At 3:40 PM +07 on Friday, June 13, 2025, the entertainment industry is grappling with a seismic shift following Disney’s decision to remove its live-action Snow White remake from cinemas, a move that has sent shockwaves through the career of lead actress Rachel Zegler. The film, which debuted in March 2025, has been yanked from theaters after a dismal box office run, marking a rare and humiliating retreat for the studio. This abrupt exit, coupled with the mounting backlash against Zegler, has plunged her into a professional crisis, with fans, critics, and industry insiders debating whether this spells the end of her rising star. The saga, steeped in controversy from the outset, has turned a once-promising project into a cautionary tale of ambition gone awry.

The decision to pull Snow White came on June 5, 2025, when Disney announced the film’s immediate withdrawal from its remaining 1,000 U.S. screens, citing “strategic realignment” amid its poor performance. Released with a reported $240 million budget, the movie grossed just $169 million globally, a figure far below expectations and signaling a potential $115 million loss for Disney. The re-release attempt in early May, intended to salvage its fortunes, averaged a paltry $252 per screen, netting only $335,000. This flop, the latest in a string of underwhelming live-action remakes, prompted Disney to pivot to a digital release on May 13 and a planned Blu-ray/DVD drop on June 24. For Zegler, the timing couldn’t be worse, as her association with the film’s failure has intensified scrutiny on her every move.

Zegler’s journey with Snow White began with promise. Cast in 2019 as the titular princess, the 23-year-old actress, fresh from her Golden Globe-winning role in Spielberg’s West Side Story (2021), brought a modern edge to the character. Her portrayal aimed to reimagine Snow White as an empowered leader rather than a passive figure, a shift that sparked immediate backlash. Early interviews, where she criticized the original 1937 film’s “sexist” romance and called the prince a “stalker,” alienated traditional fans. Her social media activity, including a “free Palestine” post after the 2024 trailer and an anti-Trump rant post-election, further fueled the fire, drawing ire from conservative circles and prompting Disney to assign a social media handler to vet her posts.

The film’s troubles compounded with production challenges. A 2023 writers’ strike delayed filming, a set fire added logistical headaches, and tensions with co-star Gal Gadot, who played the Evil Queen, reportedly surfaced over their opposing views on the Israel-Palestine conflict—Gadot, an Israeli former IDF soldier, clashed with Zegler’s pro-Palestinian stance. Critics panned the CGI-rendered dwarfs and the anticlimactic ending, while audiences gave it a B+ CinemaScore and a 40% on Rotten Tomatoes. The backlash escalated into a review-bombing campaign, dragging its IMDb score to a dismal 1.6. Disney’s attempt to blame Zegler’s “woke” comments, as hinted in Variety reports, only deepened the narrative of her as the film’s scapegoat.

The cinema removal has amplified Zegler’s fall from grace. Industry whispers, echoed by figures like Joe Rogan, suggest Disney may investigate the film’s $250 million budget mismanagement, though Rogan’s call for a DOGE probe seems more rhetorical than serious. Posts on X reflect a sentiment of schadenfreude, with some labeling her “canceled” and others predicting Hollywood’s reluctance to cast her in future blockbusters. High-profile critics, including Sean Lennon and Danica Patrick, have joined the pile-on, with Patrick’s Instagram jab—“Bye bye”—adding to the public shaming. Even allies like Ariana DeBose, her West Side Story co-star, appeared to distance herself with a subtle Instagram dig, quoting a critic’s takedown of Zegler.

Zegler’s response has been muted. Spotted walking her dog in New York City on April 14, she appeared somber, her “People can do hard things” phone case a poignant irony amid the chaos. She’s shifted focus to upcoming projects, including a West End Evita debut on June 14 and a film with Marisa Tomei, signaling a bid to reclaim her narrative. Yet, the Snow White debacle looms large, with Disney insiders suggesting her outspokenness cost the studio millions. Reports of a falling-out with Gadot and a reprimand from producer Marc Platt over her social media posts paint a picture of a young star overwhelmed by the spotlight.

The cultural fallout is significant. Snow White’s failure has reignited debates about Disney’s live-action strategy, leading to a pause on the Tangled remake. It also highlights the perils of celebrity activism in a polarized climate, with Zegler’s pro-Palestinian and anti-Trump views clashing with Gadot’s pro-Israel stance, prompting a boycott from groups like BDS and PACBI. Lebanon’s ban on the film, tied to Gadot’s background, added another layer of controversy, though Zegler bore the brunt of the blame. This intersection of politics and entertainment has turned the remake into a battleground for identity politics, with Zegler’s casting as a Latina Snow White drawing both praise for diversity and accusations of “wokeness” from detractors.

Critics argue the film’s issues extend beyond Zegler. The bland script, criticized by SlashFilm as adding “nothing of value” to the fairy tale, and the CGI dwarfs, deemed artificial by Screen Rant, share responsibility. Yet, Zegler’s vocal presence—her “simmering indignation” in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) contrasted with her Snow White missteps—has made her a convenient target. Industry voices like Jonah Platt, Marc’s son, have slammed her for dragging “personal politics” into the promotion, a sentiment echoed by those who see her as undermining a $270 million investment. Her Tony snub for Romeo + Juliet on Broadway further dims her prospects.

Zegler’s supporters counter that she’s being unfairly singled out. Teen Vogue’s timeline of the Snow White controversies points to systemic issues—strikes, set mishaps, and Disney’s overreliance on nostalgia—as key culprits. Her vocal talent and emotional depth, praised in reviews, suggest resilience, with producers like Jen Dana from 3311 Productions lauding her “brilliant depth” for future roles. The Snow White flop, they argue, is a hiccup in a career that includes hits like The Hunger Games prequel, not a death knell.

The broader impact on Disney is undeniable. With Snow White as its “greatest failure,” the studio faces a reckoning, potentially rethinking its remake pipeline. For Zegler, the road ahead is uncertain. Her London move for Evita offers a chance to reset, but the Snow White shadow may linger. Whether she can recover depends on her ability to navigate the backlash and prove her versatility. As of now, her world has indeed crashed, but the entertainment industry’s history of redemptions leaves room for hope—or at least a dramatic comeback.