The Hunger Games movies were a sensation when they were in theaters, making Jennifer Lawrence into a household name in the process. While the book to screen adaptation was away for a few years, fans got to return to Panem thanks to Suzanne Collins' prequels, and their corresponding movies. While we're waiting for Sunrise on the Reaping to hit theaters, Collins recently made a comment about Snow and Katniss that seems to hint at another beloved character's fate.

What we know about Sunrise on the Reaping is limited, although fans of the novel are buckling up for an emotional ride. While speaking with People about the best order to read the Hunger Games books, Collins might have offered a hint at whether or not Rachel Zegler's Lucy Gray Baird is still alive in-universe. As she put it:

She's... still out there? That's definitely a hopeful message, and seemingly answers the biggest question about Songbirds and Snakes' ending. Both the novel and its movie adaptation left her fate ambiguous; Snow realized that she had run away, with fans wondering what happened to the Panem singer after her last scene. Given all the discourse, I have to assume that Hunger Games fans are going to be thrilled with Suzanne Collins' comments about the resident of District 12.

Rachel Zegler said she'd love to reprise her role as Lucy, so perhaps Collins' words are setting up a sequel to Songbirds and Snakes. Either way it's clear that the character's disappearance was key to President Snow becoming the cutthroat authoritarian leader we know him to be.

While it's unclear if The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will get a sequel, fans are eager to see Sunrise on the Reaping on the big screen this fall. The movie will tell the tale of the 50th Hunger Games, where Haymitch was ultimately the winner. Anticipation was already high, but reached a fever pitch when it was revealed that Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson would be reprising their roles as Katniss and Peeta respectively. The Hunger Games is becoming a bonafide cinematic universe, and now it feels like just about anything is possible.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will hit theaters on November 20th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Fingers crossed we learn more about Lucy Gray sooner rather than later.

Of all the celebrity fashion trends out there, the chainmail or chain link look is definitely one of my favorites. There’s something so powerful about wearing metal, and celebs have given us impressive red carpet moments like Lupita Nyong'o with her silver breast plate and Miley Cyrus’ dress of 14,000 safety pins. Rachel Zegler certainly captured that same essence of strength at the Laurence Olivier Awards on Sunday, donning a chain link dress that was as romantic as it was fierce.

Rachel Zegler not only performed at this week’s awards ceremony, but she took home the award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Eva Perón in Evita. The trophy wasn’t the only metal accessory the actress carried, though, as her dress featured gold chain links of varying size along her shoulders and waist. She showed off the look on Instagram:

In fact, it was no coincidence that Rachel Zegler chose to include some metal on her Olivier Award outfit. She told Harper’s Bazaar that in addition to separating herself a bit from Eva Perón, the Tamara Ralph gown held deeper meaning:

Hey, whatever works. The chains fell off of her shoulder and down her arm, creating a neckline of mostly chain across her bust. The detailing flowed out from the center, creating the essence of a peplum at her waist. See more Instagram images of the dress, and from her evening at the London awards show:

Rachel Zegler is always one to watch when it comes to fashion. The Snow White star can pull off anything from a casual backless sweater to a scandalously see-through pink dress that shows off her lavender lingerie. She can go super classic in the perfect LBD or drop jaws looking like a stunning Greek goddess.

So how does the West Side Story’s chain look compare to other celebrities’ takes on the trend? The use of gold chain as detailing over her floor-length gown definitely gives softer vibes than, say, Zendaya’s C-3PO-esque getup at the Dune: Part Two premiere or Dakota Johnson’s nearly nude chainmail gown.

Rachel Zegler’s been spending a lot of time in the theater lately. In addition to her 2025 role in Evita, she’s portrayed Juliet Capulet in Romeo + Juliet on Broadway and, most recently, Cathy Hiatt in The Last Five Years. She is set to return to the big screen, though, in the upcoming musical adaptation of Octet.

The star-studded cast of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s sophomore directorial effort includes — in addition to Rachel Zegler — Hamilton vets Phillipa Soo and Jonathan Groff, Stranger Things’ Gaten Matarazzo, Tramell Tillman of Severance, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Amanda Seyfried and Paul-Jordan Jansen.

With rehearsals just starting, it’s unlikely that the movie will be ready in time to hit the 2026 movie release calendar, and unfortunately, I’m not sure this project will allow Zegler the opportunity for another romantic metal look ... until the red carpet premiere, at least!

I’ll be honest, Steven Spielberg becoming an EGOT winner is not something I ever had on my Hollywood bingo card. Not because he isn’t deserving. I mean, the man has been hitting it out of the park and making hit films for more than fifty years. Obviously he is deserving, yet I was still rather surprised. But here we are, the director has officially joined the rare EGOT club, and a few famous names are celebrating the moment.

The reaction across the industry has been nothing but celebratory, with actors, musicians, and Broadway veterans clearly delighted to see Spielberg finally complete the EGOT. One of the most enthusiastic responses came from Rachel Zegler, whose career took off after she was cast as Maria in West Side Story. While the film struggled at the box office, it was critically well-received and changed Zegler’s life overnight, and she’s never been shy about how much working with Spielberg meant to her. She marked the moment by sharing a photo of the two on her Instagram Stories, alongside a simple, heartfelt message:

The Snow White actress has spoken before about how formative that experience was for her as an artist, so the Minority Report director’s EGOT win clearly feels personal for her. There’s something fitting about it, too. West Side Story may not have been one of the influential filmmaker’s biggest commercial hits, but it played a defining role in launching the next phase of his creative legacy through performers like Zegler.

