(Image: Rachel Zegler's Instagram)
Disney's live-action "Snow White," which faced a barrage of online criticism from its early development stages through its release, ultimately bombed at the box office. The film grossed just over $200 million worldwide against a massive production budget approaching $300 million and, as expected, was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews. Star Rachel Zegler, who was at the center of the firestorm, recently addressed the sensitive topic with remarkable candor in an interview with i-D magazine.
(Image: i-D)
One of the key controversies during the "Snow White" promotional tour involved Zegler encouraging fans to support Palestine in a post under the film's trailer on her X page. Many argued that she shouldn't use the movie's publicity for personal political statements. However, Zegler has not deleted the post and insists she will continue to speak out. "I just subscribe to the Hannah Einbinder school of thought," she said, referencing the "Hacks" star, "that social media has become a responsibility, and we can do with that responsibility what we please."
(Image: i-D)
Zegler continued, "My empathy knows no bounds. That's just who I am. My support for one thing does not mean my condemnation of another. That's how I've always been, that's how I was raised. Being outspoken obviously jeopardizes things, but there's nothing more valuable than an innocent life." She then shrugged, adding, "There are bigger things to worry about in the world."
(Image: i-D)
Zegler confessed that as the "Snow White" controversy escalated, she temporarily left New York to return to her family home in New Jersey, seeking comfort from her loved ones and her dog. She also confided in her "West Side Story" co-star, Mike Faist, about their shared anxieties, worrying if their careers were over and if they would ever get another chance.
Zegler revealed that she also sought professional help and took medication to manage her anxiety. "My psychiatrist helped me through it," she shared. "I needed someone to tell me, 'What you're going through is not normal.' That has worked wonders for me in so many moments of my life. It really changed me, because I couldn't function. And I'm able to function in a way that I'm proud of, in a way that I can face the world with confidence."
While some online critics have accused Zegler of playing the victim, she refutes the claim. "I think victimhood is a choice, and I did not choose it," she clarified. "I will not choose to be in the dark. I will not choose to absorb the negativity. I choose positivity and light and happiness. I do believe that happiness is a choice sometimes, and I wake up every day and feel so lucky to live the life that I do."
(Image: i-D)
"I lost a lot of opportunities for joy because I was always thinking, 'There's no way I'm getting through this,'" Zegler reflected. "It's like telling yourself, 'You're fine, you drama queen. You're fine. Don't worry about it. It's fine.' When these things happen, you just want to push them away because the feelings are awful, but as I get older, I realize it's so much more important to carry them than to push them away." Zegler concluded with a note of self-encouragement: "The only way out is through."
via： i-D