A princess, a tough guy and Jesus walk into a bar…MON #BoxOffice update:
1⃣ $1,348,109 | #SnowWhite ($68.3M)
2⃣ $1,281,936 | #AWorkingMan ($16.8M)
3⃣ $1,239,119 | #TheChosenLastSupper ($13M)— Gitesh Pandya (TikTok @gitesh.pandya) (@GiteshPandya) April 1, 2025
Rachel Zegler has found herself at the center of controversy after her latest film, Disney’s live-action remake of “Snow White,” flopped at the box office. The movie earned only $43 million domestically and $87 million globally in its opening weekend, despite a reported budget of over $250 million. Zegler, a 23-year-old Latina actress, faced racism and criticism from conservative-leaning Disney fans when her casting was announced in June 2021.
The backlash intensified when she called the original fairytale “weird” and said the remake would take a “different approach.”
MON #BoxOffice: Snow White edged out A Working Man to take back the #1 spot.
1⃣ $1,348,109 | #SnowWhite ($68.3M)
2⃣ $1,281,936 | #AWorkingMan ($16.8M)— Gitesh Pandya (TikTok @gitesh.pandya) (@GiteshPandya) April 1, 2025
Tensions between Zegler and Disney escalated when she expressed solidarity with Palestine following the war in Gaza.
Meanwhile, #SnowWhite almost fell to #3 at US #BoxOffice yesterday, after #RachelZegler & #GalGadot grossed 1.5M on lowest 2nd TUE Discount Day for a Disney live-action, harsh -61.4% drop from last TUE
(vs #Maleficent2’s 2.2M, -45.6%#Dumbo 1.7M, -62.9%#JungleCruise’s 2.4M,… pic.twitter.com/0QNr80a4bK— Luiz Fernando (@Luiz_Fernando_J) April 2, 2025
According to reports, Disney flew to New York to discuss the ramifications of her tweet, which read, “and always remember, free Palestine.” The studio allegedly hired additional security for an Israeli who showed support for her country and a “social media guru” to vet Zegler’s posts. At the film’s premiere, Disney seemed to distance itself from Zegler by scaling down the event and closing it to the press.
Despite its own struggles, #SnowWhite is once again the fairest one of all at US #BoxOffice, back at #1 as the only option in town for families after #RachelZegler & #GalGadot grossed 1.3M on 2nd MON, a -46.4% drop from last MON
(vs #Maleficent2’s 1.3M, -44.2%#Dumbo 937k, -67.5%… pic.twitter.com/uDXgobaGn8— Luiz Fernando (@Luiz_Fernando_J) April 1, 2025
Controversy surrounding Zegler’s casting
An anonymous source from another studio commented, “The reality is Rachel Zegler should not be playing Snow White.”
Despite the criticism, Zegler has received support from fans and fellow actors. Actress Melissa Barrera shared an Instagram post calling Zegler “cool as hell and full of integrity.” Journalist Mark Harris accused Disney of waging “a campaign” to blame the film’s failure on Zegler’s shoulders.
Zegler has mostly refrained from engaging with the debate, instead thanking fans and sharing her experience making the film. Her next project is a stage show in London’s West End. The film currently holds a 42% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but Zegler’s performance has received mostly positive reviews.
While Disney may be unhappy with the film’s performance, Zegler seems to be focusing on her future projects and the support she has received from fans and colleagues.
