Los Angeles, March 11 : Hollywood actress Rachel Zegler spoke about the backlash she faced for playing â??Snow Whiteâ?? in Disneyâ??s 2025 live-action remake.

Because of her Colombian heritage, Zegler told Harperâ??s Bazaar, she faced aggressive pushback from conservative circles, who thought the title role of Snow White should be played by a white woman.

She said the experience was â??really confusing,â?? considering she also faced backlash for playing Maria in 2021â??s â??West Side Storyâ?? because her father was white, reports variety.com.

â??I was told I wasnâ??t enough of one thing for â??West Side Storyâ?? and too much of another for â??Snow White,â??â?? Zegler said.

â??I grew up proud of being Colombian,â?? she later added.

â??Eating the food, wearing the dresses, drinking the coffee, doing all the things that were so intrinsic to who I was as a kid and who I am as an adult â?? but I do think thereâ??s an argument to be made that, in the public eye at least, when youâ??re two things, youâ??re simultaneously nothing. But I refuse to assimilate for anybody elseâ??s comfort.â??

Zegler also faced backlash for posting on social media in support of Palestine while on the â??Snow Whiteâ?? press tour. Although she still stands by her decision to use her platform to promote social change, she now sees the controversy as â??a complete study in intent versus impact.â??

â??You live and you learn, and thereâ??s a caution that comes with that,â?? she said, reports variety.com.

â??Thereâ??s an understanding that the temptation to speak doesnâ??t always mean that it must be done, and that there are a lot of opportunities to make more meaningful change than a tweet.â??

In 2024, days after unveiling the first trailer for â??Snow Whiteâ?? at a D23 fan event, Zegler took to X and thanked her fans for all their support.

Then, in the same thread minutes later, she wrote, â??And always remember, free Palestine.â??

Zegler went on to admit that the backlash from the post was completely unexpected.

â??If Iâ??d been able to predict everything that would come my way, the threats to my safety, I would have just thrown my phone into the ocean,â?? Zegler said. â??I think any sane person would have.â??

/IANS