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Controversy has surrounded Snow White remake star Rachel Zegler, 23, as she promotes the long-delayed Disney film, despite warnings from branding experts that her actions could trigger a boycott.
The New Jersey native sparked outrage on X by commenting on her own post, saying “And always remember, free Palestine,” which some Israeli publications deemed an insult to her co-star Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen in the film.
The teaser trailer shows Zegler as the titular princess, alongside Gadot and CGI Seven Dwarfs, which have replaced the original dwarfs in an effort to make the storytelling more “woke” and “politically correct.”
Disney has tried to distance itself from hot button issues, but Zegler’s comments have sparked concern among fans and critics alike, with some accusing her of “gaslighting” and being a “fake feminist.”
The actress has faced backlash before for her negative comments about the original 1937 Snow White film, calling it “weird” and branding the Prince character a “stalker.” She has also vowed to make the remake more “progressive” and “empowering” for women.
Snow White remake star Rachel Zegler, 23, took to X two days after sharing a trailer sneak peak of the film and shared her political views even after facing backlash for past comments
Branding expert Carla Speight warned that Disney needs to be careful with how they have portrayed Snow White and what they allow their actors to say about it going forward.
“They simply cannot repeat the same mistakes and allow their actors to be so vocal in their own personal opinions during promotions,” Speight said.
PR expert Nick Ede agreed, saying that instead of “embracing her role” as Snow White, Zegler has “actively chosen to spoil the narrative.”
The $330 million Disney movie was scheduled to be released in March 2024, but it got delayed after executives had to have “crisis talks” in order to do some serious damage limitation following the negative response to Zegler’s stances.
The teaser trailer shows Zegler (left) as the titular princess, the controversial CGI Seven Dwarfs , and Israeli actress Gal Gadot, 39, (right) as the iconic Evil Queen
The film’s release has been delayed until March 2025, giving Disney time to reevaluate its strategy and mitigate any further controversy.
The original 1937 Snow White film was a massive hit for Disney, earning hundreds of millions of dollars across the globe. It was also the first full-length traditionally animated feature film, and Disney’s first animated feature.
The remake’s fate remains to be seen, but one thing is certain – it will be a test of Disney’s ability to navigate the complexities of modern political correctness and social media outrage.