Rachel Zegler, the 23-year-old actress whose star turn in Disney’s live-action Snow White has been mired in controversy, is now grappling with a personal blow: rumors that her boyfriend, Josh Andrés Rivera, has ended their relationship. A viral YouTube video posted on April 4, 2025, titled “Rachel Zegler’s BOYFRIEND DUMPS HER After Snow White Backlash?!” sparked the frenzy, alleging the breakup was triggered by the relentless public scrutiny Zegler faced over her Snow White comments and political stances. Amplified by posts on X and speculation across TikTok, the claim has captivated fans, painting Zegler as a star besieged by both professional and personal turmoil. While the breakup remains unconfirmed, the saga underscores the toll of Hollywood’s spotlight on a young talent. Here’s a comprehensive look at the breakup rumors, the Snow White backlash, and what it means for Zegler’s future.

The Breakup Rumor: A Viral Spark

The breakup narrative began with a YouTube video from April 4, 2025, which claimed Zegler and Rivera, her co-star from West Side Story, had “called it quits” amid the Snow White fallout. The video, echoed by X posts like @PopCultureVibes on April 5, suggested Rivera “couldn’t handle” the negative attention surrounding Zegler, including racist trolling, boycotts, and accusations of tanking the film’s $115 million loss. A TikTok by @celebspilltea alleged Rivera was “embarrassed” by Zegler’s outspokenness, particularly her pro-Palestine posts and anti-Trump Instagram rant, which alienated conservative audiences. While no direct evidence confirms the split, the rumor gained traction due to Zegler’s social media silence and the absence of recent public appearances with Rivera.

Zegler and Rivera, both 23, met on the set of West Side Story in 2021, where she played Maria and he played Chino. Their relationship, confirmed in early 2022, was a fan favorite, with the couple sharing playful Instagram posts and attending events like the 2022 Grammys together. They reunited onscreen in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023), with Rivera as Sejanus Plinth. Fans on X, like @ZeglerStan, noted their chemistry, calling them “Hollywood’s cutest couple.” However, the lack of recent photos—Zegler’s last post with Rivera was in December 2024—has fueled speculation, with @GossipGuruX claiming on April 6, 2025, that Rivera “dumped her to save his career.”

The Snow White Backlash: A Perfect Storm

The breakup rumors are inextricably tied to Snow White’s turbulent reception. Released on March 21, 2025, the $270 million remake grossed just $87 million globally in its opening weekend, projecting a $115 million loss, per Deadline. Critics panned its “blurry” CGI and “lazily conceived” script, while fans review-bombed it to a 1.5/10 on IMDb, driven by fury over Zegler’s comments and casting. In 2022 interviews, Zegler called the 1937 Disney original “dated” and its prince a “stalker,” emphasizing the remake’s feminist take, where Snow White is a leader, not a damsel. These remarks, resurfaced in 2023, sparked accusations of disrespecting Disney’s legacy, with David Hand Jr., son of the original director, claiming Walt Disney would be “turning in his grave.”

Zegler’s political stances intensified the backlash. Her August 2024 X post, “and always remember, free Palestine,” posted minutes after promoting the Snow White trailer, drew 8.8 million views and prompted death threats against co-star Gal Gadot, an Israeli, leading Disney to hire extra security, per Variety. Her November 2024 Instagram post, “May Trump supporters never know peace,” further alienated audiences, prompting a boycott and an apology after Disney assigned her a social media guru. The film’s casting controversies—Zegler’s Latina heritage and the shift from dwarf actors to CGI “magical creatures” after Peter Dinklage’s criticism—added fuel, with X users like @ClownWorld_ labeling her a “PR nightmare.”

Did the Backlash Break the Relationship?

The YouTube video’s claim that Rivera dumped Zegler over the backlash hinges on the idea that her controversies strained their relationship. Posts on X, like @LanSharty’s on April 7, 2025, speculated Rivera, whose career is less high-profile, feared being “tainted” by association. Rivera’s upcoming role in American Sports Story (2025) requires a neutral image, and a Reddit thread on r/popculturechat suggested he distanced himself to avoid backlash. Yet, there’s no public evidence of tension—Rivera has never commented on Zegler’s controversies, and their last joint appearance, at a Romeo + Juliet Broadway event in October 2024, showed no signs of discord.

Zegler’s defenders argue the breakup rumor is baseless. X user @MeghanStan4Life called it “misogynistic gossip,” noting that Zegler’s been busy with Evita rehearsals in London, explaining the lack of couple photos. Supporters like @TheFabBookLover pointed to her resilience, citing her Allure interview where she praised Ariana Grande and Jameela Jamil for supporting her through the Snow White hate. Vanity Fair reported on March 29, 2025, that Zegler trended positively on X after a Variety “hit piece,” with fans and journalists like Mark Harris defending her against Disney’s scapegoating. The breakup narrative, they argue, is another attempt to vilify her.

The Toll of Public Scrutiny

Zegler’s personal life has been under a microscope since her Snow White casting in 2021. As a Latina actress, she faced racist backlash, with trolls citing the “skin as white as snow” line to argue against her role. In a 2023 Teen Vogue interview, she shared childhood photos in a Snow White costume, urging kids to “be a princess no matter what.” Her 2023 Variety chat with Halle Bailey revealed her coping strategy: “Choosing thankfulness and gratefulness is choosing peace.” Yet, the relentless trolling, including body-shaming and death threats, has taken a toll, as she admitted in a 2022 YouTube video, per Newsweek, where she discussed feeling “ungrateful” but overwhelmed.

The breakup rumor compounds this pressure. Refinery29 argued on April 8, 2025, that Zegler is an “easy target” as a young Latina, with her politics—supporting Palestine and opposing Trump—framed as “narcissistic” to fit misogynistic stereotypes. The Daily Mail noted on April 9, 2025, that Zegler appeared “somber” in New York, fueling speculation about her emotional state. Whether true or not, the rumor reflects the personal cost of her public battles, with X users like @ZeglerFanatic urging fans to “leave her personal life alone.”

The Industry Context: Zegler’s Next Moves

Zegler’s professional trajectory is at a crossroads. Snow White’s flop, coupled with rumors of Hollywood “blacklisting” (debunked by amy-movie.com), has raised stakes for her West End Evita debut, set for June 14, 2025. Rehearsal controversies, including a leaked video of her being escorted out, have cast doubt on her role, with fans spotting alternate Bella Brown in clips, per a May 19, 2025, YouTube video. Her upcoming film She Gets It From Me with Marisa Tomei, announced by People on May 1, 2025, offers a fresh start, but its success depends on her ability to move past the Snow White narrative.

Disney’s role in the saga is contentious. Slate and Vanity Fair criticized the studio for blaming Zegler, with over 50 journalists condemning a Variety article as a “hit job.” ScreenRant noted on April 15, 2025, that Snow White’s failure reflects broader issues with Disney’s remake model, citing Mulan’s $69.9 million gross. Zegler’s supporters, including Melissa Barrera and Ethel Cain, argue she’s been unfairly targeted, with The Mirror listing celebrity allies on April 4, 2025.

What’s Next for Zegler?

As of May 23, 2025, Zegler and Rivera haven’t addressed the breakup rumors. Her social media silence, likely advised by PR, contrasts with her usual candor, seen in her Evita “toxic culture” post. If the split is real, it adds a personal layer to her professional struggles; if false, it’s another chapter in her vilification. Evita’s success could shift the narrative, but ongoing drama risks overshadowing her talent, lauded by IndieWire for The Hunger Games. For now, Zegler remains a polarizing figure—scapegoated by some, iconic to others, and caught in a storm that tests her resilience.