Rachel Zegler’s casting as Snow White should have been a dream come true. A young actress, a lifelong Disney fan, stepping into the role of an original Disney princess. But instead of excitement, the internet has other plans. Since the news of the live-action remake of the classic Disney story became public, debates raged over her suitability for the role.
Zegler’s comments on the original movie and Disney’s modern take on the classic story have been topics of controversy for the last few years. But what many people don’t realize is that Zegler didn’t just land his role; she’s been preparing for it her entire life. Her recent comments about her family’s obsession tell a lot about her story.
Rachel Zegler revealed that her parents are a huge Disney fans
For Rachel Zegler, Disney isn’t just another studio, it’s a part of her family legacy. During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, she revealed just how deep that love runs. She told the host, Jimmy Kimmel, that her parents are huge Disney fans, including her dad, and even their wedding song was also from a classic Disney film.
My mom and dad’s wedding song was A Whole New World from Aladdin… I was bred for this.
Her family’s annual vacations weren’t to just any destination, they were always to Disney World. It was the yearly vacation for the Zeglers, “That was our vacation, our yearly vacation, the four of us, my sister and my parents and I.” Now her parents even go to Disney World without her.
Zegler stated that while her parents may not don matching sweatshirts, her dad did make a bold investment in Mickey Mouse ears. “Just imagine this bald man that looks like Stanley Tucci with a Santa hat that has Mickey ears on it,” Zegler jokingly said. Then, Kimmel added that he’s imagining her dad wearing an “Our Daughter is Snow White” t-shirt.
Growing up, Zegler was the ultimate Disney kid, dressing up as beloved characters long before she ever dreamed of becoming one on the big screen. With such a deep connection to Disney, Zegler’s excitement for the role is undeniable. She isn’t just playing Snow White—she’s fulfilling a childhood dream.
The reason fans hate Rachel Zegler as Snow White and the Disney controversy
Despite her personal love for the character, Zegler’s casting has been a fire of controversy. Some critics argue that Disney is unnecessarily altering a classic European fairy tale, while others took issue with Zegler’s own comments about the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
At the 2022 D23 Expo, Zegler didn’t hold back her thoughts on the 1937 animated film. “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,” she said. “I was scared of the original version. I think I watched it once and never picked it up again.”
While some fans applauded the update, others saw her comments as dismissive of the beloved classic. Even David Hale Hand, the son of the original film’s supervising director, criticized Disney’s approach, calling the remake unnecessarily “woke.” Disney has even decided to skip traditional red-carpet interviews at the film’s Hollywood premiere on March 21, seemingly avoiding more controversy in the press.
But no matter where fans land on the debate, one thing is clear: Snow White is already one of the most talked-about films of the year, and even getting positive reviews. Whether Zegler’s love for Disney will win over skeptics remains to be seen, but her passion for the role is undeniable.
Snow White will run in theatres on March 21, 2025.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
