Rachel Zegler is one of Hollywood’s most promising rising stars, but she is still no stranger to backlash from the media, as she seems to be a frequent target of internet vitriol. While she has received endless critical praise for her roles in movies like West Side Story and The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, public backlash has been rampant due to her political opinions and comments during the press tour of Disney’s latest live action remake, Snow White. Now, the 24 year old actress is speaking out.
In a recent interview with ID Magazine, Zegler chatted about online hate, as well as why she feels the need to still be outspoken despite the criticism. The actress explained that her compassion and strong opinions on global issues is not limited by her status as a movie star, and she feels like her status actually gives her more responsibility to speak her mind and speak up for injustice. She said:
It’s interesting. It’s really alarming at times…. I can really only echo [the Hacks actor] Hannah Einbinder in saying that a platform becomes a responsibility, and that responsibility is ours to use as we please. My compassion has no boundaries, is really what it is. and my support for one cause does not denounce any others. That’s always been at the core of who I am as a person. It’s the way I was raised.
It’s not uncommon for celebrities, especially young women in the industry, to face pushback when they engage with topics beyond entertainment. However, the specific hate towards Zegler feels beyond what others have attracted in recent years. Much of this came after she was candid about the failings of the original Snow White film, and explained that her version of the titular character would have more independence and agency that was depicted in the past. Disney purists felt like this was a slight to the source material, and turned against her quickly. Some even blamed Zegler’s outlook for why the live action Snow White flopped at the box office.
Aside from her media opinions, Zegler has been increasingly outspoken about global politics, domestic politics, and situations that she feels are inhumane. Her bravery for standing up for unheard voices has been lauded by some, but has impacted her negatively career wise. Variety even reported that Snow White producer Marc Platt flew to see her and ask her to take some of her social media posts down. Zegler refused, and she doubled down on her choice in this interview, saying:
There are obviously things that are at stake by being outspoken, but nothing is worth innocent lives. My heart doesn’t have a fence around it, and if that is considered my downfall? There are worse things.
Whether controversial or not, Zegler is sticking to her guns, and is also getting a lot of support from fans. As for her mental health, well it seems like she has that handled as way, as she got candid about seeing a therapist throughout all of the media backlash. She said:
My fucking psychiatrist has seen me through all of it. [They said,] ’What you’re going through isn’t normal.’ That sentence did such wonders for me in multiple situations in my life.
It’s good that the Shazam 2 actress has a good head on her shoulders, and seems to be handling the situation with a lot of grace. Despite the criticism, Rachel Zegler shows no signs of slowing down. She is currently starring in Evita in the West End, and it’s already a critical smash hit. If you can’t get to London to see her shine on stage, fans can also see Zegler in the live action remake of Snow White, which is now streaming with a Disney+ subscription.
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