With Disney’s live-action Snow White remake just days away from release, the legacy media is pulling out all the stops to soften Rachel Zegler’s public image. The latest example? A laughable puff piece published by PEOPLE, which sidesteps months of controversy to present Zegler as a sweet, wholesome star paying tribute to the original Snow White.
On March 16, PEOPLE ran a glowing article focused on an Instagram post by Zegler, where she dressed in homage to Adriana Caselotti, the voice of the original 1937 Snow White.
Zegler captioned her post: “Just had to pay homage to the original Snow White, Miss Adriana Caselotti. To whom I owe everything ❤️.”
View this post on InstagramA post shared by rachel zegler (@rachelzegler)
The piece breathlessly covers her retro look, curated photos, and even includes a photo of Zegler posing at the scaled back premiere. Conveniently missing? Any mention of her past dismissive remarks about Caselotti’s film, her political grandstanding during the movie’s promotion, or the broader backlash Disney has faced since casting her.
Ignoring the Elephant in the Room
What makes this fluff piece particularly tone-deaf is the omission of Zegler’s inflammatory comments about the original Snow White. Let’s not forget, this is the same actress who previously referred to the 1937 film as “dated,” criticized the prince’s role as a problematic stalker, and dismissively and seemingly contemptuously claimed her version of Snow White wouldn’t dream about true love like Caselotti, but would instead focus on leadership.
In fact, in a 2022 interview with Variety, Zegler said: “The cartoon was made in 1937 and very evidently so. There’s a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird? Weird! So we didn’t do that this time.”
She additionally stated, “She won’t be rescued by a prince. She won’t be daydreaming about true love. Instead, she’s fantasizing about stepping into her own leadership potential.
These remarks alienated fans of the original film and sparked waves of criticism. Yet, instead of addressing that, PEOPLE frames her recent post as an earnest tribute to Caselotti, pretending as if the backlash over Zegler’s previous dismissiveness never existed.
The article also highlights Zegler’s interactions with young girls dressed as Snow White at the Los Angeles premiere, clearly designed to paint her in a soft, family-friendly light. What it leaves out is the fact that Disney has kept Zegler away from major U.S. press interviews, resorting to tightly scripted, highly controlled promotional appearances to prevent her from making further headlines. This calculated containment strategy has been in place ever since Zegler’s initial interviews stirred controversy.
Downplaying Real Tension
While PEOPLE briefly references “tension” between Zegler and co-star Gal Gadot, it buries it under vague language about differing political views. There’s no deep dive into the real reasons audiences have been critical of Zegler—namely her decision to inject personal political stances, such as her “Free Palestine” comment, directly into the film’s promotional cycle. It’s worth reminding readers that this comment appeared on a post specifically intended to promote the Snow White trailer, tying global political conflicts directly into a Disney film rollout.
In contrast to Gal Gadot, who has handled herself professionally and even delivered a well-appreciated speech at the Anti-Defamation League summit, affirming her Jewish identity and speaking out against discrimination, media outlets such as PEOPLE seem to be treading lightly around Zegler’s controversies. Instead of acknowledging any issues solely related to Zegler, these media outlets subtly suggest that any tension surrounding the film is mutual between both stars – a suggestion that doesn’t stand up to closer examination.
A Broader Pattern of Legacy Media Damage Control
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen legacy media attempt to rewrite the narrative when a major studio project is in trouble. The same access-driven outlets who depend on close relationships with Disney are now doing their part to run interference. Rather than confront the genuine backlash stemming from Disney’s creative choices and Zegler’s public missteps, they’re offering sanitized coverage designed to distract audiences.
It’s no coincidence that this PEOPLE piece dropped days before the film’s release, conveniently timed to soften Zegler’s image right as Disney braces for potential box office underperformance. Combine that with the last-minute review embargo, scaled-back U.S. premiere, and limited press appearances, and it’s clear this is part of a larger coordinated effort.
Audiences See Through It
But here’s the reality: audiences aren’t falling for it. No amount of curated Instagram posts, soft-focus tributes, or smiling red carpet photos can erase the series of missteps that have plagued Snow White’s marketing campaign. Disney’s reluctance to let Zegler speak freely in the U.S. media and the sudden surge of fluff pieces like this one are glaring signs that the studio is more concerned with damage control than genuine fan engagement.
The question remains—why won’t media outlets like PEOPLE hold Disney and Zegler accountable for the controversies they created? Instead, they’re offering audiences a polished, sanitized version of events that conveniently ignores the reasons why so many fans are skeptical of this remake.
approaching the launch of “Snow White,” you might observe an increase in such strategically timed traditional media maneuvers. However, these tactics won’t resolve the fundamental issues at hand; regardless of the number of lighthearted articles that are produced.
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2025-03-18 20:41