Okay movie fans you know the new live-action Snow White movie with Rachel Zegler ? Yeah it's finally out but instead of fairytale endings it seems like there's been a whole lot of drama behind the scenes. Buckle up because we're diving into all the controversies surrounding this Disney flick from box office blues to social media storms and everything in between.
Box Office Blues and Backstage Friction: Snow White's Rough Start
So first things first the movie's box office numbers are not exactly magical. Snow White opened and only made about $43 million domestically in its first weekend. For a big Disney movie that is well... not great. But is that the whole story? Not even close.
A recent report spilled some tea about behind-the-scenes tension. Apparently one of Rachel Zegler's tweets caused some friction. The tweet was in support of Palestine and it was posted right alongside tweets promoting Snow White. Uh oh.
Word is producer Marc Platt himself hopped on a plane to New York to talk to Rachel about it. His son even jumped into the online discussion to defend his dad saying his dad had to "reprimand" Rachel for mixing politics with movie promotion. Apparently Disney got concerned because of the tweet.
Tweets Threats and Tensions: The Social Media Storm Around Snow White
Why the worry about a tweet? Well the article suggests a few reasons. First off Rachel's co-star Gal Gadot who plays the Evil Queen is Israeli. After Rachel's tweet Gal reportedly got a spike in death threats and Disney had to shell out for extra security for her and her family. Yikes that's intense.
Secondly some execs at Disney were apparently worried that Rachel's political views and other comments might turn away a chunk of the audience especially after the movie already had some production problems and costly reshoots. They were concerned she might be "signaling to half the potential audience...to stay home". It's worth noting that calls to boycott the movie because of Gal Gadot's support for Israel were not mentioned in this particular report though those exist too.
It is not just this one tweet though. Apparently Disney had already been a bit on edge with Rachel. Back in 2022 during awards season for West Side Story she had some social media moments that raised eyebrows. Then there were past interviews where Rachel seemed to criticize the original Snow White movie itself.
"Dated" and "Weird"? Rachel's Takes on the Original Snow White Sparked Debate
Remember those interviews where Rachel talked about the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs? Those went viral and not in a good way for some fans. She called the original love story "dated" and "weird" pointing out the Prince kind of "stalks" Snow White. She said the new movie is "really not about the love story at all" but about Snow White's "inner journey".
While some people thought her comments were fair others especially fans of the original cartoon were not happy. They felt like she was dissing a classic and wondered why she even took the role if she didn't like the original movie. Even the son of the guy who directed the animated Snow White reportedly said his dad and Walt Disney would be "turning in their graves" over Rachel's comments. Some think this negative buzz might have also hurt the box office numbers.
Racist Backlash and Online Hate: A Darker Side to the Controversy
But here is a crucial point the article also mentions something really important: racist backlash. Like Halle Bailey when she was cast as Ariel in The Little Mermaid Rachel Zegler faced a lot of hate online when she was cast as Snow White because she is a woman of color.
In a previous interview Rachel revealed the hate went beyond just mean comments online. She said people harassed her "for being brown. For having brown skin. For playing Snow White." She even said some people showed up at her apartment yelling at her in person. That is absolutely unacceptable and terrifying.
It is unclear if Disney provided extra security for Rachel like they did for Gal Gadot after these incidents of harassment but it's a really important part of the story that often gets overlooked. This racist hate likely played a bigger role in any negative buzz around the movie than just a tweet or some interview comments.
Disney's Damage Control and Zegler's Next Chapter
So what did Disney do? Well after the tweet drama they reportedly hired a "social media guru" to help Rachel vet her posts before the movie came out. It sounds like they were trying to control the narrative and avoid any more controversy. After all the negative press Disney supposedly "scaled back" the Hollywood premiere for Snow White making it less of a big splashy event.
Rachel herself hasn't directly commented on this latest article but she did remove Snow White from her Instagram bio. Maybe that means her promotional duties for the movie are done. Right now she seems to be focusing on her role in a West End production of Evita. And honestly who can blame her for wanting to move on?
Key Controversies Surrounding the New Snow White Movie:
- Box Office Performance: Disappointing opening weekend numbers.
- Rachel Zegler's "Free Palestine" Tweet: Disney's concern and producer intervention.
- Jonah Platt's Comments: Producer's son criticizing Zegler for "immature" actions.
- Gal Gadot's Death Threats: Increased security costs for Disney.
- Criticism of Original Snow White: Zegler's "dated" and "stalker prince" comments.
- Racist Backlash: Hate and harassment directed at Zegler for being a woman of color in the role.
- Disney's Response: Hiring a social media guru scaling back premiere.
- Dwarf Casting Controversy: Initial plans for "magical creatures" and later CGI dwarfs leading to criticism.
The Fairytale Isn't Always Happy: Hollywood Studios and Celebrity Social Media in the Spotlight
The whole Snow White situation raises some big questions about Hollywood and how studios handle stars who are politically outspoken especially on social media. It also highlights the unfortunate reality of racist hate and harassment that actors of color often face. It is a complicated messy situation and it is probably not the last time we will see a studio and a star clash over these kinds of issues. Maybe there are no fairytale endings in Hollywood just complicated real-world dramas playing out in the spotlight.