Disney’s upcoming Snow White star Rachel Zegler is facing backlash after calling to “free Palestine” — a phrase adopted by anti-Israel activists demanding the elimination of the Jewish state — as she promoted the new musical film. On Saturday, Disney unleashed online the first trailer for its live-action Snow White remake, featuring Zegler in the title role of Snow White, as well as Israeli actress and model Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, with a March 2025 release planned. After posting the new trailer, the 23-year-old West Side Story star expressed enthusiasm over the clip’s swift popularity.
“[I] love you all so much! thank you for the love and for 120m views on our trailer in just 24 hours! what a whirlwind,” she wrote on Monday. “[I] am in the thick of rehearsals for romeo + juliet so i’m gonna get outta here. bye for now.
” “[A]nd always remember, free palestine,” she added in a follow-up post. and always remember, free palestine. — rachel zegler (she/her/hers) (@rachelzegler) August 12, 2024 The post was met with backlash, with many having viewed the messaging as a personal jab against her Israeli co-star.
“What a sad petty and ignorant person you are,” wrote journalist Emily Schrader. What a sad petty and ignorant person you are. — Emily Schrader – אמילי שריידר امیلی شریدر (@emilykschrader) August 13, 2024 “Rachel Zegler is trolling her much more famous and beautiful Snow White co-star Gal Gadot,” wrote media contributor Joel Petlin.
“Disney continues to hire the wrong actors to represent their brand. Rather than promoting a film, they choose to embarrass themselves and the studio.” Rachel Zegler is trolling her much more famous and beautiful Snow White co-star Gal Gadot.
Disney continues to hire the wrong actors to represent their brand. Rather than promoting a film, they choose to embarrass themselves and the studio. https://t.
co/Llt0WkScrR — Joel M. Petlin (@Joelmpetlin) August 13, 2024 “Gal Gadot has to pretend she’s jealous of your looks. Her most difficult acting job so far,” wrote British journalist Nioh Berg.
Gal Gadot has to pretend she's jealous of your looks. Her most difficult acting job so far 😂😭 https://t.co/Z2Z4ZObjuU pic.
twitter.com/JhhNRmuaqE — ♛ ✡︎ (@NiohBerg) August 13, 2024 “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,” wrote one X user. 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 — Maya Goldin (@maya_goldin) August 13, 2024 Meanwhile, since the Snow White trailer’s release, Israeli actress Gal Gadot continues to face an antisemitic backlash, with pro-Palestinian commentators criticizing her casting and calling for a boycott due to her background.
Some antisemitic haters are not Happy. Because stunning Israeli actress Gal Gadot is playing the Queen in Snow White. She’s the fairest of them all.
.. and they’re just Grumpy and Dopey.
pic.twitter.com/l4BL7NUz6o — Michael Dickson (@michaeldickson) August 11, 2024 Zegler had previously called for a “free Palestine” in May, as well as in 2021 — after Hamas launched rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel, some of which struck Israeli residences and a school, with the Israeli military forced to retaliate.
it will always be free palestine. — rachel zegler (she/her/hers) (@rachelzegler) May 17, 2021 That same year, Zegler called conservative campaigner Kyle Rittenhouse’s acquittal “the epitome of white privilege” and “exactly what is wrong with this godforsaken country” after he was initially arrested over the shooting of three rioters in Kenosha, Wisconsin. kyle rittenhouse being acquitted on all charges after such heinous heinous crimes is the epitome of white privilege and exactly what is wrong with this godforsaken country.
— rachel zegler (she/her/hers) (@rachelzegler) November 19, 2021 She also admonished Americans for not speaking Spanish in response to the controversy over the Steven Spielberg-directed West Side Story ’s lack of subtitles. Snow White has faced a deluge of negative publicity since Zegler created a PR disaster for Disney after old videos resurfaced showing the actress insulting the original 1937 film, claiming that the prince character is a creepy stalker and that women no longer crave romance. “It’s no longer 1937,” she smugly declared .
Disney PR team continues their pathetic attempt at damage control After bashing the original Snow White for not being woke enough, Rachel Zegler is now singing its praises Then: Now: pic.twitter.com/HftSx3RzHv — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) December 9, 2023 In August on the SAG-AFTRA picket line, the actress demanded to be “paid for every hour” that the Disney film is streamed.
“I’m if gonna stand there 18 hours in a dress of an iconic Disney princess, I deserve to be paid for every hour that it’s streamed online.” The new Snow White is the most insufferable woman I’ve ever seen pic.twitter.
com/U1swu4roRl — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) August 2, 2023 Subsequently, a video of Zegler holding back tears as she reacted to criticism went viral. The matter comes as the progressive left continues to push racial double standards and “woke” ideology. Last April, Disney released the live-action Peter Pan & Wendy featuring a diverse cast with non-white actors playing the roles of Peter Pan and Tinkerbell (though Captain Hook, played by Jude Law, is still white) and girls as members of the Lost Boys, which marked a revisionist departure from J.
M. Barrie’s original novel. Though the film, directed by indie filmmaker David Lowery, has been described as “woke” and “multicultural,” Chicago-based writer Noah Berlatsky charged that racism and colonialism are “built into the workings” of the Peter Pan story.
Yet another woke-swapping remake of a Disney classic: Peter Pan is Indian Tinker Bell is Black The Lost Boys are girls Captain Hook is still White pic.twitter.com/m7wvq1U36n — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) March 2, 2023 According to Berlatsky, switching to non-white actors “isn’t enough” to address the tale’s core issues.
Disney, seeing profits plummet and its stock tumble 44 percent coming off a rough 2022, is still reeling from a number of woke flops, including the animated environmental movie Strange World , which featured a gay teen protagonist, and Pixar’s Toy Story spin-off movie Lightyear , which featured a lesbian kiss. "I think we're in the endgame right now." Actor @RichardDreyfuss discusses restoring civics education and his fears for the nation's future.
Plus, he reacts to Hollywood's new inclusion standards: "They make me vomit." TONIGHT 8:30 pm ET @PBS listings: https://t.co/yjV9uYyL5J pic.
twitter.com/njuxohjD5d — Firing Line with Margaret Hoover (@FiringLineShow) May 5, 2023 Last year, Jaws star Richard Dreyfuss stated Hollywood’s new “thoughtless” diversity inclusion standards make him “vomit.” Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News.
Email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein .
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