Inside the Snow White cast drama: As Rachel Zegler locks horns with Gal Gadot on Disney remake who will be crowned the fairest of them all? Have YOU got a story? Email [email protected] By Rebecca Lawrence For Mailonline Published: 05:36 EDT, 19 August 2024 | Updated: 05:38 EDT, 19 August 2024 e-mail View comments The scandal plagued Snow White reboot has been dealt another blow, with leading ladies Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot caught up in an apparent feud. American actress Zegler, 23, plays the titular lead in the live action remake while Israeli star Gadot, 39, plays the Evil Queen.
Their on-screen feud appears to have spilled out into real life, however, owing to the pair's opposing views on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Both have been vocal in their support for opposite sides, with branding experts warning that such behaviour could trigger a boycott. It came to a head when the Snow White teaser trailer was released earlier this month - with many taking issue with the casting.
The scandal plagued Snow White reboot has been dealt another blow, with leading ladies Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot (pictured in 2022) caught up in an apparent feud American actress Rachel, 23, plays the titular lead in the live action remake Israeli star Gal, 39, plays the Evil Queen but the pair's on-screen feud appears to have spilled out into real life, owing to their opposing views on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict Some were baffled by the decision to cast a Latina actress to portray the famously 'fair-skinned' character who is known for being 'as white as snow'. Others took issue with casting Jewish Israeli actress Gadot amid the current war - with pro-Palestine viewers claiming her inclusion calls for a boycott while conversely pro-Israel viewers claimed it was offensive to cast her in an 'evil' role. Flames were then fanned when Rachel shared the trailer on her own social media channels and thanked fans for sending her support.
In a follow-up tweet, she penned: 'and always remember, free palestine.' Zegler has publicly taken a pro-Palestinian stance since 2021, sharing several tweets and posts urging fans to donate to emergency aid for Gaza. Yet some Israeli publication s took exception to Zegler's comment and suggested she had insulted Gadot.
While Gadot did not respond publicly to Zegler's comment she raised eyebrows with a post of her own after the trailer was released. She posted on her Instagram story a photo of Martin Luther King Jr. with his quote: 'Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.' Above the image, she wrote: 'Only love can save the world.' Days later she appeared to make a pointed dig at Zegler.
According to Times of Israel reporter Amy Spiro, Gadot's X account briefly reposted a tweet that read 'Trying to campaign on the head of your co-star, who actually lives through war, just so you'll look cooler with the kids, is really pathetic.' While Gadot and Zegler have made it clear they have opposing views on Israel-Palestine they have not spoken out about any supposed feud between the pair. MailOnline has contacted Zegler and Gadot's representatives for comment.
Flames were then fanned when Rachel shared the trailer on her own social media channels and thanked fans for sending her support, adding: 'and always remember, free palestine' While Gadot did not respond publicly to Zegler's comment she raised eyebrows with a post of her own after the trailer was released, posting about love 'driving out hate' Gadot appeared to make a pointed dig at Zegler with her X account briefly reposting a tweet that read: 'Trying to campaign on the head of your co-star, who actually lives through war, just so you'll look cooler with the kids, is really pathetic' Disney has tried to move away from hot button issues after finding itself mired in a series of woke controversies blamed for tanking its share price. Zegler appeared to have quietened down after angering moviegoers by declaring that she 'hated' the original 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. She branded the storyline 'weird,' while referring to the Prince character as a 'stalker' and suggested she'd ensured the remake would ensure any fairytale smooching was consensual.
Read More Inside the many scandals to plague Disney's live-action remake of Snow White as it gets delayed by a YEAR - from leading lady Rachel Zegler's 'hatred' of the classic cartoon to the controversial 'woke' changes to its storyline The $330million Disney movie, directed by Marc Webb, was scheduled to be released in March 2024, but got delayed after executives had to have 'crisis talks' in order to do some serious damage limitation following the negative response to Zegler's stances. A cast of diverse dwarves have also since been replaced by CGI alternatives which more closely resemble the little people featured in the original movie. The actress- who has vowed to ensure the remake was more progressive than the original version- previously faced backlash after several videos of her speaking negatively about the original film in various interviews in 2022 resurfaced online.
