Rachel Zegler Says There Are Worse Things Than Losing Fame Over Call to Free Palestine: ‘Nothing Is Worth Innocent Lives’
“and always remember, free palestine.”
Rachel Zegler posted these five words to X in 2024 after expressing her gratitude to fans for viewing the “Snow White” trailer. The screen and stage actress faced a wave of support and criticism in response, with some saying such outward support of Palestine could threaten her burgeoning career. Zegler doesn’t seem to mind.
“There are worse things,” she said in an interview with i-D.
Zegler’s career certainly doesn’t seem to be going downhill as critics would suggest. At the time of the Tweet, the star was in rehearsals for a Broadway production of “Romeo + Juliet” with co-star Kit Connor. The revival earned critical and commercial acclaim. Zegler currently leads a West End production of “Evita” to similar success.
Still, Zegler asserted that her morality takes precedence over her fame. She views her platform as a “responsibility.”
“There are obviously things that are at stake by being outspoken, but nothing is worth innocent lives,” Zegler said in the i-D interview.
The young actress won a Golden Globe at the age of 20 for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy following her turn as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” Since then, she’s joined a number of iconic franchises including the DCEU and the Hunger Games series.
Yet, early into career at age 24, Zegler meets frequently harsh criticism, often from the political right. “Snow White” quickly became a culture war landmine, with debates raging over her pro-Palestinian Tweet and Gal Gadot’s staunch support of Israel. Some, such as Jonah Platt, insisted Zegler — and only Zegler — hurt the film’s box office follow its underperformance.
Zegler, who is Colombian and Polish, faced racist attacks online when she was cast as Snow White. The film is one of many recent examples where the star of a Disney project — whether a woman, a person of color, or a member of the LGBTQ community — is met with an online firestorm over their identity.
Zegler has spoken at length about her handling of these reactions. She told i-D that her therapist reminded her, “What you’re going through isn’t normal.” Still, she continues to speak out with her platform.
“I think a victim mindset is a choice,” she said in the interview.
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