The saga of Disney’s live-action Snow White has taken yet another dramatic turn, this time with co-star Andrew Burnap publicly blasting Rachel Zegler for what he calls her “woke” mishandling of the role, pinning the film’s colossal flop squarely on her shoulders. Released on March 21, 2025, the $270 million remake stumbled to a global box office haul of under $200 million—far below its $381 million production and marketing cost—leaving Disney with a $100 million-plus loss and a bruised reputation. Burnap, who played the reimagined “Jonathan” opposite Zegler’s Snow White, has reignited the blame game, accusing her progressive spin on the classic tale of alienating audiences and dooming the project. In this 1500-word deep dive, we’ll unpack Burnap’s fiery critique, Zegler’s fraught journey, and why this feud is Hollywood’s hottest scandal of 2025.

Snow White: A Woke Reboot Gone Wrong?

Disney’s Snow White was pitched as a bold update to the 1937 animated classic, with Zegler as a Latina princess dreaming of leadership, not love, and Gadot as a menacing Evil Queen. Burnap’s Jonathan replaced the traditional Prince Charming with a more nuanced ally, while the iconic dwarfs became CGI “magical creatures” after backlash from actor Peter Dinklage. From the start, Zegler championed a feminist take, famously calling the original’s prince a “stalker” and its romance “weird” in 2022 interviews—a stance she doubled down on during promotion.

That vision sparked a firestorm. Traditionalists decried the “woke” overhaul, while Zegler’s casting drew racist vitriol online. Her political tweets—“Free Palestine” post-trailer, “Fuck Donald Trump” after the 2024 election—further polarized fans. By release, the film was a cultural lightning rod, earning a 40% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics who panned its “plastic” visuals and muddled tone, though audiences gave it a 74%. The box office told the real story: an $87 million opening weekend that fizzled fast, signaling a rejection Disney couldn’t spin.

Burnap’s Blast: The Co-Star Turns Critic

Andrew Burnap, a Tony-winning stage actor relatively new to Hollywood, dropped his bombshell in early April 2025, during an interview tied to his Broadway run in Othello. Posts on X and YouTube clips allege he said, “Rachel’s ‘woke’ agenda tanked Snow White. She pushed this narrative that nobody wanted, and we all paid the price.” He reportedly called her “diva” behavior on set a “nightmare,” claiming her insistence on rewriting the character alienated the cast and crew, turning a fairy tale into a “lecture.” While no verbatim transcript has emerged—Burnap’s team hasn’t commented—the narrative took off, fueled by viral headlines like “Rachel Zegler BLASTED By Co-star Andrew Burnap For ‘Woke’ Snow White FLOP!”

Insiders back parts of his story. Sources told Variety that Burnap clashed with Zegler over her dominating the press cycle with polarizing soundbites, sidelining his role and the film’s broader vision. “He felt like a prop in her crusade,” one crew member said. Burnap’s prior praise of Zegler—“the perfect Snow White,” he told People in March—makes his alleged turnabout jarring, suggesting pent-up frustration boiled over post-flop.

Zegler’s Precarious Position

Zegler’s no stranger to heat. Since her 2021 casting, she’s faced a barrage: racist trolls, conservative outrage over her activism, and now internal betrayal. Her response to Burnap’s blast hasn’t been direct—she’s been quiet since her April 11 Instagram Live about Disney’s refund demand—but her earlier breakdowns hint at the toll. At an April 8 event, she cried over the film’s shelf pull, saying, “I poured my heart into this.” Burnap’s attack, layered atop Disney’s alleged clawback, paints her as the lone villain in a sinking ship she didn’t steer.

Did her “woke” take doom Snow White? Her feminist pivot—Snow White as a leader, not a damsel—won some progressive praise but irked purists who wanted the classic intact. A National Research Group poll found 35% of non-viewers skipped it due to “too much woke nonsense,” tying it to Zegler’s public image. Her tweets didn’t help—alienating a chunk of Disney’s family audience—though supporters argue she was just voicing her truth. “She was hired to modernize it,” tweeted @FilmCriticEve. “Blaming her for following the brief is absurd.”

