Your support helps us to tell the story
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
Louise Thomas
Editor
Rachel Zegler has responded to critics unhappy about her being cast as a Latina Snow White.
The 23-year-old West Side Story actor was announced as the star of the forthcoming live-action remake Snow White. But she has received significant backlash after some were unhappy about the fictional character being portrayed by a person of colour.
Previously denying that the comments affected her, Zegler has now hit out at those condemning her. The actor said she was inspired by Brandy Norwood who starred as the first Black actor to play Cinderella in the live-action remake of the movie in 1997.
“I grew up in a house where that was Cinderella. Obviously, we watched the cartoon. But a child’s mind is the most amazing thing, where it’s just like, ‘OK, that’s Cinderella,’” she told Variety.
“But the blond-haired, blue-eyed, blue-dress Cinderella from the 1950s cartoon is also Cinderella. Also, Hilary Duff is Cinderella in ‘A Cinderella Story.’
“I was able to comprehend those things at a young age.”
Norwood gave her verdict on Zegler’s casting, as she said, “I know Rachel will be absolutely incredible in this role.”
Sharing her own insights, 26 years after playing the iconic role, she advised Zegler. “You’re not taking on this role to fit the mould of the critics. You’re doing this for every little Colombian girl who has yet to see themselves in a role like a Disney princess.
“You’re doing this for the little girl that you once were, who grew up without that representation of her Colombian culture. You are showing her that anything is possible for someone who looks like her, and that is the most important job in the world.”
Although some said that the princess’s name comes from her complexion being “skin as white as snow”, Zegler revealed that the new movie invents a new origin story for the name.
“It fell back to another version of ‘Snow White’ that was told in history, where she survived a snowstorm that occurred when she was a baby,” she said.
“And so the king and queen decided to name her Snow White to remind her of her resilience. One of the core points in our film for any young woman or young person is remembering how strong you actually are.”
