Rachel Zegler Breaks Silence on Snow White Backlash, Anxiety Struggles, and Activism

Rachel Zegler, the 23-year-old star of Disney’s ill-fated Snow White remake, has opened up for the first time about the intense public scrutiny she faced during and after the film’s release. In a candid interview with British magazine i-D, Zegler revealed the emotional toll the backlash had on her mental health, how therapy and medication became essential tools for her survival, and why she remains unapologetic in her activism.

The film, released in March, was expected to be a major box office hit but instead struggled mightily, grossing just $42.2 million domestically and $205.6 million worldwide—falling far short of its reported $270 million production budget. Before it even hit theaters, Snow White was already the center of a cultural firestorm. From criticisms of casting a Latina actress in the iconic role to her own controversial comments on feminism and the original 1937 Disney classic, Zegler became a lightning rod for criticism.

But behind the headlines and online vitriol, Zegler says, was a young woman quietly struggling to hold herself together.”I just wasn’t functioning,” she told i-D‘s Douglas Greenwood. “And I wanted to function in a way that made me feel confident in the way I was moving through the world.”

She credits her recovery in large part to therapy and being prescribed medication for anxiety. Zegler says her psychiatrist once told her, “What you’re going through isn’t normal,” a phrase she found deeply validating amid the media frenzy.“That sentence did such wonders for me in multiple situations in my life,” she said. “Being medicated for anxiety has been truly a game changer.”

Zegler’s rise to fame began with Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, which launched her into stardom at just 20 years old. But the backlash to Snow White was unlike anything she had experienced. Criticism mounted after she commented in a 2022 red carpet interview that the original Snow White film was “weird” and “dated,” pointing to the romantic storyline as problematic. “There’s a big focus on her love story with a guy that literally stalks her,” Zegler said at the time. “So we aren’t going to do that.”

Those remarks sparked a wave of backlash, particularly from traditionalist Disney fans. Although Zegler later apologized, the damage was already done.

Adding fuel to the controversy was Disney’s decision to replace the classic seven dwarfs with CGI-generated “magical creatures,” prompting backlash from the dwarfism community. Disney said it had consulted with advocacy groups to avoid reinforcing stereotypes, but critics viewed the move as yet another example of the studio caving to political correctness.

Yet for many, Zegler herself became the primary target—especially among those uncomfortable with a woman of Colombian descent playing a character originally described by the Brothers Grimm as having “skin as white as snow.” Online, the backlash often veered into overt racism and misogyny.

Despite this, Zegler has maintained a strong public commitment to activism. On the day the Snow White trailer debuted, she posted on X, formerly Twitter: “and always remember, free palestine.” During her interview with i-D, she wore a beaded bracelet in the colors of the Palestinian flag that spelled out “ceasefire.” “My compassion has no boundaries,” Zegler said. “And my support for one cause does not denounce any others. That’s always been at the core of who I am as a person. It’s the way I was raised.”

Her activism has drawn both support and criticism, particularly as her Snow White co-star Gal Gadot is a vocal supporter of the Israel Defense Forces. This led to conflicting reactions from audiences—pro-Palestinian groups expressed outrage over Gadot’s casting, while others accused Zegler of politicizing a children’s film.

Still, Zegler remains firm in her beliefs, telling i-D that if her outspokenness leads to career fallout, she’s willing to accept that. “There are obviously things that are at stake by being outspoken,” she said. “But nothing is worth innocent lives.”

Through it all, Zegler says she chooses optimism, a perspective shaped by both necessity and her healing journey. “Happiness is absolutely a choice,” she said. “And every day I wake up and I think I’m very lucky to live the life I live.”

As Disney continues to grapple with shifting audience expectations, evolving cultural norms, and the future of its legacy IPs, Zegler’s story offers a raw, personal window into the toll such cultural battles can take on a single actor.

The controversy surrounding Snow White may not be over, but Rachel Zegler’s message is clear: She’s choosing peace, resilience, and unapologetic authenticity in a business that rarely allows space for all three.