Hollywood, California, May 27, 2025 – Rachel Zegler, the 24-year-old actress known for her roles in West Side Story (2021) and Disney’s live-action Snow White (2025), is once again at the center of a storm—this time with rumors swirling that the creators of the animated sci-fi satire Futurama are planning an episode to “destroy” her over the leaked Evita rehearsal drama that has dominated headlines in recent weeks. The controversy, which involves unauthorized footage of Zegler allegedly being escorted out of rehearsals for the West End revival of Evita and her subsequent legal battle with the production team, has painted the young star as a lightning rod for criticism. As Futurama—known for its biting cultural commentary—gears up for its next season on Hulu, insiders claim the show is set to take aim at Zegler, raising questions about the ethics of satire, the price of fame for young women in Hollywood, and whether Zegler can weather yet another public firestorm.
The Evita Drama: A Leaked Scandal
The drama began in mid-May 2025, when leaked rehearsal footage from the West End revival of Evita at the London Palladium surfaced online. The production, directed by Jamie Lloyd and set to run from June 14 to September 6, 2025, stars Zegler as Eva Perón, a role that was expected to showcase her vocal and acting talents following her Broadway debut in Romeo + Juliet (2024). However, the leaked videos—first appearing on May 16—allegedly depicted Zegler in a heated exchange before being escorted out of a rehearsal by security, followed by a clip on May 25 showing her throwing a prop in frustration during a final rehearsal. The footage sparked a frenzy on social media, with sensational claims that Zegler had been “dragged out” for “disruptive behavior” and rumors that she had been replaced by another actress, Camila Delgado, who was allegedly seen performing “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” in separate clips.
The Evita producers responded by filing a lawsuit against Zegler on May 20, accusing her of breaching her contract and seeking $500,000 in damages for alleged unprofessional conduct. Zegler’s legal team fired back with a countersuit on May 21, claiming the footage was edited to misrepresent her actions and that the producers had set her up to fail by leaking the videos to justify her potential dismissal. On May 23, her team escalated the situation, demanding the removal of all leaked footage and threatening legal action against the production company and any platforms hosting the videos, citing violations of her privacy and potential defamation.
Despite the controversy, Zegler remains the lead in Evita, with official listings and rehearsal photos released on May 20 confirming her involvement alongside co-stars Diego Andres Rodriguez (Che) and James Olivas (Juan Perón). However, the production has struggled with slow ticket sales, reported as early as April 2025, with rows of unsold seats in the 2,286-seat venue despite ticket prices starting at £29.50. Some speculate that Zegler’s polarizing public image—already battered by the Snow White debacle, where she faced backlash for her comments on the original film and her pro-Palestinian stance—may be contributing to the lack of audience interest.
Futurama Enters the Fray: A Satirical Takedown in the Works?
Amid this backdrop, rumors have emerged that Futurama, the long-running animated series created by Matt Groening and David X. Cohen, is planning to take aim at Zegler in its upcoming Season 13, set to premiere on Hulu later this year. Futurama, which returned for its third revival in 2023 after a decade-long hiatus, has a storied history of sharp cultural satire, often poking fun at celebrities, politicians, and societal trends through its futuristic lens. The show has previously targeted figures like Paris Hilton (in the 2003 episode “I Know What You Did Next Xmas”) and Al Gore (a recurring guest star who gets roasted for his environmental activism), using its sci-fi setting to deliver biting commentary on contemporary issues.
According to sources close to the production, Futurama writers are reportedly crafting an episode that parodies Zegler’s Evita drama, portraying her as a futuristic diva whose rehearsals for a galactic musical go haywire, complete with exaggerated scenes of her being ejected by robot security guards and hurling props into orbit. The episode is said to include a satirical subplot about a young actress facing a “cancellation ray” from a mob of alien fans, a clear nod to Zegler’s online backlash. Insiders claim the writers intend to “destroy” Zegler’s public image by amplifying her controversies, including her Snow White comments—where she called the 1937 film “weird” and faced accusations of being “woke”—and her political statements, such as her post-election Instagram rant in November 2024 wishing Trump supporters “never know peace.”
The rumor gained traction after a May 25, 2025, report on a pop culture blog speculated that Futurama’s team, known for their timely takes on current events, had been following Zegler’s controversies closely. The show’s history of tackling Hollywood scandals—such as the 2010 episode “The Sting” parodying celebrity meltdowns—lends credence to the possibility. However, no official confirmation has been made by Hulu or the Futurama team, leaving fans to speculate about the extent of the alleged takedown.
