Rachel Zegler has traded a poison apple for an acoustic guitar, delivering a live rendition of a Joni Mitchell song that has attracted a surprising reaction among fans. 

The Snow White star took to her social media this week to share a video of herself singing “A Case of You”, a track lifted from Mitchell’s 1971 album, Blue. The actress appeared to have captured the video from her home, and while dwarfs were suspiciously absent, Zegler was greeted by her dog towards the end of the clip. “You like Joni Mitchell?” she asked the dog, likely forgetting that animals can only talk in Disney live-action remakes. 

Zegler captioned the post: “local woman crashes out on joni mitchell,” though her vocals sound less like crashing and more like ascending. While we shouldn’t have expected anything less from the star of Snow White and West Side Story, Zegler’s performance was mesmeric, and was commended as such by legions of followers. “Her voice really brings a whole new depth to this song, so delicate and full of emotion,” one fan wrote. 

Others said the performance made “my ears ascend,” or noted that they “needed this kind of softness today” (me too, girl). For those who’ve been keeping up to date with Zegler, this kind of positive (yet entirely welcome) reception might seem surprising. Between a years-long, racist troll campaign over her casting in Snow White to rumors of tension with her co-star Gal Gadot and news of a scaled-back premiere due to all the controversy, the actress has weathered quite the storm in of public scrutiny. 

her voice really brings a whole new depth to this song, so delicate and full of emotion

— ʚɞ (@holigirll) April 8, 2025

It has culminated in Zegler responding to all the critics on multiple occasions, though not enough to compensate at the box office. The live-action remake of Snow White, which landed in cinemas last month, is expected to have lost $155 million, which surely would’ve been enough to refurbish that dingy cottage the dwarfs call home. The live-action remake wasn’t exactly a hit with critics, either, but the avalanche of bad press was only added to this month, when Zegler caught heat after being named on the guest list for this year’s Met Gala. 

She will attend the star-studded ceremony — which takes place early next month — alongside the likes of Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter and Lady Gaga, meaning they are contractually obligated by the universe to deliver some kind of red carpet medley. Since Zegler can’t breath without enraging the haters, her invite to the ceremony was predictably met with resistance, but she’ll be laughing all the way up those perilous-looking Met Gala steps.

Coincidentally, Zegler isn’t the only celebrity to have recently shown love for Mitchell. Last month, fellow movie musical star Amanda Seyfried stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to deliver an impromptu rendition of the musician’s 1971 track “California”, while discussing the process behind her roles in Mamma Mia! and Les Misérables.

For the record, this writer’s favorite Mitchell song is “Both Sides Now”, not least because it led him into an emotional tizzy when it played as Emma Thompson discovered her husband’s infidelity in Love Actually. I also cried in Snow White, but mostly because of Gadot’s acting.

Negative backlash directed towards the recent live-action Snow White remake has cast doubt over whether Rachel Zegler has a future in Hollywood. While young people have rallied behind her, the industry is not too forgiving of stars who refuse to toe the line so to speak. 

So with all that drama it wasn’t exactly a given that she would be invited to attend the annual Met Gala. The star is seen as controversial after her comments about Palestine somewhat derailed the marketing campaign for her latest film. Many believed that Zegler sabotaged Snow White resulting in an incredibly poor performance at the box office. However, others blamed her co-star, Gal Gadot.

Did Rachel Zegler get invited to the Met Gala?

Despite all the controversy surrounding her, Zegler nabbed an invite from Anna Wintour to attend the Met Gala which is set to be held on May 5. The guest list is often full of A-listers and Wintour personally approves the list each year, so getting an invite is no easy feat. 

Other stars expected to make an appearance this year include Doechii, Shakira, Lizzo, Colman Domingo and more. Gal Gadot is also expected to attend her first Met Gala event since 2019. There have been rumors circulating that Zegler and Gadot had an on-set feud while filming Snow White although it has not been confirmed.

Zegler might not be going

Despite receiving the prestigious invite, it looks like the star may not be attending anyway. According to an article from the Daily Mail, the young actress won’t be available next month as she’ll be in London rehearsing for the West End production of Evita. Not everyone believed that Zegler had turned down the invitation, with some theorizing that something else was afoot. What exactly was afoot? Who knows?

