On August 12, 2024, just three days after Rachel Zegler took the stage at Disney’s D23 fan event to unveil the first official trailer for the highly anticipated “Snow White”, she expressed her gratitude to supporters in an X post. The trailer achieved an impressive 120 million views within 24 hours, a testament to the film's excitement among fans. However, Zegler’s subsequent comment—“and always remember, free Palestine”—added an unexpected twist to her post. This political statement garnered an astonishing 8.8 million views, nearly quadrupling the initial post's engagement, and quickly stirred controversy.
The reaction within Disney was swift and shocking. Many executives were taken aback by Zegler's decision to intertwine the promotion of a $270 million blockbuster with a politically charged message. A Disney executive raised concerns with Zegler’s team, prompting the film’s producer, Marc Platt, to fly to New York for a direct conversation. Despite the pressure, Zegler remained firm in her stance, allowing the post to stay live. The fallout included a spike in death threats directed at her co-star, Gal Gadot, an Israeli actress, leading Disney to enhance her security due to her status as a mother of four.
“She didn’t understand the repercussions of her actions as far as what that meant for the film, for Gal, for anyone,” remarked one insider, highlighting the significant tension between Zegler and the studio following her remarks.
Three months later, following the presidential election, Zegler stirred the pot again by posting incendiary comments on Instagram, including “Fuck Donald Trump” and “May Trump supporters … never know peace.” Disney was reportedly exasperated, as Zegler’s provocative statements risked alienating a significant portion of the film's potential audience. In light of the mounting controversy, Platt approached Zegler once more, leading to an agreement where she would collaborate with a social media expert, funded by Disney, to vet her posts ahead of the film’s release on March 21.
As the film's dismal opening weekend of $87 million worldwide came and went, Disney executives began a thorough evaluation of what went wrong. To put this figure in perspective, it fell short by approximately $34 million compared to Warner Bros.’ “Joker: Folie à Deux”, which had a smaller budget by $70 million. One rival studio executive succinctly pointed out, “The math does not work. That movie should be a billion-dollar movie.” With projections predicting a domestic opening of $45 million-$55 million, the final tally of $43 million was particularly disappointing.
The ongoing tension between Disney and Zegler illustrates the significant challenges Hollywood studios face in managing stars who thrive on social media controversy. Notably, Gadot maintained a more measured approach, focusing on humanitarian messages without intertwining them with film promotions. This stark contrast in handling public commentary has raised questions about how studios can effectively navigate their stars' social media presence.
Zegler’s reputation had already been strained prior to the release of "Snow White." She voiced her grievances publicly about not being invited to the 2022 Oscars for her role in “West Side Story”, which was also distributed by Disney. Following her public outcry, the Academy extended an invitation, even though she had not received a nomination. The strain continued as she criticized the original 1937 “Snow White”, referring to the prince as someone who “literally stalks” the heroine. This comment only fanned the flames of discontent among purists.
As the film's release approached, Disney appeared hesitant to address the ongoing controversies, particularly in light of a recent lawsuit filed by actress Gina Carano, who claimed she was dismissed from “The Mandalorian” due to her outspoken opinions. Industry analysts, such as Jeff Bock from Exhibitor Relations, commented, “They say all press is good press, but in ‘Snow White’s’ case, they were unabashedly wrong.” The accumulation of negative publicity surrounding the film, combined with subpar reviews, likely deterred family audiences from attending theaters.
Despite the challenges faced by “Snow White,” including delays and a fire on set, there was reportedly no animosity between Zegler and Gadot during production. However, the lead-up to the release saw awkward moments, such as Zegler's dismissive remarks about Gadot’s background, which some perceived as a slight. Observers noted that Disney exacerbated the perception of conflict by scheduling separate promotional events for the actresses.
In conclusion, as the dust settles from the release of “Snow White”, Disney is left grappling with the implications of star-driven controversies and the challenges of maintaining a positive narrative in an era where social media can amplify both support and backlash.