A Critical Examination: Is Futurama Going Too Far?
While Futurama’s satirical approach is nothing new, the decision to target Zegler raises ethical questions, particularly given her age, background, and the disproportionate scrutiny she has faced as a Latina actress in Hollywood. Zegler’s career has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows—her Golden Globe win for West Side Story marked her as a rising star, but her Snow White role became a lightning rod for controversy, with Disney insiders reportedly blaming her for the film’s $42.2 million domestic opening against a $270 million budget. The Evita drama, with its leaked footage and legal battles, has only intensified the narrative that Zegler is a “problematic” figure, a label that critics argue is unfairly applied to young women of color who speak their minds.
Zegler’s countersuit against the Evita producers suggests a more complex story than the leaked footage implies. Her legal team claims the videos were edited to misrepresent her actions, omitting context that might show her reacting to a hostile work environment. Sources close to Zegler have alleged that she faced unreasonable demands and mistreatment during rehearsals, a claim that aligns with her history of being targeted for her outspokenness. In a March 2025 interview with Allure, Zegler recounted how white studio executives questioned her Latina identity during the casting of West Side Story, highlighting the systemic challenges she has faced in an industry that often demands conformity from underrepresented actors.
Futurama’s rumored episode risks exacerbating this scrutiny, potentially reducing Zegler’s struggles to a punchline. The show’s satire has historically been sharp but fair, often targeting figures with significant power or privilege, like politicians or established celebrities. Zegler, at 24, is still navigating her career’s early stages, and her controversies—while polarizing—often stem from her willingness to speak out on issues like Palestine or her frustration with political outcomes, as seen in her Trump rant. Satirizing her Evita drama could be seen as punching down, especially given the racial and gender dynamics at play. Film critic Kelechi Ehenulo, quoted in a March 2025 BBC article, described Zegler as a “victim of culture wars,” noting that actors from underrepresented backgrounds often become “targets for backlash.” A Futurama episode that amplifies this backlash could perpetuate that cycle, rather than critiquing the systemic issues that fuel it.
On the other hand, Futurama’s potential satire could be viewed as a broader commentary on the entertainment industry’s treatment of young stars, rather than a personal attack on Zegler. The show has a history of using exaggerated scenarios to highlight real-world absurdities, such as the 2010 episode “I, Robot, You, Jane,” which mocked the frenzy around celebrity scandals. If the rumored episode focuses on the media’s role in sensationalizing Zegler’s drama—such as the unverified claims of her replacement by Camila Delgado—or the Evita producers’ alleged setup, it could offer a sharp critique of the industry’s dynamics, rather than simply “destroying” Zegler. However, without official confirmation, the intent behind the episode remains speculative, and the risk of it being perceived as a personal attack looms large.
The Broader Implications: Zegler’s Resilience and Hollywood’s Double Standards
For Zegler, the Futurama rumor adds another layer of pressure to an already challenging year. Her Snow White experience, where Disney reportedly scaled back her promotional role after her political comments, and the Evita drama have painted her as a polarizing figure, with some studios allegedly distancing themselves, as noted in a May 17, 2025, YouTube report. Yet, Zegler has shown resilience, securing roles like the indie dramedy She Gets It From Me with Marisa Tomei, set for 2026, and continuing her Evita run despite the controversy. Her ability to draw the youngest ticket-buying audience in Broadway history for Romeo + Juliet in 2024, as reported by Vulture, suggests she retains a loyal fanbase that values her authenticity.
The Futurama rumor also highlights Hollywood’s double standards in handling young stars. Zegler’s outspokenness—whether on Palestine, Trump, or the Snow White narrative—has been met with harsher scrutiny than similar behavior from more established or less marginalized actors. Her Evita legal battle, while messy, reflects a fight for fairness in an industry that often exploits young talent. If Futurama does target her, it risks reinforcing these double standards, rather than challenging the systems that perpetuate them.
A Moment of Reckoning
As Futurama prepares its next season, the rumored episode targeting Zegler remains unconfirmed, leaving fans and critics to debate its potential impact. If the show proceeds with a satirical takedown, it must tread carefully to avoid exacerbating the unfair scrutiny Zegler faces, instead using its platform to critique the broader cultural dynamics at play. For Zegler, the Evita drama and the Futurama rumor are yet another test of her resilience—a test she has met with legal action, continued performances, and a focus on her craft. As she prepares to take the stage as Eva Perón on June 14, Zegler’s ability to rise above the noise will determine whether she can reclaim her narrative, proving that even in the face of a potential “destruction” by Futurama, her star power remains unshakable.
