More dramatic than any fairy tale, Variety dropped a bombshell report on Tuesday, revealing alleged insider scoop on the fiery behind-the-scenes spat between the stars of "Snow White," Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot. Sources whispered that while the actresses maintained a civil front and "got along well" during the filming of the controversial Disney flick, the air between them turned icy ahead of the movie's March 21 release.
The 23-year-old Zegler and 39-year-old Gadot seemingly collided over their differing views on the Gaza conflict, but the spark that ignited their rift reportedly stemmed from a social media comment made by Zegler earlier this month. According to Variety, in an Instagram reply following their joint Oscar award presentation on March 2, Zegler labeled Gadot "a professional pageant queen," a remark perceived as dismissive towards her fellow actress.
As the film's release loomed, Disney strategically分离 Zegler and Gadot for most press engagements, a decision that, as per Variety's insiders, only "fanned the flames of perceived animosity" between them. On March 15, at the scaled-down "Snow White" premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, Zegler and Gadot were reportedly "kept at arm's length" from each other.
During the screening that followed the premiere, Variety alleges that Zegler strategically positioned herself two rows ahead of Gadot and her family. By the time the premiere rolled around, Disney had reportedly resigned itself to the fact that the film was being overshadowed by a storm of backlash.
Tensions escalated further when Zegler penned "Free Palestine" on an X around the time the film's first trailer hit the web in August 2024 (Gadot being Israeli). Variety reported that "Snow White" producer Marc Platt flew to New York to confront Zegler about her pro-Palestine post, which she allegedly refused to delete. Moreover, Gadot received death threats, prompting Disney to fork out for extra security for her.
"She didn't fathom the ramifications of her actions for the film, for Gal, for anyone," an insider told Variety about Zegler. The Post reached out to Zegler, Gadot, and Disney for their comments.
In addition to the "Free Palestine" remark, Zegler stirred more controversy by trashing the original "Snow White" movie ahead of the remake's release. She disparaged the Prince character as "a stalker" and vowed that her film would be a more "modern" twist on the "dated" animated classic. The "West Side Story" actress also lashed out at supporters of President Donald Trump post-2024 election, prompting some Disney enthusiasts to vow a boycott of the film.
Variety claimed that after the Trump post, Disney had had its fill of Zegler. Platt, 67, allegedly convened with Zegler once more, and she embarked on working with a social media expert, paid for by Disney, to vet her posts prior to the movie's debut.
Despite the myriad controversies, Zegler celebrated the theatrical release of "Snow White" with enthusiasm. On the day of the film's release, she posted an Instagram tribute adorned with a slew of on-set photos—none of which featured Gadot as the Evil Queen. Zegler hailed the film as a "life-changing experience," revealing that she "became a real adult" in the making of the movie.
