Rachel Zegler Breaks Silence on ‘Snow White’ Fallout, Reveals Therapy and Medication Helped Her Recover

Rachel Zegler, once hailed as a breakout star following her debut in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, is finally addressing the emotional toll of her tumultuous year. In a candid new interview, the 24-year-old actress revealed that backlash from Disney’s Snow White remake had such a profound effect on her mental health that she turned to therapy and medication just to stay afloat.

The film, which has faced criticism since its early promotional phases, quickly became one of Disney’s most controversial live-action remakes. From the studio’s modern reimagining of the classic fairytale to Zegler’s own comments about the original story and its characters, Snow White drew ire from critics and fans alike—long before its release.

Now, months after the film’s release failed to gain traction at the box office, Zegler is opening up about how it nearly broke her.

“My effing psychiatrist has seen me through all of it,” Zegler said in a revealing profile with i-D Magazine. “I just wasn’t functioning, and I wanted to function in a way that made me feel confident in how I was moving through the world.”

Zegler’s honesty about struggling with anxiety, and her decision to seek help, marks a rare moment of vulnerability from the rising actress, who had previously faced online criticism for her public persona. A self-described “theater kid,” Zegler had gone viral for comparing herself to the Winged Victory of Samothrace, a revered Hellenistic sculpture at the Louvre. The clip, where she likened herself to the broken-but-beautiful ancient statue, drew mockery for its perceived narcissism.

But behind the memes and headlines, Zegler says she was dealing with a very real personal crisis.

“I needed someone to remind me that what I was going through wasn’t normal,” she explained. “That sentence did wonders for me in multiple situations in my life.”

The backlash didn’t just center on the film’s content or performance. Zegler’s own comments, including her critiques of the original Snow White’s romance narrative—calling it “weird” and suggesting the Prince character felt “like a stalker”—sparked waves of criticism, with many accusing her of undermining the very film she was hired to promote.

The situation became so fraught that even members of the production team began to distance themselves. Mark Platt, whose father was a producer on the film, blamed Zegler directly for the movie’s poor reception, writing on social media that her “divisive politics” and refusal to stay on-message hurt the film’s box office performance.

“This is called adult responsibility and accountability,” Platt wrote. “Her actions clearly hurt the film’s box office.”

Zegler, however, maintains that she doesn’t view herself as a victim.

“I think a victim mindset is a choice, and I don’t choose it,” she said. “I don’t choose nastiness. I don’t choose negativity. I choose positivity and light and happiness.”

That sentiment, though meant to be empowering, has been met with skepticism by critics who cite her earlier complaints about being underpaid for the film’s streaming hours and having to wear a Disney princess costume for 18 hours a day. To them, her actions and words tell a different story.

Still, Zegler’s defenders argue that she’s a young woman navigating an unforgiving industry that often eats its rising stars alive. As she relocates to London for a new theater role—her “dream part” on the West End—Zegler appears determined to keep moving forward.

“Every day I wake up and I think about how lucky I am to live the life I live,” she said.

Yet the fallout from Snow White remains a cautionary tale about the fragile balance between celebrity, authenticity, and public perception. Disney has reportedly shelved other live-action princess projects in response to the film’s performance. Industry analysts point to Snow White’s poor box office and lackluster reviews—39% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 2.0 rating on IMDb—as a signal that the formula may need rethinking.

Zegler, meanwhile, has become a polarizing figure. To some, she represents Gen Z stardom at its most self-assured—and self-sabotaging. To others, she’s a talented young actress who found herself caught in the storm of cultural politics and corporate expectations.

Either way, her story underscores a broader conversation about mental health in Hollywood, especially for young women navigating fame in the digital age. If nothing else, Rachel Zegler’s willingness to speak candidly about her struggles may resonate with others facing their own silent battles.

Whether she finds redemption—or further criticism—remains to be seen.

As Zegler herself put it: “So what if this is what brings my downfall? Then great.”