Rachel Zegler, the 24-year-old Golden Globe-winning actress who first captured hearts as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, has long been hailed as a rising star in Hollywood. But on May 13, 2025, as she prepares to take the stage in London’s West End, Zegler finds herself at a crossroads, moving on from a career-defining debacle that has left Disney reeling. The live-action Snow White, released on March 21, 2025, was meant to be a triumphant reimagining of the 1937 classic, but instead became a $115 million financial disaster for the studio, with Zegler at the center of the blame. After months of controversy, scathing reviews, and a public fallout with Disney, Zegler is charting a new path forward, proving that even the darkest chapters can lead to new beginnings.

The Snow White saga began with high hopes. Disney, riding the wave of successful live-action remakes like Aladdin and The Lion King, cast Zegler as the titular princess and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, aiming for a modern take on the fairy tale that emphasized empowerment over romance. With a reported budget of $270 million, the film was a major investment, but it quickly became a lightning rod for controversy. Zegler’s casting as a Latina actress in a role traditionally depicted as pale-skinned drew racist backlash from conservative fans, who took issue with her Colombian heritage despite her talent. Her comments at Disney’s 2022 D23 Expo, where she called the original film “dated” and its prince a “stalker,” further alienated purists, who felt she was disrespecting a beloved classic. “We didn’t focus on the love story this time,” Zegler said, a statement that sparked outrage among fans who cherished the original’s nostalgic charm.

The controversies snowballed as production progressed. Disney’s decision to use CGI for the Seven Dwarfs, following criticism from actor Peter Dinklage about the original story’s portrayal, was met with accusations of performative sensitivity. The final product, featuring only one actor with dwarfism among the group, was panned as “lifeless,” contributing to the film’s 40% Rotten Tomatoes score. Political tensions added fuel to the fire: Zegler’s pro-Palestine stance, expressed in a viral X post in August 2024, clashed with Gadot’s public support for Israel, leading to boycotts by Palestinian-led movements and a ban in Lebanon. Zegler’s post-election outburst in November 2024, where she wrote that Trump supporters should “never know peace,” prompted a swift corporate apology, reportedly written by Disney PR to mitigate backlash. By the time Snow White hit theaters, it was already mired in a toxic debate, with Zegler as the focal point of criticism.

The box office numbers told a grim story. Snow White opened to a disappointing $42.2 million domestically, dropping a staggering 66% in its second weekend to $14.3 million. By early May 2025, it had grossed just $225 million worldwide, far short of the $625 million needed to break even. After accounting for global film rentals, home entertainment, and streaming revenues, Disney faced a $115 million loss, a significant blow for a studio that had banked on the film’s success. Audiences gave it a B+ CinemaScore, a rare low for a Disney princess film, while review-bombing on IMDb left it with a 1.6/10 rating. Critics were mixed, praising Zegler’s “luminous” performance but slamming Gadot’s “flat” portrayal and the film’s “dopey stylistic choices.” A Mother’s Day weekend re-release in over 1,200 theaters added a mere $335,000, averaging $252 per screen, cementing its status as a flop.

Disney insiders were quick to point fingers at Zegler. Reports surfaced that producer Marc Platt had flown to New York to address her “free Palestine” post, which some claimed led to death threats against Gadot, forcing Disney to hire extra security. Platt’s son, Jonah, publicly blamed Zegler in a since-deleted post, calling her “narcissistic” and claiming her actions “clearly hurt the film’s box office.” Sources suggested Disney hired a social media guru to vet Zegler’s posts after her anti-Trump comments, with some insiders labeling her a “loose cannon.” Social media sentiment echoed this narrative, with users like @DC_Draino calling Zegler “kryptonite to all the major studios” and @Bubblebathgirl claiming Disney had “benched” her from the press tour. The narrative painted Zegler as the sole reason for Snow White’s failure, a scapegoat for a project that faced broader systemic issues, including audience fatigue with live-action remakes and Disney’s own creative missteps.

But the story of Zegler’s role in Snow White’s downfall is more complex than the headlines suggest. Critics like Kelechi Ehenulo have called her a “victim of culture wars,” arguing that actors from underrepresented backgrounds often become targets for backlash. Zegler’s comments on the original film, while blunt, reflected a broader push for modern relevance—a goal Disney itself endorsed by reimagining Snow White as a leader rather than a damsel. Her political statements, though polarizing, were consistent with her advocacy for social justice, a stance that resonates with many of her generation. The film’s failure can’t be pinned on Zegler alone: the CGI dwarfs, lackluster direction by Marc Webb, and a divided cultural climate all played a role. Disney’s decision to scale back the premiere and limit press access, reportedly due to fears of further controversy, may have hurt the film more than Zegler’s words ever could.

Despite the narrative of her “destroying” Snow White, Zegler is moving forward with a resilience that has surprised her detractors. On May 12, 2025, she announced her next major project: a starring role as Eva Perón in the West End’s revival of Evita, set to open on July 1 at the London Palladium. The role marks a return to her musical theater roots, a space where she’s consistently excelled, as evidenced by her recent Broadway run in Romeo + Juliet alongside Kit Connor, which concluded in February 2025 to critical acclaim. Zegler has also been cast in a new comedy-drama, She Gets It From Me, alongside Oscar winner Marisa Tomei, signaling her continued presence in Hollywood despite the Snow White fallout. These projects, far from the blockbuster realm of Disney, suggest a strategic pivot toward roles that play to her strengths as a performer and allow her to reclaim her narrative.

Zegler’s supporters have rallied behind her, emphasizing her talent over the controversy. Film critic David Ehrlich praised her on X, writing, “Rachel Zegler RULES and so obviously has a lifetime of incredible roles & performances ahead of her.” Actress Melissa Barrera, who faced similar backlash for her pro-Palestine stance, called Zegler “cool as hell and full of integrity” on Instagram Stories. Over 50 journalists signed an open letter condemning a Variety article that blamed Zegler for the film’s failure, with journalist Mark Harris calling it a “hit job” and accusing Disney of waging a campaign to shift blame. Fans on X have launched hashtags like #StandWithRachel, arguing that Disney failed to protect Zegler from the inevitable backlash that comes with being a young Latina actress in a high-profile role.

For Disney, the Snow White debacle has been a wake-up call. The studio has paused production on its planned Tangled remake, and upcoming projects like Lilo & Stitch, set for May 23, 2025, are under scrutiny as Disney reevaluates its live-action remake strategy. The failure of Snow White, coupled with the lukewarm performance of Mufasa: The Lion King at $718 million, suggests that audiences may be tiring of straight adaptations of pre-1989 classics. Some analysts argue that Disney needs to take a more avant-garde approach, as seen in the success of Cruella, rather than relying on nostalgia alone.

As Zegler moves on, her journey reflects the challenges of navigating modern Hollywood as a young woman of color with strong opinions. The Snow White saga may have cost Disney hundreds of millions, but it hasn’t dimmed Zegler’s star. With Evita and She Gets It From Me on the horizon, she’s proving that she’s more than a Disney princess—she’s a versatile artist ready to take on new challenges. Whether she’ll ever work with Disney again remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: Rachel Zegler is moving forward, leaving the poisoned apple of Snow White behind her.