The Walt Disney Company, a titan of entertainment with a legacy built on fairy tales and family-friendly magic, is reeling from one of its most humiliating setbacks in recent memory. The live-action Snow White, released on March 15, 2025, was meant to be a crown jewel in Disney’s ongoing slate of remakes, boasting a $270 million budget and a high-profile cast led by Rachel Zegler as the titular princess and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. Instead, it has become a cautionary tale of hubris, mismanagement, and cultural missteps, grossing a dismal $87 million worldwide on opening weekend and sinking further in the weeks since. Now, rumors are ablaze that Disney CEO Bob Iger has officially fired Zegler, pinning the film’s disaster squarely on her shoulders. But is this dramatic claim rooted in reality, or is it the latest twist in a saga already overflowing with speculation? Let’s delve into the story, separating fact from fiction with insights from the web and a critical eye on the unfolding drama.

The Snow White debacle didn’t materialize overnight. From the moment Zegler was cast in June 2021, the project faced backlash. Critics—some fair, some steeped in prejudice—questioned her suitability as Snow White, a character traditionally depicted with “skin as white as snow,” given Zegler’s Colombian heritage. The actress, then 20, clapped back with poise, telling Variety, “You don’t normally see Snow Whites that are of Latin descent… It’s a huge thing that was trending on Twitter for days, because all of the people were angry.” Disney stood by her, framing the casting as a progressive step toward inclusivity. But the controversy didn’t end there. Zegler’s 2022 comments calling the 1937 original “weird” and its prince a “stalker” enraged purists, while her vision of a Snow White focused on leadership, not romance, signaled a bold departure from the classic—a move that would later prove divisive.

Production woes compounded the PR nightmare. Delayed by COVID-19, marred by a set fire, and plagued by reshoots in 2024 after poor test screenings, Snow White was a logistical mess. The decision to replace the seven dwarves with CGI “magical creatures”—later reversed after outcry from dwarfism advocates like Peter Dinklage—only deepened the perception of a film adrift. By the time the trailer dropped in August 2024, earning 120 million views, Zegler’s appended X post—“and always remember, free Palestine”—thrust the project into geopolitical quicksand. Her co-star Gal Gadot, an Israeli actress and former IDF soldier, faced heightened security as death threats spiked, per Variety. Disney scrambled, hiring a “social media guru” to vet Zegler’s posts and dispatching producer Marc Platt to New York to urge her to back off. She didn’t budge.

The film’s March premiere was a muted affair, held at a Spanish castle with no press allowed—a stark contrast to the glitzy rollout of Moana 2 months earlier. Zegler and Gadot appeared together at the Oscars on March 2, presenting an award, but their interactions were minimal, fueling feud rumors. When Snow White opened to $43 million domestically—a fraction of The Little Mermaid’s $95.5 million debut—analysts were stunned. The film’s 41% Rotten Tomatoes score and steep 53% second-weekend drop cemented its fate. To break even, it needed $800–850 million globally; current projections hover below $200 million. Disney’s live-action remake machine, once a reliable cash cow, had churned out a poisoned apple.

Enter the firing rumors. On March 27, 2025, a YouTube video from Teatime with Teana titled “Disney CEO OFFICIALLY FIRED Rachel Zegler Over Snow White DISASTER?!” claimed Iger had terminated Zegler, citing her political statements and the film’s collapse. X posts echoed the sentiment: @GrouchyMarine wrote, “DEI and wokeness is the great destroyer,” while @rayngls shared, “Disney TURNS on Rachel Zegler! Snow White Producer RAGES After Movie BOMBS: ‘She Cost Us MILLIONS.’” The narrative gained traction—Disney, desperate to salvage its reputation, had made Zegler the fall guy. A Variety piece from March 25 detailed the studio’s frustration, noting Platt’s son Jonah had publicly blamed Zegler’s “immature” politics. But did Iger actually pull the trigger?

No hard evidence supports the claim. Disney has not issued a statement confirming Zegler’s dismissal, and her team has remained silent. A Yahoo report from September 2024 debunked similar rumors, affirming she was still attached to the film pre-release. Post-flop, the “fired” story seems more like clickbait than fact—fueled by YouTube sensationalism and X outrage rather than official channels. That said, Disney’s actions suggest damage control. Zegler’s press appearances were curtailed; Gadot hit the talk-show circuit while Zegler was sent to Tokyo for a low-key event. The studio’s Q4 2024 earnings call saw Iger tout Captain America: Brave New World and Zootopia 2, conspicuously omitting Snow White. Was this a snub, or a calculated pivot from a sinking ship?

Zegler’s role in the disaster is a lightning rod. Her November 2024 Instagram rant—“F*** Donald Trump” and “May Trump supporters never know peace”—came days after his re-election, alienating a chunk of Disney’s heartland audience. Polls suggest 37% of family filmgoers lean conservative; Forbes estimated Snow White needed $340 million just to break even in production costs. Her earlier critiques of the original and her Palestine stance had already turned off traditionalists and pro-Israel viewers, some of whom boycotted over Gadot’s involvement too. Yet, blaming Zegler alone ignores broader failures: Gadot’s panned performance, a disjointed script, and Disney’s overreliance on a fading remake formula. As Awardsdaily noted, “Zegler did not reimagine this disaster. She was hired as a living virtue signal.”

The backlash has split the internet. On X, @EndymionYT mused, “Disney is throwing Rachel Zegler to the wolves… And the internet is…protecting her?” Fans rallied, with @writtenbysara decrying a “hit piece” blaming her pro-Palestine views. Journalist Mark Harris called it a “campaign” to scapegoat her, and over 50 peers condemned Variety’s reporting. Zegler trended with support—film critic David Ehrlich tweeted, “Rachel Zegler RULES”—casting her as a principled underdog against a corporate Goliath. Conversely, detractors like @BrettYeamans amplified the “she cost us millions” narrative, framing her as a reckless diva who tanked a franchise.

What’s the reality? Zegler isn’t “fired” in any verifiable sense—Hollywood doesn’t blacklist 23-year-olds with Golden Globes that fast. Her MCU prospects remain intact, per rumors, and her West Side Story cred endures. Disney’s silence likely reflects a desire to let Snow White fade, not a formal axing. The film’s failure stems from a perfect storm: a polarized audience, a misjudged reboot, and yes, Zegler’s PR missteps—but she’s no more the sole culprit than Gadot or Iger. The CEO, facing shareholder pressure over DEI and a shaky 2023 (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny also flopped), might want a scapegoat, but Zegler’s exit would’ve been louder if true.

This saga exposes Disney’s fragility in 2025. The House of Mouse, once untouchable, is grappling with a post-pandemic market where “woke” backlash and streaming saturation erode theatrical bets. Snow White’s collapse isn’t just Zegler’s burden—it’s a warning. As for her, the storm may dent her shine, but it won’t end her. Hollywood loves a redemption arc, and Zegler’s talent and fanbase suggest she’ll get one. For now, the mirror on the wall reflects a tale of misadventure—not a firing, but a fiasco Disney hopes to bury with the next big hit.