Rachel Zegler on Disney films
“Snow White” star Rachel Zegler tests her Disney movie knowledge in this fun trivia game with USA TODAY
The opening weekend of “Snow White” may have passed, but the drama surrounding the film isn’t going anywhere.
Jonah Platt, son of “Snow White” producer Marc Platt (who is also the father of “Dear Evan Hansen” star Ben Platt), has slammed star Rachel Zegler in a since-deleted Instagram comment, partially blaming her for the movie’s disappointing box office debut.
The 38-year-old took issue with Zegler’s social media activity, including her decision to post “free Palestine” on X after thanking fans for watching the “Snow White” trailer last year. He also confirmed a report from Variety that his father flew to New York to speak with Zegler, 23, after she made her “free Palestine” post. Zegler did not delete the post, which is still up on her X account.
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Zegler, Marc Platt and Jonah Platt for comment.
“My dad, the producer of (an) enormous piece of Disney IP with hundreds of millions of dollars on the line, had to leave his family to fly across the country to reprimand his 20 year old employee for dragging her personal politics into the middle of promoting the movie for which she signed a multi-million dollar contract to get paid and do publicity for,” Platt wrote in the since-deleted comment, according to Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and People. “This is called adult responsibility and accountability. And her actions clearly hurt the film’s box office.”
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Platt continued, “Free speech does not mean you’re allowed to say whatever you want in your private employment without repercussions. Tens of thousands of people worked on that film and she hijacked the conversation for her own immature desires at the risk of all the colleagues and crew and blue collar workers who depend on that movie to be successful. Narcissism is not something to be coddled or encouraged.”
“Snow White” grossed $42 million in its opening weekend at the domestic box office, which was considered a disappointment compared to how other Disney live-action remakes have performed. The live-action “The Little Mermaid” opened to $95 million over three days in 2023, while 2015’s “Cinderella” started with $67 million. The “Snow White” debut was roughly in line with the live-action “Dumbo,” which opened to $45 million in 2019.
The movie, which received mixed reviews, was the subject of numerous controversies in the years leading up to its release, including due to remarks Zegler made that were seen as dismissive of the 1937 original. Some fans also took issue with the casting of the “West Side Story” star, who is of Colombian and Polish descent, as Snow White, though most critics had nothing but positive things to say about her performance.
In addition to supporting Palestine on social media, Zegler also posted on Instagram after the November presidential election that she hopes President Donald Trump and his supporters “never know peace.” Variety reported that Marc Platt also took issue with this post. Zegler later apologized and said she “let my emotions get the best of me.”
Meanwhile, Israeli actress Gal Gadot, who played the evil queen in “Snow White,” drew protesters when receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame ahead of the film’s debut. The “Wonder Woman” star was a combat fitness instructor in the Israel Defense Forces during her mandatory two years of service and has advocated for Israeli hostages of Hamas amid the Israel-Hamas war. Protesters gathered across the street from Gadot’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, with one holding a sign that read, “Snow White supports genocide.”
Fans, Melissa Barrera defend Rachel Zegler from ‘Snow White’ criticism
Platt’s Instagram comment followed a report from Variety dissecting the box office disappointment of “Snow White” and the role that Zegler’s social media activity may have played in it.
But the article prompted a wave of Zegler fans to defend her on social media. On X, one supporter argued that by reportedly refusing to delete her “free Palestine” post, the actress demonstrated “more backbone and integrity at 23 than 99% of powerful people in this country.”
Melissa Barrera, who was fired from “Scream 7” due to her pro-Palestine social media posts that the studio alleged constituted hate speech, has also defended Zegler. On her Instagram story, the “In the Heights” star reshared a post saying that Zegler is “cool as hell and full of integrity.”
Contributing: KiMi Robinson
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