A Shocking Turn of Events for the Disney Star

On May 5, 2025, at 3:12 PM in New York City, news broke that Rachel Zegler, the 23-year-old star of Disney’s live-action Snow White remake, reportedly collapsed during a private event, overwhelmed by the mounting pressure of the film’s catastrophic failure. Sources close to the actress, as reported by outlets like Daily Mail on May 1, 2025, suggest that the emotional toll of the film’s poor reception, coupled with Disney’s drastic decision to pull Snow White from shelves and streaming platforms, may have contributed to her breakdown. This dramatic escalation marks a new low in the saga of the $270 million remake, which has been mired in controversy since its announcement and is now being recorded as one of Disney’s most significant flops in history.

The decision to remove Snow White from circulation comes after months of dismal box office performance and relentless public backlash. According to Collider on April 13, 2025, the film failed to reach $200 million globally, a far cry from its break-even point, given its massive budget. Disney reportedly faced a $115 million loss, as noted by Daily Mail on April 9, 2025, prompting the studio to take unprecedented action by halting physical sales and removing the film from Disney+ to mitigate further damage to its brand. This move has sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, with fans and critics alike speculating about the future of Disney’s live-action remakes and Zegler’s once-promising career.

The Rise and Fall of a Disney Princess

Rachel Zegler first captured the public’s attention with her breakout role in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (2021), earning a Golden Globe and establishing herself as a rising star. Her casting as Snow White in Disney’s live-action remake was initially met with excitement in 2021, but the project quickly became a lightning rod for controversy. Zegler, of Colombian descent, faced racist backlash for playing a character traditionally depicted as Caucasian, a criticism amplified by conservative outlets like The Daily Wire, which promised a competing “traditional” adaptation, per SlashFilm on April 26, 2025. Beyond her casting, Zegler’s comments about the original 1937 animated film—calling its romance plot “sexist” and the prince a “stalker,” as reported by Daily Mail on April 11, 2025—drew ire from fans who accused her of disrespecting Disney’s legacy.

The film’s troubles were compounded by behind-the-scenes tensions. Zegler’s co-star, Gal Gadot, who played the Evil Queen, reportedly clashed with her over their opposing political views, particularly regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict. According to CBR on April 16, 2025, Zegler’s vocal support for Palestine, including a “free Palestine” post on X shortly after the film’s trailer release in 2024, contrasted sharply with Gadot’s pro-Israel stance as a former IDF soldier. This led to boycotts in regions like Lebanon and a polarized fanbase, with some fans of both actresses threatening to boycott the film, as noted by The Nation on April 8, 2025. The film’s modernized plot, which transformed Snow White into a feminist leader rather than a romantic heroine, also alienated traditional Disney audiences, further fueling the backlash.

A Box Office Disaster and Disney’s Drastic Response

When Snow White premiered in March 2025, it was met with mixed reviews and audience apathy. Screen Rant on April 20, 2025, highlighted the film’s uneven marketing strategy, which focused on differences from the original rather than its strengths, confusing its target audience. Critics panned the CGI dwarfs—introduced after actor Peter Dinklage criticized the original portrayal of the characters as backwards, per Screen Rant on April 20, 2025—and the film’s anticlimactic ending, with Screen Rant giving it a 5/10 score on April 15, 2025. By mid-April, the film had grossed just $194 million against a $240-270 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo data cited by Screen Rant on April 11, 2025, marking it as Disney’s worst-performing live-action remake to date.

The financial failure prompted Disney to take drastic measures. On April 30, 2025, reports emerged that the studio had shelved plans for a live-action Tangled remake, a decision linked directly to Snow White’s flop, as per Daily Mail on April 4, 2025. By May 5, 2025, Disney escalated its response by pulling Snow White entirely from circulation. Physical copies were removed from retail shelves, and the film was taken off Disney+, a move that insiders suggest was intended to limit further reputational damage, especially amid ongoing culture wars in Hollywood. Posts on X, such as one by @dom_lucre on April 1, 2025, labeled the film as Disney’s “greatest failure,” reflecting the sentiment that the studio was desperate to distance itself from the project.

Zegler’s Collapse: A Star Under Pressure

Amid this turmoil, Rachel Zegler has borne the brunt of the blame, despite arguments that the film’s failure stems from broader systemic issues at Disney. On May 5, 2025, sources reported that Zegler collapsed during a private event in New York City, an incident attributed to the intense scrutiny and stress she has faced. The actress had already been struggling with the fallout, as evidenced by her low profile in recent weeks—she was spotted walking her dog in New York on April 14, 2025, looking somber, per Daily Mail. Her social media activity, once a platform for her outspoken views, has been curtailed since Disney producer Marc Platt reportedly flew to New York to reprimand her for her posts, as noted by Daily Mail on April 14, 2025.

Zegler’s career has taken a significant hit. Posts on X, like one from @vinhlegacy on April 14, 2025, claim that Disney has “canceled” her for being a “brand risk,” though such claims remain unverified. However, her next steps indicate a pivot away from Disney projects. On April 30, 2025, Variety reported that Zegler had signed on for a new comedy-drama, She Gets It from Me, alongside Marisa Tomei, marking her first major role since Snow White. She is also set to star in a West End production of Evita starting June 14, 2025, though ticket sales have been sluggish, per Daily Mail on April 22, 2025, suggesting that the Snow White scandal continues to cast a shadow over her career.

Disney’s Live-Action Strategy in Crisis

The removal of Snow White from shelves signals a broader crisis for Disney’s live-action remake strategy. As Collider noted on April 6, 2025, recent remakes like The Little Mermaid and Cruella have underperformed, indicating audience fatigue with reimagined classics. Disney’s success in 2024 with original stories like Inside Out 2 and Moana 2, which collectively grossed billions, contrasts sharply with the failure of Snow White and Mufasa: The Lion King, which earned $900 million less than its predecessor, per Collider on April 13, 2025. This trend suggests that audiences are craving fresh narratives rather than rehashed stories, a lesson Disney may need to heed moving forward.

The Snow White debacle also highlights the challenges of navigating modern cultural and political divides in Hollywood. Zegler’s pro-Palestine stance and the backlash against the film’s “woke” updates—such as removing the traditional love story in favor of a leadership narrative, as criticized by Fox News on April 9, 2025—reflect the tightrope Disney must walk in catering to diverse audiences. The studio’s failure to manage these tensions, including the rumored feud between Zegler and Gadot, has only amplified the film’s negative reception.

A Cautionary Tale for Hollywood

Rachel Zegler’s collapse and Disney’s decision to pull Snow White from circulation mark a dramatic chapter in the ongoing saga of the film’s failure. For Zegler, the incident underscores the immense pressure faced by young stars in the spotlight, particularly when caught in the crosshairs of cultural and political controversies. Her upcoming projects offer a chance for redemption, but the Snow White scandal will likely linger as a cautionary tale for both her and Disney.

For Disney, the removal of Snow White is a stark admission of defeat, signaling the need for a strategic rethink of its live-action remake pipeline. As the studio moves forward with projects like Lilo & Stitch, it must grapple with the lessons of Snow White—balancing innovation with tradition, managing talent in the social media age, and addressing the evolving expectations of global audiences. In the meantime, Zegler’s collapse serves as a human reminder of the toll such failures can take, leaving the industry to ponder what it truly means to reimagine a fairytale in today’s fractured world.