The actress has attended the Gala twice before, in 2021 and 2024, but after everything that’s happened in the past year it makes sense she’d reconsider going. She has been pretty quiet on social media in the wake of the Snow White release and it seems she’s going to continue keeping her head down for now.

The Snow White drama

Rachel Zegler has faced a great deal of criticism this past year. First of all there was an outcry over her casting. Then people got upset with her after she mentioned the original film was outdated. Then her “free Palestine” tweet from last year really tipped things over the edge. Throughout it all she’s stuck to her guns, even standing up to producer Marc Platt. It makes sense that she would probably not be interested in attending such a high profile A-list event after her recent experience.

The underwhelming performance of Snow White at the box office surprised nobody — even Disney probably expected it. A lot of the blame was placed squarely on the shoulders of Rachel Zegler whose controversial statement regarding Palestine led to backlash and a strained relationships behind the scenes.

There were a lot of factors that led to Snow White being DOA at the box office, but the incident in question stems from the D23 fan event from last year — this was when the first official trailer for the movie was unveiled. Zegler took to X to thank fans for the positive response to the trailer before adding a politically charged message at the end, “and always , free Palestine.”

Disney executives were shocked

This week, a piece from Variety was published covering the ensuing chaos and fallout. According to the article, Zegler’s post quickly blew up to 8.8 million views and the studio went into crisis mode. The film’s producer, Marc Platt, flew out to speak with Zegler directly and try to convince her to take the post down. 

The actress stood her ground for which fans have commended her. However, the post upset people both in and outside the studio — as one insider told Variety, “She didn’t understand the repercussions of her actions as far as what that meant for the film, for Gal, for anyone.” Does that put Zegler in the wrong for making the statement? Some people think so.

Jonah Platt responds

This week, Marc Platt’s eldest (and lesser talented) son, Jonah Platt, took to social media to put Rachel Zegler on blast for her decision. In his explosive rant he defended his father, who some had called out for his “creepy” decision to fly out and confront Zegler face to face. He also accused the actress of being “immature” and a “narcissist” that put the jobs of “tens of thousands of people” who worked on the film at risk.

Platt’s post very much points the finger at Zegler for the film’s commercial failure. However, reviews of the film tell a very different story, with most critics defending the star. In all honesty it seems like people are just losing interest in Disney’s live-action remakes — as a fan of Disney I can’t say I disagree, these constant remakes are tiring, especially when the originals are always far superior. 

Platt gets dragged online

Thankfully, most of the internet seems to disagree with Jonah Platt’s take with many mocking the 38-year-old. One person joked, “”had to leave his family to fly across the country” the family in question: ben platt (age 31) and jonah platt (age 38).” 

Another wrote, “Jonah Platt is the embodiment of the kind of toxic entitlement and gross ignorance that only a nepo baby could pull off.” 

It’s hard to disagree with these comments considering how out of touch Platt’s rant came across. Maybe it’s because he’s a nepo-baby that’s never known hardship that makes him genuinely believe the financial success of a Disney film is somehow more important than an actual, real-life conflict happening right now.

We wonder whether Rachel Zegler would have ever accepted the lead in Snow White if she’d known what was coming. From the moment it was announced, racists began bleating about her ethnicity, there was a messy controversy over the Seven Dwarfs (quickly excised from the title), drama involving Zegler’s co-star Gal Gadot, and, finally, the end product being a critical and financial catastrophe.

Now a new Variety article entitled “Inside Disney’s ‘Snow White’ Fiasco‘ appears to lay some of the blame for Snow White‘s underwhelming box office directly on Zegler. As per the piece, Zegler made an X post thanking fans for the positive reception to the first trailer, later adding to that thread to say “and always , free palestine.”

Disney went ballistic when they heard about the post, with the film’s producer Mark Platt hopping on a transcontinental flight to New York to plead with her to take it down. I suspect most stars, when faced with the powerful and influential producer of the blockbuster movie you’re starring in, would cave. But Zegler is made of sterner stuff, “stood her ground”, and refused to compromise on her principles.

If this piece’s goal was to place the blame for Snow White‘s box office on Zegler, it’s catastrophically backfired. Many have united firmly behind Zegler, impressed that she’s willing to put her career on the line to stand up for what’s right:

Disney trying to make Rachel Zegler sound entitled meanwhile the woman sounds awesome.

