The actresses are allegedly not fond of each other thanks to their varying political views and age gap, with Gadot fueling the rumors by promoting their movie alone at Disneyland.
Her solo appearance comes days after Rachel Zegler promoted the film by herself in Spain. Besides the speculated bad blood between the duo, the Disney remake of the popular children’s story has been highly controversial for multiple reasons.
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Gal Gadot In High Spirits While Promoting ‘Snow White’ Alone
The “Wonder Woman” star appeared to be in high spirits during a recent appearance at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, on Sunday, March 16. Gadot, who portrays the Evil Queen in the movie, was all smiles as she posed for pictures.
The actress posed with Mickey and Minnie Mouse, a group of classic Disney villains, and adorable little girls. The children surprised her by rocking her character’s signature costume. It was unclear why Zegler skipped the event, but her absence might have something to do with the duo’s speculated “tension.”
According to sources, Zegler, who plays the titular Snow White character, had “nothing in common” with Gadot. These insiders claimed the pair’s “huge age gap” and “very different political views” influenced their lack of closeness per Page Six.
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The ‘Red Notice’ Star & Rachel Zegler ‘Are Not Friends’
One source shed light on Gadot’s feelings amid the alleged rift between her and Zegler, claiming the older actress was “annoyed by the movie drama.” They implied she was fine with not having a friendly relationship with Zegler outside work, saying:
“She enjoyed filming. She was fine with Rachel, but they are not friends. … They did a job together, and that’s it.”
Gadot, who hails from Israel and once served in its defense forces, has been vocal about her support for the country amid the Israel-Palestine conflict. Meanwhile, Zegler has been advocating the Free Palestine movement using her social media platforms.
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The ‘West Side Story’ Star Made A Solo Appearance In Spain
Days earlier, The Blast reported that Zegler attended a “Snow White” promotional event in Spain without Gadot. The actress donned an elegant white gown adorned with intricate beading and accessorized with a crystallized apple-shaped purse.
Zegler was all smiles as she posed alongside the movie’s director, Marc Webb, and greeted fans who attended the event. Her solo appearance followed Disney’s decision to scale back its Hollywood premiere of the film. They reportedly opted to limit media access because of the viral controversies.
Instead of a usual lineup of entertainment reporters, Disney allowed photographers and a house crew on the red carpet at the El Capitan Theatre on Saturday, March 15. The controversies surrounding the movie began over the studio’s cast member choice.
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Rachel Zegler Faced Backlash For Playing The Titular Character
Following Zegler’s announcement as the titular character, she faced backlash for being a Latina actress embodying the beloved princess. The criticism skyrocketed after she made multiple controversial comments about the original 1937 film.
Zegler described the OG movie as “dated” and suggested the Prince “literally stalks Snow White.” She also sparked online hate for her support for Palestine and her reaction to Donald Trump’s re-election in 2024.
At the time, she bashed the president and his supporters on Instagram, declaring they should “never know peace.” Following her outburst, Zegler did a complete 180, claiming she had let her “emotions get the best of” her.
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Disney Reportedly Struggled To Control The Young Actress
The drama surrounding Zegler continued, with a source noting Disney executives had failed to control her despite their best efforts. “Disney’s lead actress is out of control. They don’t know what to do … she’s an outspoken 20-something,” they claimed, adding:
“Disney chiefs have called her directly and asked her to tone down her posts. They’ve called her management, but she won’t listen.”
Besides Zegler’s outspoken nature, Disney faced additional controversy over its portrayal of the iconic Seven Dwarfs. They claimed they wanted to “avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film” and used CGI to depict the characters as “magical creatures.”
“Snow White” is set to be released on March 21. However, will the speculated drama between its lead actresses and the controversies surrounding the film affect its success?
