Disney Reportedly Hired Social Media Watchdog for Rachel Zegler After Controversial Posts

On August 12, 2024, Rachel Zegler introduced the first official trailer for Disney’s live-action “Snow White” at the D23 fan event. The trailer quickly gained 120 million views in just 24 hours. But in a follow-up social media post, Zegler wrote, “and always remember, free palestine.”

Her statement, which reached 8.8 million views, shocked Disney executives. They were concerned about the impact on the film and her co-star Gal Gadot, who is Israeli. Following the post, death threats toward Gadot increased, forcing Disney to provide her with extra security.

An insider said, “She didn’t understand the repercussions of her actions as far as what that meant for the film, for Gal, for anyone.”

A few months later, after the U.S. presidential election, Zegler shared another post, saying, “F*** Donald Trump” and “May Trump supporters … never know peace.” At this point, Disney decided to intervene. Since her statements could alienate half the film’s potential audience, producer Marc Platt spoke with her again. Eventually, Disney hired a social media expert to approve Zegler’s posts before the movie’s release.

Disney did not comment on the situation, and Zegler did not respond to requests for a statement.

Despite all the attention, “Snow White” performed poorly. It earned $87 million worldwide on opening weekend, which was $34 million less than “Joker: Folie à Deux,” even though “Snow White” had a $270 million budget. A rival studio executive said, “That movie should be a billion-dollar movie.” Instead, it opened to just $43 million in the U.S.

Zegler had already faced criticism for her comments about the original 1937 “Snow White,” saying the prince “literally stalks” the main character. A Hollywood agent remarked, “The first time she shoots her mouth off, you nip it in the bud.”

Disney chose not to respond publicly, but the controversy continued. The studio was already cautious about free speech issues after actress Gina Carano sued them in 2024 for being fired from “The Mandalorian” over her political views.

Box office analyst Jeff Bock explained, “They say all press is good press, but in ‘Snow White’s’ case, they were unabashedly wrong.” The film also suffered from a delayed production due to COVID, a fire on set, and reshoots disrupted by an actors’ strike.

Despite rumors, sources say Zegler and Gadot got along well during filming. However, things became tense before the movie’s release. Zegler called Gadot “a professional pageant queen” in an Instagram reply, which some saw as dismissive.

Disney may have fueled the perception of a feud by keeping the actresses separate at promotional events. At the March 15 premiere, there were no red-carpet interviews, and inside the theater, Zegler sat two rows ahead of Gadot and her family.

By that point, Disney had lost hope that the movie could overcome the backlash. The controversies surrounding “Snow White” had been building for years, and in the end, they played a role in its box office struggles.

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