Rachel Zegler, starring as Snow White in the new Disney adaptation of Snow White, got herself into trouble after appearing in a couple interviews discussing the remake and the original movie. She contradicted herself numerous times, stating that she “hated Snow White” as a kid in one video, but stated in another that she adores the film. The confusing range of comments were cleared up when her true opinions on the film were revealed. According to her, it’s “very evidently” from 1937, the prince is a “weird stalker” and the new version will make Snow White dreaming about becoming a leader. However, it didn’t get the feminist reaction she hoped for. A lot of fans were outraged by her attitude and don’t want the live action remake to be that much different from the original. Even from a representation standpoint, some female fans are more interested in a version of women that depicts them as strong because they are gentle.
If public perception is vital to celebrities and their reputations, then why did Rachel Zegler make such crude comments about a cherished classic?
More recently, Rachel Zegler is starring as Lucy Gray Baird in the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023) and these interviews were much better. It seems as though she went through some Public Relations training before she went on camera with the press, or she actually liked this movie.
She’s a great singer and actress and since this new movie has been released to theaters, the public’s perception of her has shifted. It’s less focused on her comments from Snow White, and more attention is on her singing. Clips from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes are being posted all over TikTok of Rachel Zegler singing and she’s receiving very high praise. So the question remains: Is any type of PR good PR?