‘The Hunger Games’ Actress Rachel Zegler Plays Victim, Claims She Only Received Backlash For Being Outspoken
John F. Trent
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Actress Rachel Zegler, who plays Lucy Gray Baird in the upcoming The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, recently addressed the backlash she’s received for her comments about Snow White as well as her defamation of actors Jeremy Renner and Gina Carano.
Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Photo Credit: Lionsgate
TheWrap listed Zegler as one of their trailblazers for their Latino Power List 2023. As part of her entry, Zegler informed the outlet, “It’s an honor to be recognized in a way that both celebrates our heritage and lifts up the contributions we all make to this industry, where it can be particularly hard for us to be seen and heard in a meaningful way.”
She continued, “I still don’t think I’m quite ready for the life I already have, despite being extremely grateful for it and for every opportunity it has brought me.”
Rachel Zegler as Maria in 20th Century Studios’ WEST SIDE STORY, directed by Steven Spielberg. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2021 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Zegler then shared some advice to those seeking to become actors in Hollywood, “To young Latino performers coming up in the industry, I would tell them to know their worth, and to make sure they’re loud about having seats at the tables they deserve to be at,”
Finally, she addressed the backlash she received while positioning herself as a victim, “I have learned the hard way that we have to be fearless and loud in order to be heard, and to prepare for the backlash that occasionally comes with that outspokenness.”
Rachel Zegler as Maria and Ansel Elgort as Tony in 20th Century Studios’ WEST SIDE STORY. Photo by Niko Tavernise. © 2021 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Zegler, who will play Snow White in an upcoming live-action film from The Walt Disney Company, became infamous after numerous comments resurfaced of her deriding the original animated Disney film following the a set leak depicting Disney’s modernized seven “dwarfs.”
The actress has routinely been criticized for her comments describing the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs animated film as dated, disparaging the Prince as a stalker, and taking issue with the film’s love story.
Not only that, but she’s revealed the upcoming live-action film is changing the definition of fair, appears to remove the entire moral lesson on vanity, and will instead be some kind of story about Snow White’s inner struggle and her desire to be a good leader.
Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Photo Credit: Murray Close
She revealed to Extra TV her thoughts about the Prince, “The original cartoon came out in 1937 and very evidently so. There’s a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird. Weird. So we didn’t do that this time.”
When asked if the prince would even be in the film, Zegler answered, “We have a different approach to what I’m sure a lot of people will assume is a love story just because like we cast a guy in the movie, Andrew Burnap, great dude.”
She continued, “It’s one of those things that I think everyone’s going to have their assumptions about what it’s actually going to be, but it’s really not about the love story at all, which is really, really wonderful. And whether or not she finds love along the way is anybody’s guess until 2024. All of Andrew’s scenes could get. Who knows? It’s Hollywood, baby!”
Zegler then revealed what the film is really about, “It’s an inner journey that she goes on to find her true self. And she meets a lot of people along the way that make the journey really incredible.”
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 09: (L-R) Gal Gadot and Rachel Zegler speak onstage D23 Expo 2022 at Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on September 09, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
She made similar comments to Variety when asked why she described the movie as having a “modern edge.” She said, “I just mean it’s no longer 1937, and we absolutely wrote a Snow White–”
Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen in the upcoming live-action adaptation, interjected, “–She’s not gonna be saved by the prince.”
Zegler then affirmed, “She’s not gonna be saved by the prince and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love.”
Zegler elaborated, “She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be. The leader that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, brave, and true.”
“And so it’s just a really incredible story for, I think, young people everywhere to see themselves in,” she concluded.
Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Photo Credit: Murray Close
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Zegler also revealed that the film is also changing the definition of “fair” for the film. The original animated film made it clear the term referred to beauty and was providing a lesson vanity.
This will no longer be the definition for Zegler’s live-action movie.
She explained, “The reality is that the cartoon was made 85 years ago and therefore it’s extremely dated when it comes to the ideas of women being in roles of power and what a woman is fit for in the world. And so when we came to reimagining the actual role of Snow White it became about the fairest of them all meaning who is the most just. And who can become a fantastic leader.”
Zegler continued, “And the reality is, you know, Snow White has to learn a lot of lessons about coming into her own power before she can come into power over a kingdom.”
Gadot added, “Also the fact that she’s not going to be saved by The Prince and she’s the proactive one and she’s the one who set the terms is what makes it so relevant to where we are today.”
