Rachel Zegler, the 23-year-old actress who skyrocketed to fame with her Golden Globe-winning role in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (2021), has faced a tumultuous year in 2025. Once celebrated as a rising star and a trailblazer for diversity in Hollywood, Zegler’s career has been battered by controversies, from the commercial failure of Disney’s Snow White remake to public backlash over her political statements. Now, a new rumor has emerged: alleged leaked emails that could potentially ruin her career. But as of May 21, 2025, a closer examination reveals that while Zegler has been the target of damaging leaks—specifically explicit photos and videos from her iCloud—the narrative of career-ruining emails lacks substantiation. This article explores the context of these leaks, their potential impact on Zegler’s career, and whether they mark the end of her Hollywood journey or simply another hurdle in her already challenging path.
The Alleged Leaked Emails: What’s the Story?
In recent weeks, rumors have circulated online about leaked emails that purportedly expose damaging information about Rachel Zegler, potentially threatening her career. These claims, however, lack concrete evidence—no credible outlet has reported on specific emails, and the narrative appears to be a conflation of other leaks involving Zegler. Instead, the most prominent leaks tied to her name involve explicit content: nude photos and a pornographic video allegedly stolen from her iCloud, as reported by Scandal Planet (March 25, 2025) and The Fappening (March 9, 2025). These sources claim the material was hacked and leaked online, describing intimate selfies and a video of Zegler in lingerie, posing and moaning for the camera.
The timing of these leaks coincides with a critical juncture in Zegler’s career. Disney’s Snow White remake, released on March 21, 2025, was a commercial flop, earning just $310 million globally against a $673 million break-even point, resulting in a $363 million loss, as noted by Vanity Fair (March 29, 2025). Zegler faced intense backlash for her comments during the press tour, where she called the 1937 original “weird” and emphasized a modernized, leadership-focused Snow White, alienating some fans. Her political statements—such as a “free Palestine” post in August 2024 and a “F*** Donald Trump” message after the 2024 election—further fueled the fire, drawing criticism from conservative commentators like Megyn Kelly, who called for Disney to fire her, as reported by Forbes (November 16, 2024).
The narrative of “leaked emails” ruining Zegler’s career seems to have evolved from these iCloud leaks, with online speculation amplifying the story into something more damaging. YouTube videos and social media posts have claimed that these leaks reveal unprofessional behavior or derogatory remarks, but without specific content or credible sources, these claims remain speculative. The iCloud leaks, however, are a real and invasive violation of Zegler’s privacy, raising serious questions about their impact on her career and public image.
The iCloud Leaks: A Real Threat to Zegler’s Career?
The explicit content allegedly leaked from Zegler’s iCloud has been widely circulated online, with Scandal Planet describing selfies that reveal her “firm and round tits” and “unshaved hairy pussy,” alongside a video of her in lingerie. The Fappening similarly highlights her “show-stopping elegance” in public appearances but juxtaposes this with the leaked intimate material, noting her “killer legs and cleavage” in various red carpet moments. These leaks, if authentic, represent a significant breach of privacy, a recurring issue for celebrities in the digital age, often referred to as “The Fappening” after a 2014 wave of similar iCloud hacks targeting stars like Jennifer Lawrence.
For Zegler, the timing of these leaks couldn’t be worse. The Snow White flop has already damaged her reputation, with Disney insiders scapegoating her for the film’s failure, as reported by Vanity Fair. Industry voices have labeled her a liability, with some suggesting her political activism and promotional missteps alienated audiences. The iCloud leaks add a new layer of scrutiny, potentially shifting the narrative from professional critique to personal scandal. In an industry that often judges women more harshly than men for such incidents, the explicit nature of the leaks could further tarnish Zegler’s image, especially among family-oriented audiences who associate her with Disney.
However, the impact of such leaks on a celebrity’s career is not always career-ending. Jennifer Lawrence, after her 2014 iCloud hack, spoke out against the violation, calling it a “sex crime,” and went on to win an Oscar for Joy (2015). Similarly, Scarlett Johansson, another victim of the 2011 hacks, maintained her status as a Hollywood A-lister. Zegler’s case, however, is complicated by her already precarious position in the industry. At 23, she lacks the established clout of Lawrence or Johansson, and the Snow White backlash has left her vulnerable to further criticism. The leaks could reinforce the narrative of Zegler as a “problematic” star, making casting directors hesitant to work with her, especially for family-friendly roles.
Zegler’s Career Context: A Star in Crisis
To understand the potential impact of these leaks, it’s essential to examine Zegler’s career trajectory in 2025. Her breakout role in West Side Story earned her critical acclaim and a Golden Globe, positioning her as a rising star. Her casting as Snow White was initially celebrated for its diversity—she is the first Latina to play the iconic princess—but the film’s failure and the ensuing backlash have taken a toll. Vanity Fair reported that Disney insiders blamed Zegler for the film’s “poison box office,” citing her political statements and comments about the original story as reasons for its poor performance. The film’s $363 million loss made it one of the most expensive flops in Disney’s live-action remake history, surpassing even Joker: Folie à Deux’s $198.8 million loss.