Speaking of her character, Zegler said: 'She's not going to be saved by the prince and she's not going to be dreaming about true love.' As well as being labeled a 'fake feminist,' some critics accused her of 'gaslighting,' while a marketing consultant warned that Disney would 'need to be careful with how they have portrayed Snow White.' Speaking to DailyMail.
com, branding expert Carla Speight said: 'Whilst it's been clear that the original Disney Princess films hold old values, Disney have fallen for the trap of going to the opposite extreme to inflict strong and loaded messaging on the viewers - believing that's empowerment. Disney has tried to move away from hot button issues after finding itself mired in a series of woke controversies blamed for tanking its share price 'There was a time when Disney actors were media trained and were thoughtful about the impact of their words, whilst sticking to key messaging about the films, but it seems with this total rewrite of Snow White, picturing her as a "boss girl" has gone to the heads of their stars. 'Disney will need to be careful with how they have portrayed Snow White and what they do and don't allow their actors to say about it going forwards.
'They simply cannot repeat the same mistakes and allow their actors to be so vocal in their own personal opinions during promotions,' Speight added. Read More Snow White and the Seven..
. Politically-Correct Companions? First pictures of new Disney live-action remake show princess walking with diverse band of merry men PR expert Nick Ede agreed with Speight and told DailyMail.com that instead of 'embracing her role' as one of the most famed fairytale characters,' Zegler 'has actively chosen to spoil the narrative.
' Speaking at the Disney D23 Expo in California in September 2022, Zegler - best known for her breakout role in 'West Side Story' said: 'The original cartoon came out in 1937, and very evidently so. 'There's a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird! Weird! So we didn't do that this time.
'We have a different approach to what I'm sure a lot of people will assume is a love story just because we cast a guy in the movie,' she continued, referring to Andrew Burnap, who plays Jonathan- Zegler's love interest in the film. 'All of Andrew's scenes could get cut, who knows? It's Hollywood, baby!' she joked, before admitting in a separate interview that she was 'terrified' when she went on the beloved Snow White ride at Disney World. About the 1937 film, she said: 'I was scared of the original version.
I think I watched it once and never picked it up again. I'm being so serious.' 'I watched it once, and then I went on the ride in Disney World, which was called Snow White's Scary Adventures.
Doesn't sound like something a little kid would like. I was terrified of it, never revisited Snow White again,' she added in an interview beside Gadot. Zegler appeared to have quietened down after angering moviegoers by declaring that she 'hated' the original 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarves In a subsequent interview with Late Night host Jimmy Fallon, Zegler claimed to frequently find herself in line for the Disney ride she allegedly so despises.
In yet another high-profile interview about the film, Zegler defended the film's newly forced progressive bent: 'People are making these jokes about ours being the PC Snow White...
yeah, it is - because it needed that. Read More Snow White FIRST LOOK: Rachel Zegler faces off against Gal Gadot's Evil Queen in trailer 'Our version is a refreshing story about a young woman who has a function beyond Someday My Prince Will Come.' The Colombian-American actress faced some degree of scrutiny by critics after she was cast as Snow White, who has always been described as having 'skin as white as snow.
' In a since-deleted tweet, she wrote: 'Yes I am Snow White; no, I am not bleaching my skin for the role.' Other than Zegler's contentious statements, the seven dwarfs caused their own backlash in the remake. The film received negative attention after it was revealed by DailyMail.
com that the dwarfs were to be replaced by seven 'magical (non-dwarf) creatures' in an effort to keep the storytelling in line with the 21st Century's commitment to political correctness. They were originally seen on the set of the movie and included a mix of men and women of different ethnicities, with a real dwarf among their number. At first Disney denied these pictures were from the set of the movie - but eventually backtracked.
The 1937 version of Snow White was the first full-length traditionally animated feature film, and Disney's first animated feature In the trailer, the real-life dwarfs were replaced by CGI characters, dancing and singing along with Zegler. Disney's 1937 version of the film follows Snow White as she befriends the seven dwarfs while hiding from her wicked stepmother who later poisons her with an apple before Prince Charming wakes her from her slumber with a kiss. The plot is loosely based on the 1812 fairytale of the same name by the Brothers Grimm.
At the time of its release, it became a massive hit for Disney, earning hundreds of millions of dollars across the globe. It was also the first full-length traditionally animated feature film, and Disney's first animated feature. The new adaptation of Snow White is set to be released in March 2025.
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