The Shady Side Of Rachel Zegler

With starring roles in big-action blockbusters "The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," and "West Side Story," Rachel Zegler has demonstrated that she's ready for the big leagues — but that's not the only thing she's proven. As the actor's star has risen in recent years, so too has her capacity for controversy. This is partly because Zegler isn't afraid to share her unfiltered opinions, even if people don't always like them. In a 2023 appearance with Variety's Actors on Actors series, the star offered her take on dealing with online trolls. "As much as you'd like to remind people verbally that being in the spotlight doesn't absolve you of your humanity — that you're allowed to have human moments — it doesn't necessarily do what you want it to do. It fuels them more," Zegler said. She went on to explain that the criticism has only made her stronger, "like solid Teflon."

That's a good thing because there's been quite a bit of criticism. Almost from the moment that she was cast as the lead in Disney's 2024 live-action remake of "Snow White," Zegler didn't hold back on sharing her thoughts about the original film, angering Disney purists in the process. She also made headlines for her dramatic reading of Britney Spears' tweets during a difficult period for the Spears clan. Buckle up — because if you're reading about every time Zegler acted shady, there's a lot to cover.

If you're cast as the lead in a Disney movie, it's probably not wise to publicly shade said franchise, right? Well, Rachel Zegler thinks differently. After Disney announced they had cast her as the titular figure in the live-action retelling of "Snow White," Zegler spoke about her (very low) opinion of the original film. "The original cartoon came out in 1937, and very evidently so. There's a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird. So we didn't do that this time," the actor told Extra TV in 2022. Then, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Zegler noted that she'd only watched the animated "Snow White" twice in her life and called it "extremely dated when it comes to the ideas of women being in roles of power and what a woman is fit for in the world."

This didn't sit well with conservatives and Disney fans. On TikTok, one person pointed out that not every Disney hero needs to be a leader. "Criticizing Disney princesses is not feminist. ... Not every woman wants or craves power, and that's OK." Another user reposted clips of Zegler critiquing the film, captioning it, "If you hate the original this much, why would you want to make the remake. Pls make it make sense." Zegler's controversial take on "Snow White" isn't the first time Disney remakes have come under fire, but her views might be among the most outspoken we've heard.

According to Newsweek, Rachel Zegler appeared at the 2023 Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) picket line to demand fair compensation for her role in "Snow White." The Disney star said, "If I'm going to stand there for 18 hours in a dress of an iconic Disney princess, I deserve to be paid for every hour that is streamed online." Her comment did not land well, with X roasting her as "the most insufferable woman." One account sarcastically posted, "She deserves a damn combat badge for her sacrifice." Meanwhile, someone else commented, "There are thousands of other jobs that deserve more than an actress getting more residuals."

Overall, there are plenty of people who feel that Zegler has made elitist comments about her work and the entertainment industry. For example, in March 2023, the actor told The Hollywood Reporter that she only participated in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" because she needed work. "The reality is we're in the middle of a pandemic, and I was not working, and I couldn't get a job for the life of me because 'West Side Story' hadn't come out yet. It was really hard to book work for me," she dished. It feels like a flippant remark in light of the thousands of people who lost their jobs during COVID-19 or struggled to make ends meet.

In 2022, Rachel Zegler posted a since-deleted video to X, formerly known as Twitter, where she chose to do a dramatic reading of several Britney Spears tweets. At the time, Britney slammed her younger sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, for spreading untrue information about their family to drum up publicity for her 2022 memoir, according to E! News. This was a trying time for the Spears clan, so Zegler's decision to make light of the situation on social media was in poor taste — and fans let her know that. "Rachel Zegler is my girl and I will ride for her til the end ... but pls lord get her a social media manager," one person posted to X. "Look I love Rachel Zegler but this was very very dumb. Using someone's trauma as a monologue is something you should never even consider doing," someone else added.

Zegler eventually apologized, but the damage was already done. "Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Britney, and am rooting for her always," the actor posted to X. "While I meant no disrespect whatsoever, I should have thought about how this could be perceived, and I'm so sorry for upsetting or disappointing anyone," she continued, before thanking fans for holding her accountable.

In early 2022, Rachel Zegler was an up-and-coming actor, but a lead role in the musical "West Side Story" meant that her star was on the rise. However, while the film was up for seven Academy Awards at that year's Oscars, Zegler herself got snubbed. "I'm not invited, so sweatpants and my boyfriend's flannel," she responded to a fan on Instagram who asked what she was wearing to the event. When fans came to her defense, Zegler took a not-so-neutral stance. "IDK y'all I have tried it all but it doesn't seem to be happening. I will root for 'West Side Story' from my couch and be proud of the work we so tirelessly did 3 years ago. ... I'm disappointed too, but that's OK. So proud of our movie," she commented on Instagram.

After realizing their gaff, the Oscars issued a last-minute invite to Zegler and even asked her to present an award alongside "Euphoria" star Jacob Elordi, according to Teen Vogue. When Elordi joked that he never thought he'd end up at the Oscars, Zegler added, "And I never thought that I'd be here six days ago." Funny, but too real.