From Criticism to Tribute: Rachel Zegler’s Complicated Relationship with Snow White
As the crimson bow settled perfectly against her dark curls, Rachel Zegler transformed before the camera. The 23-year-old actress, soon to be seen worldwide as the fairest of them all, captured a fleeting moment of connection with Adriana Caselotti—the woman who first gave voice to Snow White nearly nine decades ago.
A Tribute That Stirred the Apple Cart
The Instagram post seemed innocent enough: a young actress paying homage to her predecessor with vintage-inspired styling and the caption, “Just had to pay homage to the original snow white, miss adriana caselotti, to whom i owe everything ❤️.” But for fans who have followed the winding path to Disney’s newest live-action remake, the tribute struck a discordant note.
In the black and white filter of her video, Zegler laughed softly to the side, emulating the mannerisms of the 1937 animated character. The transformation was striking—and immediately controversial.
“HOMAGE!!??? She litterally hates the og Snow-White storyline,” wrote one commenter, capturing the sentiment of many who viewed the tribute as contradictory to Zegler’s previous statements about the classic film.
The curly bob and signature bow that delighted some fans also fueled a different kind of disappointment. “THIS hairstyle should’ve been in the movie! In my opinion,” lamented one fan, while another declared with heartbreak emojis, “Disney robbed you of this hair”.
A Tale of Two Snow Whites
The journey to this moment began three years ago when Disney announced that Zegler, fresh from her breakthrough role in “West Side Story,” would don the iconic red, blue, and yellow dress of Snow White. Almost immediately, the young actress began speaking about her vision for modernizing the character.
In the shadow of the original film’s castle, Zegler told interviewers she found the 1937 version “extremely dated” and shared her discomfort with the romance at its center. “The original cartoon came out in 1937, and very evidently so,” she explained to Extra TV in 2022. “There’s a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird, weird.”
She promised audiences a different Snow White—one who dreams not of true love but of leadership. “She’s not going to be saved by the prince, and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love; she’s going to be dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be,” Zegler told Variety with conviction.
These statements, along with her admission that she watched the original film just once and “never picked it up again,” created a narrative around the $270 million production before audiences had seen a single frame.
Rachel Zegler stuns for ‘SNOW WHITE’ press. pic.twitter.com/J0xlDFKfYQ
— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) March 17, 2025
Behind the Palace Walls
The remake itself has weathered multiple storms during its production and marketing phase. Beyond the debate about modernizing the story, the reimagining of the Seven Dwarfs as a diverse group of “magical creatures” of various heights, genders, and races sparked its own controversy among traditionalists and disability advocates alike.
There have also been whispers of tension between the film’s leading ladies. Reports suggest that Zegler and Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen, stand on opposite sides of the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict and have rarely been seen promoting the film together.
A source close to the production told People magazine that Gadot, 39, was mystified by her younger co-star’s comments about the original film being “dated.”
Finding Reflection in the Glass
When approached by TMZ reporters at LAX airport on Friday, Zegler avoided questions about the controversy surrounding the film, swiftly making her way through the crowded terminal.
But in a February interview with Vogue Mexico, she had addressed the backlash more directly: “I interpret people’s feelings about this film as passion for it, and what an honor to be able to be a part of something that people are so passionate about.”
She added with reflection, “We’re not always going to have the same feelings as everyone around us and all we can do is give our best.”
As the film’s March 21 release date approaches, the story of Disney’s Snow White remake continues to unfold—both on screen and off. And like the magic mirror on the wall, Zegler’s tribute to Caselotti reflects more than just an aesthetic homage; it captures the complex relationship between Hollywood’s past and its evolving future.
