Rachel Zegler, the 23-year-old actress who skyrocketed to fame with West Side Story and faced a maelstrom of controversy with Disney’s Snow White, has once again opted out of the Met Gala, the fashion world’s most glamorous event, held on May 5, 2025, at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. The decision, her second consecutive year skipping the star-studded affair, comes on the heels of relentless criticism tied to her role in the $270 million Snow White flop and her outspoken political activism. Branded “embarrassing” by detractors for her comments on the 1937 classic, her pro-Palestine stance, and a viral anti-Trump rant, Zegler’s absence from the Gala—where she was expected to shine as a fashion darling—has sparked intense debate. Is she retreating from the spotlight to dodge further hate, or is this a strategic move to reclaim her narrative? Let’s unravel the drama that’s keeping Zegler in the headlines.

The Met Gala Snub: A Calculated Absence

The 2025 Met Gala, themed “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” was a celebration of Black dandyism, with co-chairs including Zendaya, A$AP Rocky, and Colman Domingo. The event drew heavyweights like Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Timothée Chalamet, cementing its status as fashion’s Super Bowl. Zegler, who attended in 2021 as a fresh-faced ingénue in a Dior gown, was notably absent, despite rumors she’d been invited by Vogue’s Anna Wintour and was in talks with Gucci for a custom look. Her decision to skip the Gala, confirmed by sources to Page Six, followed weeks of speculation on X, with posts like @DailyLoud noting, “Rachel Zegler skips Met Gala again after getting embarrassing hate from critics.”

The absence wasn’t just a scheduling quirk. Zegler was in New York days before the event, performing in a charity concert for the Public Theater, yet chose not to attend. Insiders suggest the hate she’s faced since Snow White’s March 2025 release played a role. The film, which grossed a dismal $145.6 million globally against a $350 million budget, was savaged by critics, earning a 40% Rotten Tomatoes score and labels like “exhaustingly awful” from The Guardian. Zegler’s comments calling the original Snow White “weird” and the Prince a “stalker,” combined with her political posts, turned her into a lightning rod for backlash, with some accusing her of disrespecting Disney’s legacy. Her Met Gala no-show, seen by some as a retreat, has others wondering if she’s sidestepping a stage where her every move would be dissected.

The Backlash: A Star Under Fire

Zegler’s Snow White saga has been a masterclass in controversy. Cast in 2021 as Disney’s first Latina princess, she faced racist attacks from fans who argued a non-white actress couldn’t play a character with “skin as white as snow.” Zegler fired back, dismissing critics as “losers” obsessed with “bloodline purity,” a response that won her allies but alienated traditionalists. Her 2022 remarks criticizing the 1937 film’s “sexist” narrative and her push for a feminist reimagining—replacing the Prince’s kiss with a story of leadership—sparked further outrage. Posts on X, like one from @amuse, accused her of “destroying a classic fairytale,” while Mumsnet users defended the original’s romantic themes, arguing Zegler’s stance was “pseudo-feminist.”

Her political activism intensified the scrutiny. In August 2024, Zegler posted “free palestine” alongside Snow White trailer hype, drawing boycott calls from pro-Israel groups like @StopAntisemitism, who labeled her antisemitic. The post, viewed 8.8 million times, reportedly led to death threats against co-star Gal Gadot, an Israeli actress, prompting Disney to bolster security. Zegler’s refusal to retract the post, despite producer Marc Platt’s urging, cemented her as a studio liability. Her post-election Instagram rant on November 5, 2024, including “Fuck Donald Trump” and wishing his supporters “never know peace,” alienated conservative fans, with critics like Megyn Kelly calling her a “pig.” Disney hired a “social media guru” to vet her posts, but the damage was done, with insiders telling Variety that Zegler’s actions “hurt the film’s box office.”

The Snow White Fallout

Snow White’s failure wasn’t solely Zegler’s fault. Directed by Marc Webb, the film suffered from a troubled production, including a 2022 set fire, a 2023 actors’ strike delay, and backlash over CGI “magical creatures” replacing the iconic dwarfs. The decision, spurred by Peter Dinklage’s criticism of the original’s ableism, alienated actors with dwarfism like Martin Klebba, who voiced Grumpy and lamented the lack of a proper premiere. Mixed reviews praised Zegler’s “luminous” performance but slammed Gadot’s “hilariously bad” line reads and the film’s “garish” visuals, with The New York Post calling it “pointless.” Disney’s “bashful” marketing, limited to photo-only premieres to avoid Zegler-Gadot feud questions, failed to counter the “woke” narrative, and a Mother’s Day re-release in May 2025 flopped, earning just $2 million.