Zegler’s political activism has also made her a lightning rod for cultural debates. Her “free Palestine” post, as noted by Vanity Fair, prompted producer Marc Platt to fly to New York to address her social media behavior, though she refused to take down the post. Her “F*** Donald Trump” statement after the 2024 election drew fierce criticism from conservative figures like Megyn Kelly, who called her a “pig” and suggested Disney fire her, as reported by Forbes. These incidents have polarized audiences, with some fans praising her integrity—actress Melissa Barrera, who was fired from Scream 7 for similar activism, called Zegler “cool as hell”—while others have labeled her ungrateful and self-centered.
Amid this scrutiny, Zegler has pivoted to new projects. She made her Broadway debut in Romeo + Juliet from September 2024 to February 2025, earning mixed reviews but no Tony nomination, as noted by the Daily Mail (April 18, 2025). She is set to star in the indie romcom She Gets It From Me alongside Marisa Tomei, a move that suggests a strategic retreat from blockbuster roles, as reported by World of Reel (April 30, 2025). Additionally, Zegler is scheduled to make her West End debut as Eva Perón in a revival of Evita at the London Palladium in summer 2025, directed by Jamie Lloyd, though rumors of rehearsal drama have cast doubt on her involvement.
Critical Examination: Do the Leaks Ruin Her Career?
The narrative of leaked emails ruining Zegler’s career appears to be a misrepresentation of the iCloud leaks, which involve explicit photos and videos rather than emails. While these leaks are a serious violation of her privacy, their potential to “ruin” her career must be critically examined. Historically, female celebrities have faced harsher judgment for such incidents than their male counterparts—consider the contrasting public reactions to Kim Kardashian’s 2007 sex tape, which launched her career, versus the career setbacks faced by Vanessa Hudgens after her 2007 nude photo leak. Zegler’s case, however, occurs in a different cultural moment, where public awareness of privacy violations and cybercrimes has grown, potentially mitigating some of the backlash.
The iCloud leaks could harm Zegler’s image, particularly among family-oriented audiences who associate her with Disney. The explicit nature of the content clashes with her role as a Disney princess, potentially making casting directors wary of hiring her for similar roles. However, Zegler’s career trajectory suggests resilience—she has already lined up new projects, indicating that she is not being entirely blacklisted. Her pivot to indie films and stage roles, such as She Gets It From Me and Evita, shows a strategic move to rebuild her reputation away from the blockbuster spotlight, a path that has worked for other young actresses facing backlash.
The broader context of Zegler’s career challenges also suggests that the leaks are not the sole factor threatening her career. The Snow White flop, her political statements, and the industry’s tendency to scapegoat young actresses for systemic failures—similar to Nia DaCosta’s experience with The Marvels, as noted by World of Reel—have already damaged her standing. The leaks add fuel to the fire, but they are not the root cause of her struggles. Moreover, the lack of evidence for “leaked emails” specifically ruining her career points to a pattern of misinformation targeting Zegler, as seen in fabricated controversies involving South Park and The Simpsons. This suggests that the narrative of her career being “ruined” may be exaggerated by clickbait content designed to exploit her existing controversies.
Implications for Zegler’s Future
Zegler’s future in Hollywood remains uncertain but not without hope. The iCloud leaks, while damaging, are unlikely to be a career-ending blow if she can navigate the fallout with grace. Public support from peers like Melissa Barrera and David Ehrlich, who called her a star with “a lifetime of incredible roles ahead,” as reported by Vanity Fair, indicates that she has allies in the industry. Her upcoming projects, including She Gets It From Me and Evita (if she remains involved despite the rumored rehearsal drama), offer opportunities to showcase her talents and rebuild her image.
The broader implications of this controversy highlight the challenges young actresses face in the digital age. Zegler’s experience underscores the double standards women in Hollywood endure—her male co-star Ansel Elgort faced sexual assault allegations in 2020, yet his career continued relatively unscathed, while Zegler has been vilified for both her activism and now these leaks. The invasive nature of the iCloud leaks also raises ethical questions about privacy and the responsibility of media outlets to avoid amplifying such content. For Zegler, addressing the leaks publicly—perhaps by condemning the violation and focusing on her work—could help her reclaim her narrative, as other celebrities have done in similar situations.
Conclusion: A Career at a Crossroads
The rumored leaked emails that supposedly ruin Rachel Zegler’s career appear to be a misrepresentation of the iCloud leaks involving explicit photos and videos, which surfaced in March 2025. As of May 21, 2025, there is no evidence of damaging emails, and the narrative seems to be a product of sensationalized clickbait rather than fact. The iCloud leaks, however, are a real violation of Zegler’s privacy and pose a significant challenge to her already battered career, particularly given the timing after the Snow White flop and her polarizing public statements.
At 23, Zegler is at a crossroads—facing intense scrutiny but also showing resilience through new projects. While the leaks could harm her image, especially among family-oriented audiences, they are unlikely to ruin her career entirely. Her talent, evident in her West Side Story performance and vocal prowess, suggests she has the potential to rebound, provided she can weather the storm and find roles that allow her to shine. The controversy surrounding these leaks serves as a reminder of the harsh realities of fame for young actresses—and the need for greater accountability in how privacy violations are handled in the digital age. For Zegler, the path forward may be challenging, but her story is far from over.