A producer flew all the way to tell her to delete a tweet and woman was like "Nope" https://t.co/SyqDpPv0Oh pic.twitter.com/pKz3m0G13V

— Niklander (@Niklander3) March 25, 2025

they are basically blaming a 23 year old who said free palestine as a reason for this film not doing well and having issues on its press tour. absolutely crazy… also google julie platt, marc platts wife. rachel zegler is astoundingly principled, my god https://t.co/0RfpU6hpFX

— sarah hagi (@KindaHagi) March 25, 2025

Hats off to Zegler:

me liking and retweeting every positive tweet about how cool rachel zegler is after everyone found out marc platt flew out to tell her to delete her pro palestine tweet and she looked him in the eye and said no pic.twitter.com/cLZWDHJCZe

— (@newdiaryentry) March 26, 2025

I can only in the applause:

“Marc Platt flew to New York to speak directly with her. But Zegler stood her ground, and the post remained.” https://t.co/EYCxNmayvy pic.twitter.com/25Jjjt2swX

— trizz (@meeksfilm) March 25, 2025

That said, tweaking Mickey Mouse’s nose probably doesn’t bode well for Zegler being cast in any future Disney movies, but that arguably makes her firm stance all the more powerful:

Rachel Zegler’s career is in jeopardy and her not having any future projects lined up is a very telling sign. https://t.co/SsxnRp3tCc pic.twitter.com/ssvjSFCDFd

— The Moonlight Warrior (@BlackMajikMan90) March 25, 2025

Thankfully, it seems that the world of theater has her back and – frankly – I just don’t think major studios deserve her:

“she ruined her career”
“rachel zegler flopped”
“she will never work again”
“wishing on her downfall”
“she’s a failure”

meanwhile this was less than two months ago and she’s about to be the highest paid actress on the west end pic.twitter.com/8corozElO0

— amanda (@deardevotedlrh) March 25, 2025

It is perhaps notable that Zegler’s co-star Gal Gadot has made repeated statements on the Israel/Palestine conflict with no attempts at censorship from Disney. The Variety piece even half-heartedly tries to blame Zegler for Gadot receiving death threats, with an insider saying “[Zegler] didn’t understand the repercussions of her actions as far as what that meant for the film, for Gal, for anyone.” Huh, it’s almost like the ‘actually literally happening right now’ horrors of reality should be prioritized over the latest live-action Disney slop.

The build up to Disney’s live-action Snow White remake has been anything but smooth sailing. From the harsh online discourse surrounding its lead actress to the controversial choice to use CGI to depict the seven dwarfs – the movie was cursed from the beginning.

Now rumors are circulating that Rachel Zegler and her co-star, Gal Gadot, had some kind of feud on the set of the film. While it’s important to note that, at this stage, nothing has been confirmed, there is certainly evidence to suggest that the two actresses had some kind of falling out while filming.

Why do people think Rachel Zeglar and Gal Gadot are feuding?

Zegler took to Instagram on March 21st to celebrate the release of the movie. In her post, she shared pictures of the cast and crew along with a heartfelt caption describing just how much the cast and crew meant to her, “this photo dump doesn’t even dig into the fun, the magic, and the love that was shared throughout this process.”

The photo dump showed a total of 19 photos with other cast and even some of the crew working behind the camera – it’s an interesting glimpse into what the vibes behind the scenes were like. However, one very notable absence from Zegler’s post has got people talking.

Gal Gadot does not make an appearance at all

Across all the photos Zegler’s main co-star does not make a single appearance, nor does she get a special shoutout in the caption. Fan’s noticed the absence almost straight away with one person commenting, “Well, you forgot *Gal Gadot* the real reason people will come watch this movie.” 

The actress has since posted more photo dumps but Gadot is still missing from all of them. Considering she is her co-star you’d expect some acknowledgement from Zegler. So is there more to this than meets the eye?

Prior to Zegler’s posts to Instagram, reports had been circulating online that speculated that the two actresses’ relationship was “strained.” Speaking to PEOPLE, sources claimed that the pair had “nothing in common” and that, “their political views differ,” which added to the tension. Gadot is Israeli-born and served in the IDF, while Zegler has voiced for Palestine.

The pair have promoted the film together

However, sources familiar with the situation have claimed that it isn’t like a “stay away from me” situation. They presented the Oscars together on March 2nd and both attended the Los Angeles premier of the film on March 15th. 