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 09: (L-R) Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot attend D23 Expo 2022 at Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on September 09, 2022. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
RELATED: Box Office Poison Rachel Zegler Asks Followers To Fund Body Mutilation Surgery For “Friend”
Not only has Zegler been criticized for her comments about Snow White and the upcoming film, but she’s also been criticized for her tone deafness surrounding the SAG-AFTRA strike and her demands for residuals.
In what appears to be an Instagram Story post from July, she said, “I have residual checks that would shock you. And I’ve only made two movies.”
The two movies she participated in were box office failures. Shazam! Fury of the Gods only grossed $132.1 million globally in its theatrical run despite having a $125 million production budget. The film likely lost Warner Bros. Pictures around $108.2 million.
Her other film was West Side Story. The movie grossed $74.8 million globally. It had a reported production budget of $100 million. That means the film likely lost around $105.1 million for The Walt Disney Company.
Rachel Zegler as Maria and Ariana Debose as Anita in 20th Century Studios’ WEST SIDE STORY. Photo by Niko Tavernise. © 2021 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Nevertheless, she also told Entertainment Tonight on the picket line, “If I’m going to stand there 18 hours in a dress of an iconic Disney princess, I deserve to be paid for every hour that it is streamed online.”
“If I’m going to stand there 18 hours in a dress of an iconic Disney princess, I deserve to be paid for every hour that it is streamed online.”
– Rachel Zegler on the Sag strikeI stand with the Wga and Saf aftra and believe that actors and writers should be paid fairly! pic.twitter.com/rUP24iAtAn
— Snow White News (@SnowWhiteNews) August 3, 2023
Zegler has also been criticized for her defamation of Jeremy Renner. She viciously attacked Renner while he was in the middle of a nasty custody battle with his ex-wife Sonny Pacheco who accused him of abusing drugs and alcohol, threatening to kill her, and also attempting suicide.
At the time Renner rebuked Pacheco’s claims providing legal documents showing he was drug and alcohol tested for three months, all of which came back negative.
The documents also claimed that he was requesting Sonni’s time with their daughter be reduced so she could “overcome her overwhelming obsession with demonizing” Renner.
A representative from Renner also stated, “The well-being of his daughter has always been and continues to be the primary focus for Jeremy. This is a matter for the court to decide. It’s important to note the dramatizations made in Sonni’s declaration are a one-sided account made with a specific goal in mind.”
Rachel Zegler as Maria in 20th Century Studios’ WEST SIDE STORY. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2021 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Nevertheless, Zegler went after Renner on Twitter initially writing, “can i be the new hawkeye.”
Rachel Zegler Twitter
She followed that up writing, “actually i think the new hawkeye should be a trans woman of color to stick it to that racist sexist transphobic garbage monster.”
Rachel Zegler Twitter
In another follow she added, “AND DEAF!!!!!!! proper representation for the incredible Deaf/hard of hearing community. a deaf trans woman of color. YES.”
Rachel Zegler Twitter
One user would challenge Zegler writing, “u need to learn the facts before u start running your damn mouth. turns out most of the story is bs.”
DisneyVasquez3 Twitter
Zegler responded by doubling down on her accusations against Renner.
She wrote, “not even remotely going to address the story that came out today BUT he has made: racist, sexist, transphobic comments and totally disrespected the Deaf community.
“Better catch my mouth cuz she runnin BYE,” Zegler concluded.
Rachel Zegler Twitter
As for Gina Carano, Zegler participated in the cancel mob targeting her. At the height of “transgender” activists attacking Carano for refusing to put her pronouns in her bio, Zegler tweeted out, “do not make fun of pronouns.”
She added, “They are not a joke! pronouns are validating! pronouns are cool! put your pronouns in your bio! i wear my pronouns on a button sometimes! it’s a good thing! bye!”
Making it clear she was referring to Carano, she concluded the thread, “it’s a fun time to remind you all to love pedro pascal”
Rachel Zegler Twitter
She also shared a photo of a button with the words She and Her on it.
Rachel Zegler Twitter
Zegler’s comments came the same day that Carano explained that the woke world was mad at her because “I won’t put pronouns in my bio to show my support for trans lives. After months of harassing me in every way. I decided to put 3 VERY controversial words in my bio.. beep/bop/boop.”
Gina Carano Twitter
Clearly, Zegler is not a victim and the backlash she has received has been warranted. Zegler has participated in the canceling of Gina Carano. She viciously attacked Jeremy Renner at probably one of the toughest moments in his life, and she has repeatedly disrespected and condescended fans of the classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs animated film.
To claim she’s received the backlash for being outspoken is laughable. No, she’s received the backlash because her actions have been horrible.
Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird and Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Photo Credit: Murray Close
What do you make of Zegler’s comments to TheWrap?