Landing the role of Disney's first princess, Snow White, was a pretty big deal for Rachel Zegler — but starring in a live-action remake of a beloved animated classic can be a rocky journey. And as the actor recently told Allure, she had a few famous friends reach out to offer support — including Glinda the Good herself, Ariana Grande.
"She reached out to me — kind of apropos of nothing — and was like, ‘If you need anything, I am here,’" Zegler explained, calling Grande “so deeply kind.” Zegler had nothing but praise for the Eternal Sunshine singer, saying, "She has gone through so much in the public eye, and I have always really, really admired her courage in the face of all of that."
The actor told Allure that she has no interest in competing with her fellow actresses. “All I’m ever really looking for in this business is a sister and they’re not always easy to find," Zegler explained. "We’re often told that other women have to be your competition and I don’t subscribe to that… I’ve come to know that in the last couple of years, in search of female friendship in the industry, there is room for all of us no matter what anybody else will have you think.”
When Zegler was officially cast as Snow White, she faced racist backlash from trolls who were up in arms over an actress of color taking on a role that had traditionally been depicted as white — backlash she expertly shot down on X (formerly Twitter) in her signature whip-smart, no B.S. manner.
“Extremely appreciative of the love I feel from those defending me online, but please don’t tag me in the nonsensical discourse about my casting. I really, truly do not want to see it. So I leave you [with] these photos! I hope every child knows they can be a princess no matter what," Zegler wrote at the time.
“The reality is, I was given a chance because I could sing,” Zegler said to Allure about her casting. “My only prayer for the future of diversity and inclusion is that we invest in and nurture talent no matter what they look like.”
Zegler, who is half-Colombian, also opened up about “having a bunch of white executives have you prove your identity to them.” During the casting process for West Side Story, Zegler said film execs "kept calling to ask if I was legit. I remember thinking, Do you want me to bring my abuelita in? I will. I’ll bring her into the studio if you want to meet her.”
“It's an interesting experience being part of that diaspora in the current climate we live in,” she added. "But I love being Colombian.” And we love our newest Disney princess.
