Rachel Zegler is speaking out about the criticism she and the cast of Disney’s upcoming live-action film, Snow White, are facing.
Ever since it was announced in 2021 that Zegler would lead the cast of Snow White, the New Jersey native of Colombian and Polish descent has repeatedly had to confront racist comments about her portrayal of the fictional character.
Over the weekend, the Golden Globe-winning actress began facing renewed scrutiny when the Daily Mail published photos alleged to be from the upcoming film in a report titled, “Snow White and the Seven… Politically-Correct Companions?”
The photos featured a group of actors of diverse sizes, races, and genders who would purportedly portray the film’s seven dwarves.
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At first, a Disney spokesperson denied the authenticity of the photos, labeling them as “fake” in a statement to The Daily Beast. However, a rep from Disney’s PR team went on to provide an update confirming that while the images were real, they were not official “photos” from the set.
As the casting choices for the seven dwarfs began receiving backlash on social media, comments surfaced about the casting of a Latina Snow White as well.
Despite the negativity, Zegler chose to thank her supportive fans. Expressing her gratitude for the outpouring of love, the 22-year-old actress also made it clear that she no longer wishes to engage with the controversy surrounding her casting.
extremely appreciative of the love i feel from those defending me online, but please don’t tag me in the nonsensical discourse about my casting.
i really, truly do not want to see it.
so i leave you w these photos! i hope every child knows they can be a princess no matter what pic.twitter.com/AU5PjJutK5
— rachel zegler (she/her/hers) (@rachelzegler) July 15, 2023
“Extremely appreciative of the love I feel from those defending me online, but please don’t tag me in the nonsensical discourse about my casting,” the West Side Story actress wrote on Twitter. “I really, truly do not want to see it.”
Instead, Zegler decided to shift the focus to a more positive message, sharing four childhood photos of herself dressed up as various Disney princesses — including Snow White.
Alongside the pictures, Zegler wrote, “So I leave you with these photos! I hope every child knows they can be a princess no matter what.”
