On a bustling afternoon in Los Angeles on June 25, 2025, Sylvester Stallone, the iconic action star known for Rocky and Rambo, ignited a firestorm with candid remarks that have sent shockwaves through Hollywood and beyond. In a wide-ranging interview with Variety to promote his upcoming memoir, Sly Moves: My Life in Pictures, Stallone delivered a scathing reality check on Disney’s recent wave of “woke” remakes, specifically singling out the troubled live-action Snow White and its star, Rachel Zegler. His comments, made at 77 with the gravitas of a veteran who’s seen the industry evolve over decades, have sparked heated debates about creative integrity, corporate agendas, and the pressures faced by young actors like Zegler. As of 2:51 PM +07 on Thursday, July 3, 2025, this outspoken critique has polarized fans, reignited culture war discussions, and thrust Stallone back into the spotlight as a defender of traditional storytelling.
Stallone’s remarks came during a discussion about his career trajectory, from his 1976 Oscar-nominated Rocky to his recent ventures like the Tulsa King series. When asked about Hollywood’s current landscape, he didn’t hold back. “I’ve seen Disney turn classics into these sanitized, preachy messes,” he said, referencing the string of live-action remakes that have dominated the studio’s output. He zeroed in on Snow White, released on March 21, 2025, which has been labeled a $270 million box office flop, grossing just $69 million domestically. “They took a timeless fairy tale and turned it into a lecture on modern politics,” Stallone remarked, his tone a mix of disbelief and frustration. “It’s not about art anymore—it’s about checking boxes.”
His critique sharpened when he addressed Rachel Zegler, the 24-year-old actress at the film’s center. Stallone accused her of embodying the “woke agenda” that he believes has derailed the project. “This young girl, Rachel, she’s out there trashing the original, calling the prince a stalker, pushing her politics—free Palestine, anti-Trump stuff—and Disney let her run wild,” he said. He pointed to her 2022 comments on Extra TV, where she labeled the 1937 Snow White “extremely dated” and its romance “weird,” as well as her social media posts supporting Palestine and criticizing Donald Trump post-2024 election. “She’s a talented kid, but she’s been thrown into a meat grinder by a studio that doesn’t know what it’s doing,” Stallone added, suggesting Zegler’s outspokenness was exploited to market a divisive narrative.
The Snow White debacle provides context for Stallone’s ire. The film, directed by Marc Webb, faced backlash from its announcement in 2021, with Zegler’s casting as a Latina Snow White sparking debates about race and representation. Her remarks about reimagining the character as a “leader” rather than a damsel, coupled with the replacement of the Seven Dwarfs with CGI “magical creatures” to avoid dwarfism stereotypes, fueled accusations of “wokeness.” The movie’s $200 million loss, amid mixed reviews and online review-bombing, has been partly blamed on Zegler’s controversial statements, with some insiders suggesting Disney’s damage control—scaling back premieres and press—failed to mitigate the fallout. Stallone’s comments amplify this narrative, framing her as a scapegoat for a broader creative misfire.
Stallone’s stance isn’t new. He’s long been vocal about preserving artistic authenticity, a theme in his 2023 The Family Stallone reality show where he reflected on Hollywood’s evolution. Rumors of him rejecting a $500 million Disney project in 2023, though unverified, align with his alleged disdain for “woke crap,” as reported by online sources. His critique of Zegler echoes sentiments from figures like Jonah Platt, son of Snow White producer Marc Platt, who blamed her political views for the film’s failure in a now-deleted 2025 post. Stallone, however, frames it less as blame and more as a cautionary tale, urging young actors to “know the game” they’re entering.
The reaction has been explosive. Social media erupted with #StalloneVsWoke, fans split between admiration and outrage. Supporters cheered, with posts like “Sly speaking the truth—Disney’s lost its soul!” and “Rachel got exposed—time to ditch the agenda.” Critics, however, defended Zegler, arguing Stallone’s comments unfairly target a young actress under pressure. “She’s 24, not the studio execs making these calls,” one X user wrote, while others accused Stallone of clinging to outdated views, citing his own action-heavy career as less nuanced than Disney’s attempts at diversity. The debate has reignited culture war tensions, with conservative outlets like Fox News amplifying Stallone’s take, while progressive voices on The Daily Beast call it a “misguided attack.”
Zegler’s perspective, shared in her June 23 i-D Magazine interview, offers a counterpoint. She admitted the Snow White backlash left her “not functioning,” relying on psychiatric support and anxiety medication. “I was thrown into a storm I didn’t create,” she said, suggesting Disney’s marketing and her own inexperience amplified the controversy. Stallone’s remarks, while critical, align with her narrative of being a pawn, though he frames it as her willingly embracing a role she couldn’t handle. Her recent Evita success in London’s West End, praised on July 2 by The New York Times, shows resilience, but the Snow White scars linger, fueling Stallone’s narrative of a young star overwhelmed by Hollywood’s agenda.
Disney’s silence has added fuel. The studio’s live-action remake strategy, launched with Alice in Wonderland in 2010, has faltered, with Snow White joining Pinocchio and Peter Pan & Wendy as streaming flops. Sean Bailey’s 2024 departure as film production head signaled a rethink, with Tangled’s live-action shelving in 2025 reflecting a strategic retreat. Stallone’s critique taps into growing audience fatigue, with The Guardian noting in 2023 that remakes lack the “soul” of originals, a sentiment he echoes. Yet, some argue Disney’s diversity push, however clumsy, responds to a changing demographic, with Zegler’s casting reflecting broader representation goals.
Stallone’s own career lends credibility to his stance. His 1976 Rocky, a gritty underdog story, won Oscars without pandering, contrasting with what he sees as Disney’s formulaic rehashes. His 2022 Tulsa King success, blending action with character depth, reinforces his belief in authentic storytelling over corporate trends. The rumor of a $500 million rejection, though unconfirmed, fits his pattern of turning down projects— like a 2010 Rambo sequel—when they stray from his vision. His comments on Zegler, while harsh, mirror concerns from dwarf actors like Peter Dinklage, who criticized the CGI dwarfs in 2022, suggesting a shared frustration with Disney’s execution.
The broader implications are significant. Stallone’s remarks have emboldened critics of “woke” Hollywood, with some calling for a boycott of Disney’s upcoming Lilo & Stitch. Others see it as a wake-up call for studios to prioritize creativity over ideology, a view supported by Snow White’s 40% Rotten Tomatoes score. Zegler’s experience, meanwhile, highlights the toll on young actors, with her psychiatrist’s guidance underscoring mental health challenges in the spotlight. Her apology for Trump-related posts in 2024 and her Evita pivot suggest a learning curve, but Stallone’s exposure frames her as a symbol of a flawed system.
As of July 3, 2025, the fallout continues. Stallone’s memoir, due August 15, is expected to expand on these views, with pre-orders up 25% post-interview. Zegler’s team has remained silent, focusing on Evita, while Disney faces pressure to address its remake strategy. This clash—veteran versus newcomer, tradition versus innovation—encapsulates a Hollywood reckoning, with Stallone’s reality check exposing both Zegler’s struggles and the industry’s missteps, leaving fans to ponder where the magic went.
