How Rachel Zegler Is Fighting Stereotypes in 'Snow White'

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| LAST UPDATE 12/12/2021

By Danielle Mejia
rachel zegler snow white
Taylor Hill / Contributor via Getty Images

It's been one incredible year for Rachel Zegler. From bringing the house down in West Side Story to rocking the red carpet at her first Met Gala, the 20-year-old actress has left Hollywood speechless - and she's not done yet. Next challenge? Fighting stereotypes about her upcoming role as Snow White in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

snow white live action
Jon Kopaloff / Stringer via Getty Images

The live-action remake of the Disney classic has been the talk of the town with only two cast members confirmed: Rachel as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. Talk about star power, right? And for Zegler, it was a total full-circle moment to be given the part, having starred in multiple Disney plays as a high school student. But unfortunately, not everyone was as excited about the live-action project as Rachel herself.

"There's not much I can say about it besides the fact that Snow White has constantly been criticized," the 20-year-old actress shared in her BuzzFeed interview. And while Rachel herself grew up adoring this beloved fairytale character, she understood where the critics were coming from. "Even though she's the original Disney princess and we love her so much, [she's been] criticized for existing solely for a prince, existing solely to be rescued," Zegler continued to explain.

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But just like in the recent remake of Cinderella starring Camila Cabello, Rachel and the production team behind the 2023 release are looking to change the narrative when it comes to Snow White's demeanor. "I think that our director, Marc Webb, and everyone who's working on this film has really taken her narrative and turned it into something that's a lot stronger," Zegler shared. "And I'm very, very excited to be able to bring that to life." It may not be the Snow White that we grew up with, but we have nothing but high hopes for this modern take on a Disney classic. And we trust that Rachel's the superstar to get the job done.

You can find the full interview here, and be sure to check back for more inspiring stories of young actresses changing the game in Hollywood!