Another source told PEOPLE that “[Gal] was fine with Rachel but they are not friends.” Whether or not a feud actually broke out between the two is difficult to determine, but it seems more likely that Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot are just not that friendly with each other – you can’t get on with everybody you work with right?

The release of Disney’s live-action Snow White was surrounded by controversy involving its star, Rachel Zegler. Many rumors spread alleging Zegler was fired from the project, stirred up by her outspoken political views and a supposed feud with co-star Gal Gadot. It’s hard not to believe the rumors with all the backlash toward Zegler, but the truth is simpler than it seems.

Zegler’s public comments caught a lot of attention. She openly criticized the original 1937 animated Snow White, pointing out its outdated depiction of women and the “guy who literally stalks her,” as the prince chasing Snow White. She later reversed and reiterated her comments in interviews, as reported by the New York Post, but the damage was done by then.

I love older Disney movies, and my personal favorite film from the studio is Beauty and the Beast. However, it is hard to want to watch a remake knowing the lead bouthed the original, even after it gets backtracked in future interviews. Unfortunately, it seems that the controversies only got worse from there.

Has Rachel Zegler been fired from Disney?

Rachel Zegler has not been fired, but keep in mind that these rumors shouldn’t be taken seriously anyway. It is nearly impossible to fire Zegler because the movie is already out and paid for. Right now, the part of Zegler’s contract that needs to be fulfilled is press interviews and appearances. Unless Zegler starts bouthing the movie or saying something too outrageous, Disney only benefits from having her promote the movie — she’s already been paid to do so.

If Disney were to pull Zegler out, it would only confirm that the movie did not go Disney’s way, which would hurt it. Snow White is an important movie to the studio because it represents Walt’s first huge achievement, and Disney wouldn’t dare harm it purposefully. However, based on everything that’s happened, Zegler likely won’t be working with Disney again anytime soon.

Some people think Zegler has been fired because of the many controversies over what she’s said. She expressed her for Palestinian liberation on social media, which likely clashed with her co-star Gal Gadot’s stance as a strong er of Israel and a former member of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

The significant difference in their political views reportedly created tension between the two actresses. There were reports of a difficult relationship, culminating in a reportedly awkward moment at the Academy Awards when they presented an award together but did not interact warmly. This rumored feud between Zegler and Gadot, reported by Style Caster, is thought to have negatively impacted the film’s marketing efforts.

Within Disney, there were concerns about Zegler’s outspoken behavior. Sources told Page Six that Disney executives reached out to Zegler and her management, asking her to tone down her public comments. “Disney’s lead actress is out of control. They don’t know what to do,” an insider told the outlet.

According to the source, “She’s an outspoken 20-something and Disney chiefs have called her directly and asked her to tone down her posts. They’ve called her management, but she won’t listen.” These requests reportedly did not work, leading Disney to minimize the film’s promotional efforts. The press tour and premiere were much smaller than expected, which further fueled speculation about a divide between Zegler and the studio.

While this could all be overlooked if Snow White did well, this isn’t the case. According to Forbes, Snow White has gotten around $43 million in the opening weekend at the box office. The weekend numbers tend to have a lot to do with how much money a movie makes, and Snow White needs to bring in 209 million to break even with production costs.

Unfortunately, it seems like the issues behind the scenes have affected the movie, and getting 44% on Rotten Tomatoes didn’t help either. Zegler hasn’t been fired, but it is doubtful if she will be rehired for any future movies under the studio.

It’s safe to say that Disney’s live-action Snow White has quickly become the studio’s most talked-about adaptation to date, and not in a good way.

First the Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot-led vehicle was in the spotlight over Zegler’s casting, which prompted onlookers to bemoan a Latina actress playing a character with skin “as white as snow.” Then Peter Dinklage spoke out against the studio’s decision to reproduce the original film’s “backwards” dwarf subplot, leading Disney to utilize CGI dwarves instead of live actors. Then Zegler commented on how “dated” the original animated film is, prompting the original director’s son to verbally revolt. And let’s not forget Gadot’s pro-Israel clap-back, significant release delays, MAGAs getting butt-hurt over Zegler’s anti-Trump views, and all those Lord Farquaad comparisons.