The rumored Zegler-Gadot feud added to the chaos. Their differing stances on the Israel-Palestine conflict—Zegler’s pro-Palestine activism versus Gadot’s pro-Israel posts—created tension, with Zegler’s Instagram reply calling Gadot a “professional pageant queen” seen as a jab. At the March 15 premiere, they were seated apart, and Gadot skipped the European premiere in Spain, where Zegler performed solo. Jonah Platt, the producer’s son, publicly criticized Zegler as “narcissistic” for dragging politics into the campaign, a sentiment echoed by fans who felt her actions overshadowed the film.

Why Skip the Met Gala?

Zegler’s Met Gala absence is seen by some as a response to this relentless hate. The event, a high-stakes showcase where a single fashion misstep can dominate headlines, would have put Zegler under a microscope. Her 2021 appearance, while a breakout moment, was followed by years of scrutiny over her every word, from Snow White to her Hunger Games press tour. Posts on X, like @CultureCrave’s claim that she “chose to lay low after Snow White’s embarrassing failure,” suggest she’s avoiding further fodder for critics who’ve branded her “cringe” and “arrogant.” Her decision to perform at a low-key charity event instead, wearing a simple black gown rather than a Gala-worthy couture piece, supports this theory.

Others argue her absence is strategic. Zegler’s next project, a West End production of Evita opening in June 2025, requires her to pivot from Hollywood controversy to stage gravitas. By skipping the Gala, she avoids the risk of upstaging her Evita debut with fashion drama or political questions. Her team, aware of the Snow White fallout, may be steering her toward roles that rebuild her image, with an indie drama alongside Marisa Tomei also on the horizon. Yet, reports of sluggish Evita ticket sales suggest the Snow White stigma lingers, with some fans hesitant to embrace her after the debacle.

The Bigger Picture: Hollywood’s Polarized Landscape

Zegler’s Met Gala snub reflects broader tensions in Hollywood, where stars face intense scrutiny in a polarized cultural climate. Like Katy Perry’s Blue Origin backlash or Tom Cruise’s “woke” reporter clash, Zegler’s saga highlights the perils of navigating fame when every action is weaponized in culture wars. Her pro-Palestine stance, while resonating with younger, progressive fans, alienated others, mirroring the backlash faced by Snow White for its feminist reimagining. Disney’s failure to manage the narrative—scapegoating Zegler while fumbling marketing—parallels Marvel’s struggles with Ironheart, where diversity efforts sparked similar “woke” accusations.

Zegler’s defenders, like Vanity Fair, argue she’s a victim of disproportionate hate, noting that actors from marginalized backgrounds often face harsher criticism. Her Golden Globe win and West Side Story acclaim prove her talent, yet the Snow White fallout has made her a symbol of Hollywood’s struggle to balance authenticity with mass appeal. Fans trending her name on X in support, with posts like “Rachel Zegler doesn’t owe anyone the Met Gala,” show she retains a loyal base, but the hate has clearly taken a toll.

What’s Next for Zegler?

Zegler’s Met Gala absence may be a temporary retreat, but it’s unlikely to silence her. Her Evita role, playing the complex Eva Perón, offers a chance to showcase her range and quiet the naysayers, though its success hinges on distancing her from Snow White’s shadow. Disney, meanwhile, faces tough questions about its remake strategy, with Tangled paused and future projects under scrutiny. Zegler’s saga is a reminder that in today’s Hollywood, even a fairy tale princess can’t escape the court of public opinion.

For now, her absence from the Met Gala speaks louder than any red-carpet appearance could. Whether it’s a savvy sidestep or a sign of defeat, Zegler’s choice has kept her in the conversation, proving that even in retreat, she remains a force to be reckoned with. As the fashion world moves on, the spotlight stays fixed on Zegler—waiting to see if she’ll rise above the hate or become its next casualty.