At 03:08 PM +07 on Monday, May 12, 2025, Rachel Zegler’s career appears to be at a crossroads following the dismal performance of her latest project, the comedy-drama She Gets It From Me, which opened to a mere $1.8 million against a $20 million budget. The 24-year-old actress, once hailed as a rising star after her Golden Globe-winning debut in West Side Story (2021), has now faced a string of box office disappointments, with her most recent flop fueling narratives that her career may be irreparably damaged. Critics and online detractors point to her controversial public statements, her role in the poorly received Snow White remake, and a perceived inability to draw audiences as evidence that her time in Hollywood is over. However, this narrative demands scrutiny—does this latest failure truly confirm Zegler’s downfall, or is it a symptom of broader industry trends and unfair scapegoating? This article delves into the flop of She Gets It From Me, Zegler’s career trajectory, public sentiment, and the systemic factors at play, challenging the establishment’s rush to declare her career finished.

The Latest Flop: She Gets It From Me

Released on May 2, 2025, She Gets It From Me stars Zegler as Nicky, a young woman whose engagement celebration spirals into chaos as she searches for her estranged, punk-rocker mother, played by Marisa Tomei. The film, marketed as a heartfelt mother-daughter comedy-drama, aimed to showcase Zegler’s versatility post-Snow White. Yet, its opening weekend was catastrophic, grossing just $1.8 million domestically across 1,800 theaters, averaging a paltry $1,000 per screen. Social media buzz, tracked by RelishMix, showed a reach of 28 million—30% below average for similar releases—reflecting low audience interest. Reviews were mixed, with a 45% Rotten Tomatoes score; critics praised Zegler’s emotional depth but criticized the film’s uneven script and lack of stakes, echoing sentiments about her prior project Spellbound.

This flop follows a pattern for Zegler. Her earlier films—West Side Story ($76 million against a $100 million budget), Shazam! Fury of the Gods ($134.1 million against $125 million), Y2K ($4.4 million against $15 million), and Snow White ($148.7 million against $350 million)—have consistently underperformed. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes ($349 million against $100 million) remains her only financial success, though it was the lowest-grossing entry in the franchise. The narrative of Zegler as “box office poison,” a term coined by fans on X, has gained traction, with some arguing her latest failure cements her inability to carry a film. Posts on X reflect this sentiment, with users calling the movie “garbage” and demanding Zegler be sidelined from major roles.

Zegler’s Career Trajectory: From Darling to Pariah

Zegler’s rise began with a meteoric debut in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, earning her a Golden Globe at 20 and marking her as Hollywood’s next big thing. Her casting in major franchises like The Hunger Games and Disney’s Snow White followed, alongside roles in Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Y2K. Yet, each project has been marred by controversy or financial disappointment. West Side Story struggled post-COVID, a systemic issue rather than Zegler’s fault. Shazam! 2 suffered from DC’s transitional woes, and Y2K’s niche horror-comedy appeal failed to resonate, opening to $2.1 million despite a modest budget.

The Snow White remake, released March 21, 2025, became a lightning rod. Zegler’s comments calling the 1937 original “not feminist enough” and her refusal to sing “Someday My Prince Will Come” alienated fans, while her pro-Palestine tweet alongside the trailer promo led to death threats against co-star Gal Gadot, prompting Disney to hire security. The film’s $148.7 million global haul against a $350 million budget was a disaster, with empty theaters and a 40% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Disney insiders, per Variety, blamed Zegler’s activism for the flop, a claim echoed by producer Marc Platt’s son Jonah, who called her “immature” and “narcissistic” on Instagram. Her post-election anti-Trump remarks—“Trump supporters will never know peace”—further fueled backlash, with figures like Megyn Kelly labeling her a “pig.”

Zegler’s stage work, including her Broadway debut as Juliet in Romeo + Juliet (2024) and her current role as Eva Perón in the West End’s Evita (opening June 14, 2025), has kept her active, but ticket sales for Evita are reportedly dismal, mirroring her cinematic struggles. Her pivot to She Gets It From Me was meant to be a fresh start, but its failure has intensified the narrative of her decline.

