Breaking: Rachel Zegler Reveals ‘Snow White’ Movie Shakes Up Princess’ Origin Story!

In 2021, Disney’s announcement of Rachel Zegler as the lead in their “Snow White” remake saw some audience members threatening to boycott the movie due to its “woke” casting choices. These critics felt a Colombian actress was not suited to portray a princess traditionally described as having “skin as white as snow.”

The production team, however, decided to look at this from a different angle.

Zegler, in an interview with Variety published Wednesday, explained that they chose to refer to a different version of “Snow White,” one where she survived a snowstorm as an infant.

“The king and queen named her Snow White to symbolize her tenacity and grit,” she said. And the 23-year-old actress has indeed shown resilience in the face of the criticism she’s faced since taking on the role.

Shortly after Disney’s casting news, Zegler appeared to respond to those opposed to a Latina Snow White. In a since-deleted post, she wrote, “yes I am Snow White, no I am not lightening my skin for the role.”

The debate around Zegler’s casting has continued, particularly after a series of 2022 red-carpet interviews where the “West Side Story” actress shared that her portrayal of the iconic princess would not revolve around longing for a man. She also highlighted several outdated aspects of the 1937 film, including the prince’s stalker-like behavior towards Snow White.

Critics interpreted Zegler’s remarks as a lack of respect for the animated classic, further evidence, they claimed, that she was not fit for the role.

“I was disappointed that my comments were misconstrued in that way because I truly believe women are capable of anything, and everything,” Zegler told Variety. “The romance is a crucial part of the story. Many people were under the impression that we were eliminating that aspect – but that was never the case; it just wasn’t the focus of our discussion that day.”

Last year, criticisms re-emerged when the Daily Mail published unofficial set photos. The images showed a stand-in for Zegler alongside a diverse group of woodland creatures – a departure from the original “Seven Dwarfs” that some saw as an attempt at political correctness. This came after Emmy-winning actor Peter Dinklage criticized Disney’s hypocritical stance of proudly casting a Latina actress as Snow White while perpetuating a “backward” narrative that caricatured dwarf people.

The photos ignited further social media criticism surrounding the diverse casting choices, including Zegler’s, and deviation from the original storyline.

Zegler expressed gratitude to her supporters and asked not to be mentioned in any more of the “senseless debate,” stating on social media, “I genuinely do not wish to see it.”

She also shared childhood photos of herself dressed as Snow White, writing, “I hope every child realizes they can be a princess no matter what.”

Support for the Golden Globe nominee has come not only from her fans but also from fellow Disney princesses like Halle Bailey, who faced similar criticism for her role as a locs-wearing Ariel in the 2023 “The Little Mermaid” remake.

“we love you so much… you’re the perfect princess,” Bailey wrote to Zegler last year on X.

When “The Little Mermaid” premiered in May 2023, Bailey shared a message for young girls watching: “I hope they realize they are deserving and belong in these spaces. I hope they see themselves in me on screen. I’m just grateful to be here.”

R&B icon Brandy, who portrayed Cinderella in 1997, shared Bailey’s sentiment in an email to Variety. She encouraged Zegler to keep her real audience in mind.

“You’re not taking on this role to please the critics,” Brandy said. “You’re doing this for every little Colombian girl who has yet to see someone like her as a Disney princess. You’re doing this for the child you once were, who lacked representation of her Colombian heritage. You’re showing her that everything is possible for someone who looks like her, and that’s the most important job in the world.”

“That was Cinderella in my household,” Zegler told Variety, referring to Brandy’s portrayal of the character.

“A child’s mind is a powerful thing,” she continued, “they can understand that ‘this is Cinderella.’ But so is the blonde, blue-eyed, blue dress-wearing Cinderella from the 1950s cartoon. And Hilary Duff was Cinderella in ‘A Cinderella Story.'”

“I was able to grasp these concepts at a young age,” she shared, and she’s confident her audience will do the same.

“Snow White” will hit theaters next March, following a year’s delay due to the 2023 actors’ strike.