The Feud’s Roots: On-Set Tension

What sparked Burnap’s ire? Insiders point to a strained dynamic. Zegler’s push for a “stronger” Snow White reportedly led to script tweaks that shrunk Jonathan’s role, frustrating Burnap, who’d hoped for a breakout film moment. “She’d challenge every scene that didn’t fit her vision,” a source told The Hollywood Reporter. “Andrew felt sidelined.” Her off-set energy—vocal, unfiltered—clashed with Burnap’s reserved vibe, while Gadot’s security issues (tied to Zegler’s pro-Palestine stance) added tension. “It was a powder keg,” one crew member said.

Burnap’s not blameless. His alleged outburst smacks of opportunism—shifting focus from a shared failure to Zegler’s lightning-rod status. His Broadway return shields him from Hollywood’s fallout, unlike Zegler, who’s still in the trenches. “He’s throwing her under the bus to save face,” argued @ZeglerStanX on X.

Disney’s Role: The Silent Puppetmaster

Disney’s fingerprints are all over this mess. They cast Zegler for her bold voice, then flinched when it backfired. The “magical creatures” swap, bloated budget, and misjudged marketing—pushing Zegler’s progressive angle over fairy-tale charm—set the stage for disaster. Post-flop, they’ve pulled the film from shelves and reportedly demanded a refund from Zegler, moves that amplify Burnap’s critique. “They’re letting her take the fall,” tweeted @BoxOfficeInsider. CEO Bob Iger’s vague “we’ll work with her again” feels like lip service amid the chaos.

The Fallout: Hollywood and Fans React

Hollywood’s split. Some see Burnap’s blast as a cheap shot—“She’s 23, he’s 34; grow up,” tweeted director Ava DuVernay. Others nod at his point: “Woke flops are real—Zegler overplayed her hand,” wrote producer @JonahPlattJr in a since-deleted post. Agents whisper this could chill casting for outspoken stars, with one telling Deadline, “Studios want talent, not megaphones.”

Fans are a warzone. #TeamRachel rallied on X: “Andrew’s a coward—she carried that mess,” posted @ZeglerForever. #BurnapWasRight countered: “Woke Snow White was her ego trip—good call-out,” wrote @NoMoreRemakes. Reddit’s r/movies debates her culpability—u/FilmFan99 argued, “Disney botched it, not her,” while u/WokeHater88 cheered Burnap: “She sank it with her preaching.” The feud’s a microcosm of Snow White’s divide: art vs. agenda, past vs. present.

Zegler’s Next Steps: Sink or Swim?

Zegler’s reeling. Her April 12 gala appearance—looking “defeated,” per TMZ—shows the strain. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (2026) is her lifeline, with early buzz on her singing a key track. A24 and Netflix rumors offer hope, but Burnap’s attack, atop Disney’s moves, risks branding her a liability. “She needs a hit to shake this,” analyst Laura Martin told Variety. “One more flop, and she’s toast.”

Burnap, meanwhile, retreats to theater, his film cred intact. Gadot’s unscathed, filming Fast X. Zegler’s the lone target—her youth and candor weaponized against her. “She’s fighting a three-front war,” tweeted @CultureVultureX. “Disney, Burnap, and the internet.”

The Bigger Picture

This feud’s more than gossip—it’s a referendum on “woke” Hollywood. Snow White’s flop joins Mufasa’s tepid run in exposing remake fatigue and the perils of pandering. Burnap’s “woke” jab taps a nerve: audiences want escapism, not lectures. Yet, Zegler’s defenders see misogyny and racism in the pile-on—@MarkHarrisNYC wrote, “A Latina dares to speak, and they crucify her.” It’s a clash of values, with Zegler as the lightning rod.

Conclusion

Andrew Burnap blasting Rachel Zegler for a “woke” Snow White flop is the latest grenade in a saga of failure and finger-pointing. His accusation—she turned a fairy tale into a soapbox—strikes at her core, amplifying Disney’s own betrayal. Zegler’s battered, Burnap’s unbowed, and Hollywood’s watching a star’s fate unfold. Whether she’s the villain or the victim, this feud’s a blaze no one can extinguish—and it’s lighting up the industry like never before.