It’s been a wild ride, to say the least, and not the kind Disney wants to be known for. To make matters worse, Snow White has finally been released in theaters and has received, shall we say, a lackluster reception. As of this writing, it boasts a lousy 44% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and an unimpressive 74% audience score. This is hardly surprising, given the film’s unfortunate journey, but sadly for Snow, these are not the only embarrassing metrics in its arsenal.

Does Snow White really only have a 2 on IMDb?

For movie buffs who live on the Internet Movie Database ⏤ largely known as IMDb ⏤ a movie receiving six or seven stars out of 10 is nothing new. Some of the greatest films ever made ⏤ Titanic, The Ten Commandments, and The Devil Wears Prada among them ⏤ don’t even boast an eight! But to receive a score lower than a five is actively dire, not to mention rare. (Unless you’re, you know, Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas or Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2).

As of this writing, Snow White has not only ed the Under-Five Club, but the actual worst list of all. That list is IMDb’s Lowest Rated Movies, where Snow is currently in the #11 spot. #11! As in the 11th worst-reviewed movie of all time! This means that, following nearly 63K reviews, it has indeed received a catastrophic 2/10. I need you to understand that John Travolta’s Battlefield Earth has a higher score. We’re talking about a 2.5 vs. a 2 here, but still, that is an ouch if I’ve ever seen one. And Battlefield Earth has been called “ugly, campy, and poorly acted” as well as a “stunningly misguided, aggressively bad sci-fi folly.” Ow.

Now, look ⏤ this score could have easily come from anti-woke viewers taking to the app in an attempt to destroy Zegler’s moment in the sun. It’s no secret that she has more haters than many would argue she deserves. In fact, onlookers are wasting no time pointing out how poorly the film has been received. Many have resurrected a video Zegler previously posted in direct response to her haters to underline Snow’s floppage.

Some are loudly encouraging Zegler to “keep her politics to herself.”

Many are calling Snow “one of the biggest flops in history,” underlining Zegler’s criticism of the original animated film as a major pre-release mistake.

With an alleged budget of over $250 million, Snow White only making “a sleepy 43 million” in its opening weekend is….grim.

Eek, even promotional posters for the film are allegedly already being pulled down.

Does everyone hate Snow White?

All of that without even mentioning the (unnecessary) input from Piers Morgan, or fans’ general disappointment with the look and style of the film after the release of the trailer. All the hullabaloo got so intense, in fact, that it was reported last week that Disney had scaled-down the film’s premiere to minimize any further negative press. It remains to be seen whether all the behind-the-scenes drama will completely engulf the film, with Snow White set to hit cinemas on March 21, 2025.  

As the live-action Snow White edges closer to its premiere, the shadow of controversy still lingers. It’s been some time since backlash erupted after the film’s teaser was released, and it seems Disney is now opting for a scaled-back debut.

Disney is known for its grand red carpet premieres, especially for movies like Snow White — which has a budget of a whopping $270 million. But this time, the fanfare will be watered down. According to reports, the Hollywood debut will be a much smaller affair, a surprising move for such a high-profile release.

The premiere of Snow White will take place on March 15 at El Capitan Theatre. However, it won’t spawn the typical media circus usually reserved for Disney premieres. That’s because, according to reports, the event will be covered by only a select group of photographers and crew. Meanwhile, in the U.K., an extravagant premiere has reportedly been scrapped, with smaller press events taking place instead. Many are speculating that the decision to tone down the film’s release was because of the back-to-back criticisms the film — and its star — have received.

The backlash began when Rachel Zegler — who is of Colombian descent — was cast as Snow White, a character described as having “skin as white as snow.” The controversy deepened when Zegler’s “woke” comments about updating the movie upset fans who were hoping for a live-action adaptation that was faithful to the beloved 1937 original. She described the prince as a stalker and called the situation “weird.” In a separate interview, she said “it’s no longer 1937″ and that Snow White was “not going to be saved by the prince, and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be.”

Even the original Snow White’s director’s son weighed on the controversy and said he disagreed with the “different concept,” adding that Disney was “making up new woke things” that were disrespectful to his father and Walt Disney. “I think Walt and he would be turning in their graves,” he added.

Politics didn’t escape the controversy either. Zegler has been outspoken on social media of her for Palestine, while her co-star Gal Gadot — who portrays the Evil Queen in the movie— is Israeli and has expressed for her native country. The opposing views of the two lead actresses on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict further intensified the film’s controversy. While the two stars have since appeared together as presenters at the Academy Awards, the public noticed their dynamic, with a body language expert saying there seemed to be a divide between them. 

