be leaps and bounds ahead of me as what she is: a human being.
Throughout the years Zegler has shown me that the most important thing you can do is love hard, even when it feels like it would just be easier to give in to the hate.
And that is why she is my perfect Snow White.
I have never met Zegler, and I doubt I ever will, but being raised on her voice and her love for theater taught me to never hide what I am truly passionate about, and I will forever be thankful for that.
And so, to the mean and spiteful people of the internet, may Rachel Zegler’s successes show you that love, above all else, will always win.