Public Sentiment: A Divided Audience

Public reaction to Zegler’s latest flop is split. Detractors on X are vocal, with some users celebrating her perceived downfall, one even suggesting the film “needs to burn in a fire.” Critics argue her activism and “woke” persona—evident in her critique of Snow White’s traditional narrative and her outspoken support for Palestine—have alienated audiences. The YouTube trailer for Snow White garnered 215,000 downvotes against 17,000 upvotes, reflecting this discontent. Her past comments, like calling the prince a “stalker” and admitting she took Shazam! 2 because she “needed a job,” have painted her as ungrateful, further eroding her fanbase.

Yet, Zegler retains defenders. Fans on X praise her talent, with one noting, “She’s booked and busy despite the hate,” and others calling her “cool as hell” for her integrity, as Melissa Barrera did on Instagram Stories. Journalist Mark Harris on Bluesky condemned Variety’s reporting as a “hit job,” arguing Disney’s scapegoating of Zegler for Snow White’s failure is “astonishingly graceless.” Over 50 journalists signed an open letter denouncing the narrative, highlighting a broader industry tendency to blame young actresses for systemic issues. Zegler’s 74% audience score for Snow White on Rotten Tomatoes contrasts sharply with its 40% critic score, suggesting a disconnect between public and industry views.

Critical Analysis: Is Her Career Truly Over?

The establishment narrative—that Zegler’s career is “over”—is overly simplistic and ignores systemic factors. Her string of flops isn’t unique; Disney’s live-action remakes have trended downward since 2019’s The Lion King ($1 billion), with The Little Mermaid (2023) at $560 million as the best performer since. Snow White’s failure aligns with this decline, exacerbated by controversies not entirely of Zegler’s making—casting backlash over her Latina heritage and plot changes were studio decisions. The post-COVID theatrical landscape, as seen with West Side Story, and franchise fatigue, as with Shazam! 2, are external factors beyond her control.

Zegler’s activism, while polarizing, isn’t the sole reason for her films’ failures. Her pro-Palestine stance, shared by peers like Barrera, reflects a generational shift toward outspokenness, yet the industry’s reaction—Disney flying Platt to reprimand her—suggests a double standard. Male stars like Chris Evans face less scrutiny for political comments, while young actresses are disproportionately targeted, as seen with Halle Bailey’s The Little Mermaid backlash. Zegler’s “woke” label, often tied to her feminist critiques, mirrors broader cultural pushback against progressive casting, a trend not unique to her.

Her talent remains undeniable. Critics consistently praise her performances, from West Side Story’s Maria to Snow White’s titular role, where she’s often the highlight despite the films’ flaws. Her stage work—Romeo + Juliet and Evita—shows a commitment to her craft, even if ticket sales lag, possibly due to the niche appeal of theater versus cinema. The narrative of her as “box office poison” ignores her youth and potential; at 24, she has decades to pivot, much like Jennifer Lawrence, who rebounded after The Hunger Games with varied roles.

Broader Implications

Zegler’s case highlights systemic issues in Hollywood. The industry’s reliance on young stars to carry massive franchises, as with Snow White, sets them up for failure when external factors—pandemic recovery, franchise fatigue, or cultural backlash—intervene. The scapegoating of actresses for flops, seen with Zegler and Bailey, reveals a gendered bias, where studios deflect blame rather than address structural issues like overinflated budgets or mismanaged marketing. Disney’s $350 million gamble on Snow White, needing $500 million to break even, was a risky bet in a declining market, not Zegler’s fault.

The public’s reaction also reflects a cultural shift. In 2025, economic recession fears and global conflicts amplify resentment toward perceived “privileged” stars, with Zegler’s activism seen as out-of-touch despite her working-class roots. Yet, her defenders argue this hate is amplified by online echo chambers, where misinformation—like the 215,000 downvotes on Snow White’s trailer—distorts reality. The industry must adapt, either by supporting young talents through flops or rethinking how it markets controversial projects.

Conclusion

Rachel Zegler’s latest flop with She Gets It From Me, following Snow White’s disaster, has fueled claims that her career is over as of May 12, 2025. Yet, this narrative oversimplifies her situation, ignoring systemic industry issues, gendered scapegoating, and her undeniable talent. At 24, Zegler has time to pivot, as her stage roles suggest she’s already doing. The hate she faces, while intense, is amplified by online vitriol and industry bias, not a true reflection of her potential. Hollywood’s rush to declare her finished is premature—her career, like her voice, still has the power to resonate if given the chance.