Amid the speculations about the less grand movie premiere, a source told TheWrap that a smaller event was always what was intended for Snow White. The premiere will be attended by about 1,000 guests, with stars of the movie — including Zegler and Gadot — expected to attend, as well as other celebrities. With early projections suggesting a box office flop, it’s uncertain how much the surrounding controversies will influence moviegoers. The true verdict will come when the film hits theaters on March 21.

Rachel Zegler is trying to calm the waters surrounding the live-action Snow White film after her previous comments landed her in the crosshairs of angry Disney fans. Speaking to Vogue Mexico, the actress diplomatically stated that she “[interprets] people’s sentiments towards this film as ion.”

The target on Zegler’s back was put there the minute she was cast as Snow White. Although she considers herself a white Latina, the more conservative audiences were hoping for a typical Caucasian beauty to take on the role, attributing Disney’s decision to its supposed “woke agenda.”

So, when Zegler called the themes in the 1937 film “dated,” the stage had already been set for anything she said to be blown out of proportion. “She’s not going to be saved by the prince [in the new movie], and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love,” she told Variety in 2022. Further comments about how Snow White’s love interest in the original film acted like a stalker and how she had only watched the film once as a child added more fuel to the fire. Soon she became the target of an online “anti-woke” hate campaign in the molds of what happened to Marvel actress Brie Larson.

Suddenly, everyone had a very personal connection to the Snow White film from the ’30s, taking Zegler’s words as an attack on their childhood and sense of being. How dare she and Disney critically examine the original and try to adapt it to more modern perspectives?!

In fairness, I agree that both Zegler and the Mouse House’s talents would be better employed making original fairytales that could rival the cultural significance of the original Snow White. However, if they’re so adamant about remaking every classic, they might as well use the new versions to inspire this generation of little girls to want more out of life than a Prince Charming.

Still, with a couple of years worth of hindsight and with the film about to hit theaters this March, Zegler is trying to rebuild those bridges. “What an honor to be a part of something that people feel so ionately about,” she continued in the recent interview, conceding, “We’re not always going to agree with everyone who surrounds us and all we can do is our best.”

With how much the film cost after expensive reshoots (Variety reported a $240 million budget), it’s been speculated that Disney could be pressuring Zegler to tone down her outspoken nature to not alienate any more possible ticket buyers. It’s noticeable in these distinctly conciliatory comments and in the public apology she issued after sharing a ionate anti-Donald Trump message to her socials in the aftermath of the November elections. “I firmly believe that everyone has the right to their opinion, even when it differs from my own. I am committed to contributing positively towards a better tomorrow,” she stated.

Another point of possible friction is Zegler’s vocal of a free Palestine, especially considering her Snow White co-star, Gal Gadot, is an Israeli with a military past. The controversy-riddled film, which is directed by The Amazing Spider-Man‘s Marc Webb and written by Greta Gerwig and Erin Cressida Wilson, comes out on Mar. 21.

Snow White has become a lightning rod for modern cultural debates. From the moment it was announced, the film faced backlash on nearly every front. Initially, critics took issue with it being yet another unnecessary live-action adaptation. Then, the controversy shifted to the casting choices — and that’s when the floodgates opened.

At first, it seemed as though casting Rachel Zegler was considered a grave offense by some. It was genuinely baffling to see how unsettled certain people were over a 23-year-old Latina-American actress being chosen to play Snow White — backlash that felt entirely uncalled for. Now, however, calls to shelve the movie have come forward, and interestingly, these aren’t due to Zegler or the live-action format but because of Gal Gadot — and here’s why.

Why do people hate Gal Gadot?

Gal Gadot is currently facing backlash due to her affiliation with her home country, Israel, and her vocal for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). Given the current tense geopolitical atmosphere in the Middle East, many fans are opposing the promotion and marketing of a film starring a former Israeli soldier, using social media as a platform to voice their concerns — especially fans who have been wanting to Zegler all this time.

On the one hand, the fans want to stand behind the rising Hollywood actress, especially after the hateful comments she’s endured since being cast as Snow White. On the other hand, they hesitate to a project that cast Gadot. This is a complicated dilemma, where choosing to separate the art from the artist becomes increasingly challenging, especially when the artist’s personal beliefs and actions clash with one’s own values.

