Introduction

Disney’s live-action Snow White, released on March 21, 2025, was envisioned as a modern retelling of the 1937 animated classic, with Rachel Zegler as the titular princess and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. However, the $270 million film became a cultural and political flashpoint, grossing just $87 million globally in its opening weekend and earning a 42% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Much of the controversy centered on Zegler’s outspoken comments and social media activity, which critics argue alienated audiences and overshadowed the film’s promotion. In recent interviews and reported statements, Gadot has addressed Zegler’s actions, shedding light on the tensions between the co-stars and the challenges Disney faced in managing the fallout. This article examines Gadot’s perspective on Zegler’s controversial behavior during the Snow White campaign, drawing from web sources and posts on X to provide a comprehensive overview of the debacle.

Gadot’s Perspective: A Professional Response to a PR Nightmare

Gal Gadot, an Israeli actress known for her roles in Wonder Woman and Fast & Furious, has maintained a measured public persona throughout the Snow White controversy. However, sources close to the production and recent reports suggest she was deeply frustrated by Zegler’s actions, which reportedly complicated the film’s promotion and contributed to its poor reception. According to a Variety article published on March 26, 2025, tensions between the actresses escalated after Zegler’s political posts and perceived slights against Gadot, prompting Disney to take unprecedented steps to manage the fallout, including hiring additional security for Gadot due to death threats.

In a February 2025 interview with Harper’s Bazaar Spain, Gadot addressed the broader Israel-Gaza conflict, emphasizing her anti-war stance and calling for a diplomatic resolution: “I know it sounds cliché, but just as they are teaching us to hate, by increasing antisemitism, we can also teach them to love.” While she did not directly name Zegler, the comment was interpreted by some as a subtle rebuke of her co-star’s inflammatory posts, particularly a tweet on August 12, 2024, where Zegler wrote, “and always remember, free Palestine” after promoting the Snow White trailer. This post, which garnered 8.8 million views, was seen by some as a dig at Gadot, who is a vocal supporter of Israel and a former Israel Defense Forces instructor. A now-deleted retweet from Gadot’s X account, reported by Times of Israel journalist Amy Spiro, amplified a message criticizing Zegler for “campaigning on the head of your co-star, who actually lives through war,” suggesting Gadot’s disapproval of Zegler’s approach.

Zegler’s Actions: A Series of Missteps

Zegler’s controversies began long before the film’s release, starting with her casting in June 2021. As a Latina actress of Colombian and Polish descent, she faced racist backlash from conservative fans who argued that Snow White, described as having “skin as white as snow,” should not be played by a non-white actress. Zegler responded defiantly, tweeting, “Yes I am Snow White no I am not bleaching my skin for the role,” a stance that won her support but also set the tone for her combative online presence.

Her comments about the original 1937 film further fueled the fire. At Disney’s D23 Expo in 2022, Zegler called the classic “dated” and criticized its focus on a love story with a prince who “literally stalks” Snow White, describing the dynamic as “weird.” She also revealed that the remake would not feature the iconic song “Someday My Prince Will Come,” opting instead for a new feminist anthem, “Waiting on a Wish,” and emphasized Snow White’s leadership over romance. These remarks, widely shared on TikTok, were perceived by some fans as disrespectful to Disney’s legacy, with one X user, @LoneWolf907, posting on May 1, 2025, that Zegler’s comments made the film “beyond saving.”

Zegler’s political activism added another layer of controversy. Her August 2024 “free Palestine” post, made shortly after the trailer’s release, was particularly divisive. According to Variety, Disney producer Marc Platt flew to New York to urge Zegler to delete the tweet, but she refused, prompting the studio to hire a social media strategist to monitor her posts. The post reportedly led to a spike in death threats against Gadot, necessitating additional security. An insider told Variety, “She didn’t understand the repercussions of her actions as far as what that meant for the film, for Gal, for anyone.” Israeli consul Ofir Akunis publicly criticized Zegler, calling her stance “ridiculous” and urging Americans to support Gadot’s film.

