Disney’s live-action Snow White was a disaster for the studio, but Rachel Zegler is sticking up for the film. The project seemed to be met with controversy from the outset. From reshoots to pandemic-related delays, Snow White ballooned to become one of Disney’s most costly films. When it was finally released earlier this year, it was met with mixed reviews and a disappointing box office take of barely over $205 million worldwide.
Many cast blame on Zegler for one reason or another, whether it was because they believed she was miscast, her statements on the original film, or because they disagreed with her outspoken political opinions. The actress recently reflected on her experiences with Snow White while speaking with Helen Mirren for Glamour.
“I made lifelong friends on that job. That kind of family doesn’t get dissipated by online discourse,” she said. “Every experience I’ve had so far has been such a wonderful lesson learned. I loved working on [Snow White], and I love that film. I’ve seen it a few times, and it [became] number one on streaming on Disney+, so I know that it’s celebrated. It was one of those experiences of sometimes negativity being louder than positivity.“
Now that the project is behind her, Zegler’s not letting the criticism get to her. “Honestly, I’m a duck,” she said. “It rolls right off my back these days.“
Controversies aside, Snow White was ultimately another rather uninspiring live-action adaptation of one of Disney’s animated classics. Our own Chris Bumbray found the film to be somewhat of a “big yawn” and felt it was strangely padded for a movie that runs under two hours. However, he did have some praise for Zegler’s performance. “Rachel Zegler is fine as Snow White, with her fresh-faced look perfect for the kind-hearted character, and she can certainly sing (even if the songs are far from memorable),” he wrote. “In some ways, I’d argue that, despite her comments, Snow White hasn’t been updated enough; with her such a naive heroine, it’s hard to invest too much in her. Yet, of the cast, Zegler fares the best.” You can check out the rest of his review right here.