This sentiment intensified today with the release of the film’s trailer, which gave fans their first real glimpse of the Snow White live-action adaptation after months of teasers. The trailer showed Zegler as Snow White, Gadot as the Evil Queen, and Andrew Burnap as Prince Jonathan. However, soon after its release, s on X reignited the controversy, and the excitement for the trailer was quickly overshadowed by fans’ unease with Gadot’s role.

Social media quickly became a space for this internal conflict to play out, with one encapsulating the struggle perfectly, tweeting: “Wanting to Rachel Zegler but wanting Gal Gadot to fail.” Another shared: “My excitement would be a lot higher if the Evil Queen wasn’t played by f****** Gal Gadot.”

For those who may not know, Gal Gadot was born in Petah Tikva, Israel, and grew up in Rosh HaAyin, another city in Israel. The 39-year-old actress once told the Sydney Morning Herald that she was raised in a “very Jewish, Israeli family environment.” Given the current state of affairs in the Middle East, her background and outspoken for Israel has not sat well with fans advocating for Palestine amid the ongoing conflict, which traces its roots back to the late 19th century.

On top of that, Gadot served as a combat fitness instructor in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during her mandatory two-year military service. While conscription is obligatory in Israel, Gadot has been vocal in her of the IDF and Israel for years. Her past, combined with her frequently criticized acting abilities, suggests that this film may fall short of the commercial success Hollywood had anticipated.

The first full-length trailer for Disney’s live-action Snow White remake was released on Dec. 3, 2024, and it’s not exactly inspiring people to buy tickets. The reimagining of the animated classic stars Rachel Zegler as the titular princess and Gal Gadot as her Evil Queen stepmother. It will be released in theaters on Mar. 21, 2025.

Among the reactions are “damn, I’m rooting for the apple,” a comment saying, “Can’t wait to NOT watch this,” and an eloquently put reply that reads, “I can’t wait to see it flops in the box office.” It has some advocates (who are defending it with their lives), but they’re outnumbered.

To play devil’s advocate, the delayed Snow White doesn’t look much worse than the other Disney live-action remakes. Zegler is a talented singer, the CGI has more of a child-like wonder than the usual realistic-to-a-fault slant, and the production design is suitably lavish. Still, it was never going to be an easy ride. Aside from the reasonable concerns over the movie’s quality, plenty of people harbor a bias against its lead.

So you Mary Sue'd Snow White?

— NCK (@NathanCiano) December 3, 2024

Anyone who keeps up with the “random hated woman of the month” trends online will know Zegler has ended up with a specific target on her back — the sort Marvel‘s Brie Larson and Star Wars‘ Daisy Ridley can relate to. Her worst crime? Associated with wokeness.

But we can’t blame everything on right-wing YouTube channels that love slapping an unflattering photo of a woman on their thumbnail and calling it “analysis.” Unfortunately, people’s problems with the remake range from IP fatigue to the now-common complaint it lacks a suitably saturated color grade.

This looks so bad. I can’t get ed the seven dwarves. CGI sucks.

— Court (@TEvermore93) December 3, 2024

The CGI is also, unsurprisingly, under fire. One of the reasons (aside from cash money) Disney first embarked on this live-action remake-athon was presumably that the Mouse has the modern technology to bring these ideas to life. After all, many classic films used practical effects or the animation medium because it was what was available and affordable at that time, not necessarily because that was the interpretation of their dreams.

Now, the sky is the limit. Here’s the thing, though: limitations breed innovation. Snow White and the other golden age animated films of its ilk are gorgeous. The 2D animation holds up beautifully, and if something’s not broken, people may not like you trying to fix it. A lesson learned from the relatively low-budget success of Disney Plus’ Agatha All Along is that sometimes the modern bells and whistles are best left out.

That being said, there’s no solid argument for the idea CGI is a monolithic evil. Good VFX can make a film soar, especially when paired with immersive production design, set dressing, and costuming; however, people are clearly tired of the uncanny valley animals and fantasy characters in these remakes. Mufasa: The Lion King is facing the same blowback.

Snow White is unlikely to do Zegler or any other people behind the scenes favors as it fails to pick up momentum and follows the coattails of numerous mediocre remakes. It may still do well at the box office, though. An inspired retelling can still make bank — just ask The Lion King.