Why Do People Hate Rachel Zegler — Is It Evil Queen-Worthy Jealousy or Something Else?
"I was reading these horrible things people were saying," Rachel admitted.
Published Aug. 21 2024, 3:29 p.m. ET
West Side Story and Snow White star Rachel Zegler has accomplished a lot in her 23 years of life. And yet, somehow the actress has found herself as the subject of some seriously strong negative feelings.
Why do people hate Rachel Zegler exactly? Is it because she was plucked out of obscurity to star in the remake of a classic movie musical starring Rita Moreno? Or because she was cast in the lead role of a Disney movie — or miscast as some fans believe? Read on to find out why Rachel turns people off.
So, why do people hate Rachel Zegler?
As Mamamia reports, Rachel was only 16 years old when the iconic film director Steven Spielberg cast her as Maria in his remake of West Side Story.
Before that role, the New Jersey native was an unknown, aside from her viral cover of "Shallow" on YouTube, with her first credit on IMDb in fact being that Golden Globe-winning turn in the big-budget film.
Maybe jealousy is at the root of Rachel Zegler hatred.
She actually commented on the onslaught of nastiness that ensued following her initial success in Tinseltown.
“There was a huge imposter syndrome shadow that loomed over me,” she told The Hollywood Reporter in 2022. “I was reading these horrible things people were saying, like, ‘What kind of dirt does she have on whoever holds the puppet strings in Hollywood? Because that has to be the only reason she’s booked gigs while waiting for this movie to come out.’ As much as it’s bulls--t to read, it takes a toll.”
The hatred of Rachel Zegler only got more intense when she was cast in 'Snow White.'
Rachel's ethnicity became a talking point for fans who felt she was not the right choice to play the classic Disney princess, Snow White. The star is half Colombian and half Polish, and to many, couldn't be more perfect for the part.
After a slew of racist backlash, she took to social media to defend herself, saying she was "extremely appreciative of the love" she felt from defenders online.
"But please don’t tag me in the nonsensical discourse about my casting," the star continued. "I really, truly do not want to see it."
Rachel then shared several photos of herself as a child dressed in princess costumes, and said, "I hope every child knows they can be a princess no matter what."
Meanwhile, Rachel seemed to anger even more fans when she shared her take on the original film's story. “There’s a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her,” the actress opined.
She went on to explain that the new film would follow the character's “inner journey” to “find her true self.”
The new Disney princess also shared her thoughts with Entertainment Weekly on the animated movie, saying it is "extremely dated when it comes to the idea of women being in roles of power and what a woman is fit for in the world."
In the reimagining of the film, "the fairest of them all" is about "who is the most just," and who would make the best leader, according to Rachel.
Fans had thoughts of course on her take on the movie, with one commenting on YouTube, "All Rachel wants to talk about is how awful the old one is and how much she hated it."
Another commenter shared their opinion and explained a lot of the hatred directed toward Rachel: "Snow White was such a beautiful, groundbreaking movie for its time and propelled Disney to what it is today … pretty shameful for some arrogant, entitled child to talk so poorly about a movie that gave her the opportunity to be in the role she’s in today."