Zegler’s post-election comments in November 2024 further alienated audiences. She posted on Instagram, “F*** Donald Trump” and “May Trump supporters never know peace,” prompting backlash from conservative viewers. She later apologized, acknowledging that “hatred and anger have caused us to move further from peace,” but the damage was done. Disney, already grappling with the film’s negative publicity, arranged another meeting with Platt, after which Zegler agreed to work with a social media manager.

Perhaps the most personal slight came after the March 2, 2025, Academy Awards, where Zegler and Gadot presented an award together. In an Instagram reply, Zegler referred to Gadot as a “professional pageant queen,” a comment insiders considered “dismissive” given Gadot’s status as a former Miss Israel and established actress. This remark, coupled with their separate press schedules and physical separation at the March 15 Los Angeles premiere—where Zegler sat two rows ahead of Gadot—fueled rumors of a feud.

Gadot’s Measured Critique and Disney’s Damage Control

While Gadot has not publicly detailed every grievance, sources indicate she viewed Zegler’s actions as unprofessional and detrimental to the film. A source told People on March 15, 2025, that the actresses “have nothing in common,” citing their age gap, differing political views, and Zegler’s outspokenness. Gadot’s frustration was reportedly compounded by the perception that Zegler’s comments overshadowed the hard work of the cast and crew. An X post by @SassyMAGAgirl on May 1, 2025, echoed this sentiment, claiming Gadot found working with Zegler “not fun” and suggesting even Steven Spielberg avoided her.

Gadot’s public statements have remained diplomatic. On Good Morning America on March 10, 2025, she praised the film as “a great movie” and encouraged audiences to give it a chance, a sentiment she reiterated in a paparazzi encounter at an Equinox gym parking lot. However, her limited engagement with Zegler-related controversies—such as not attending the European premiere in Segovia, Spain, where Zegler performed solo—suggests a deliberate distancing. A source clarified to People that Gadot was “never supposed to be in Spain,” but the optics reinforced the narrative of tension.

Disney’s response was to minimize exposure to further controversy. The studio scaled back the Los Angeles premiere, limiting it to photographers and house crew, and avoided traditional red-carpet interviews to prevent Zegler or Gadot from facing contentious questions. The European premiere was similarly low-key, with only select VIPs and influencers in attendance. These measures, while pragmatic, underscored Disney’s struggle to salvage the film’s reputation amid Zegler’s polarizing presence and the broader backlash against its “woke” creative choices, such as replacing the seven dwarfs with CGI “magical creatures” following criticism from Peter Dinklage.

The Broader Implications: A Cautionary Tale for Hollywood

The Snow White fiasco highlights the challenges studios face in navigating stars’ social media activity in a polarized climate. Zegler’s unapologetic stance, while admired by supporters like actress Melissa Barrera and journalist Mark Harris, alienated a significant portion of the audience, contributing to the film’s projected $100 million loss. Gadot, by contrast, kept her comments focused on hope and unity, aligning with her role as a “beacon of light,” as she told Variety in March 2025. Her approach, while not immune to criticism—pro-Palestine activists picketed her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony on March 18, 2025—avoided the self-inflicted wounds that plagued Zegler’s campaign.

The controversy also reflects broader tensions in Hollywood’s remake culture. As film critic Conor Riley told the BBC, Snow White “landed at the intersection of Hollywood’s creative stagnation, racial politics, international conflict, and America’s ideological divide.” Zegler’s actions, from dismissing the original film to her political posts, became a lightning rod for these debates, while Gadot’s restraint highlighted a more traditional approach to navigating fame.

Conclusion

Gal Gadot’s reported critiques of Rachel Zegler’s actions during the Snow White promotion paint a picture of a young actress whose outspokenness, while principled, derailed a major Disney production. Zegler’s dismissive comments about the 1937 classic, her polarizing political posts, and her perceived slight against Gadot alienated fans and strained her relationship with Disney and her co-star. Gadot, while maintaining professionalism, has signaled her disapproval through subtle remarks and strategic distance, as evidenced by their separate promotional schedules and limited interactions. The Snow White controversy serves as a cautionary tale for Hollywood, underscoring the risks of unchecked social media activism and the challenges of balancing artistic vision with audience expectations. As Disney licks its wounds and Zegler moves on to projects like Evita in the West End, Gadot’s call for love over hate remains a poignant counterpoint to a saga defined by division.