Another voice celebrating the milestone is Jennifer Hudson, who understands just how rare that achievement is. Hudson hit a major career milestone in 2022, joining the EGOT club, which makes her reaction especially meaningful. Speaking with PEOPLE, she didn’t hide her excitement about welcoming the ET creator into that exclusive group:

When red carpet hosts jokingly asked Hudson if she had any advice for the newly minted EGOT winner, she leaned into the moment with a perfectly self-aware response. She added:

Spielberg’s path to EGOT status is genuinely unique. His Tony Award came from producing A Strange Loop, while his Emmy wins span multiple formats. He earned his Oscars in 1994 and 1999 for Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan, respectively. The final piece fell into place with a Grammy for Music by John Williams, the documentary he produced honoring his longtime collaborator. At 79, Spielberg completed the rare awards sweep not by chasing trophies, but by continuing to tell stories and uplift the artists he’s worked with for decades.

That’s why the industry response feels so warm. For actors, musicians, and theater artists who grew up on Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, and Schindler’s List, the Hollywood staple’s work was influential and foundational. Many of them wouldn’t be doing what they do without his films lighting the way.

So yes, Steven Spielberg becoming an EGOT winner caught me off guard. But watching people like Rachel Zegler, Jennifer Hudson, and others celebrate the moment makes it feel completely right.

For anyone curious to see the project that completed the sweep, Music by John Williams is now streaming for viewers with a Disney+ subscription.

When it comes to winter fashion, sometimes you just can’t tell what you’re going to get. We’ve seen Kourtney Kardashian dressed as Santa in Target, Alexandra Daddario sporting swimwear in the snow, and all kinds of method dressing, like Zoe Saldaña’s 3D floral number for the premiere of Avatar: Fire and Ash. Rachel Zegler, meanwhile, always seems to get it just right, so of course she rang in the new year with the perfect backless sweater.

In the same way that Rachel Zegler found the best little black dress to wear to the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting last month, the actress looked just the right combination of stylish and comfortable in the gorgeous green sweater she wore in her New Year’s Instagram post, as you can see below:

Is there anything better than a soft sweater when the temperatures are low? Rachel Zegler looks perfectly snug in the top, which appears to feature three-quarter-length sleeves along with the neckline that exposes her entire back.

I actually can’t tell if it’s a long sweater or a full dress, but either way I’m green with envy that nothing in my closet resembles something so effortlessly stylish. The Snow White star seems to offer a cheeky warning in another slide of her Instagram post, with a Google search of “how to fumble a baddie,” as well as a silly drawing of a woman walking a dog.

In the middle of those, however, Rachel Zegler shows off another casually flawless look, combining a coral hoodie with a long red-and-blue plaid coat over it. Seems like a good way to say hello to 2026 to me!

The past year has seen a lot of red outfits for the actress, as she engaged in method dressing for Snow White and killed it, by the way, with head-turning pieces like the Carolina Herrera turtleneck and matching pants, tied together by a giant rose on her hip.

Even when she wasn’t draped in red, Rachel Zegler still embodied the Disney princess, sporting a cream dress in Japan that featured a red heart accent and sword design. In Spain just days later, she wore a white floral dress that she accessorized with the most perfect apple purse.

Her New Year’s sweater look is also way more casual than we’ve seen her at events even outside of her Snow White promotion. Sheer has been a big trend in celebrity fashion for years, and Rachel Zegler was a vision in a see-through minidress that showed off lavender lingerie underneath. More recently she looked like a Greek goddess in her LaQuan Smith off-the-shoulder gown that gave a peek at her white briefs.

Rachel Zegler is headed back to the stage in 2026, performing in the musical The Last Five Years on London’s West End. So while there may not be method dressing from her in the near future, I’m still hoping that she continues to show off her style on social media and whatever red carpets she may find herself invited to.

We’re still not over Rachel Zegler’s incredible run of press looks from Snow White earlier this year, but the 24-year-old movie actress and on-stage powerhouse is keeping on with some head-turning looks while in New York City this week. Not only did she wear the perfect little black dress for winter on Wednesday, on the same day she turned up in sheer dress that’s impossible not to talk about.

Her stylist Sarah Slutsky Tooley has done it again! Check out this gorgeous purple dress that has her looking like a Greek goddess:

If you’ve been following all the hot red carpet looks from Hollywood royalty like we have, you know that the sheer dress has been all the rage lately. From Sydney Sweeney’s recent sparkly silver dress at Variety’s 2025 Power of Women event or Dakota Johnson’s see-through floral Gucci gown at the Kering Foundation's Caring for Women from September (and so many more examples) dressing in a sheer look has become something of a staple look among female stars and their stylists.

Rachel Zegler’s latest look is from New York designer LaQuan Smith. I love how the dress wraps around her neck, has an off-the-shoulder moment on one side, and has a high slit on the opposite leg. Zegler’s dress is paired with Jimmy Choo heels that are in the same purple shade. Zegler was at the NYMag Culturati Cocktail at Manuela in New York City.

Zegler is originally from New Jersey, and has talked before about her preference to NYC over Hollywood, because it’s the place where she fell in love with acting and “nobody gives a fuck,” to Variety. Los Angeles by contrast she finds “stifling and isolating and weird.”

Zegler is getting ready to return to the West End soon for another run at the London Palladium following her viral role in Evita at the same venue for 12-weeks. Following the box office flop of Snow White, her Evita buzz along with Snow White’s eventual success on Disney+ was a welcome change of pace for the actress. In her upcoming production she’ll co-star with Ben Platt in a limited 25-year anniversary of The Last Five Years.

What else is on the horizon for Rachel Zegler? She also signed on to star in a comedy with Marisa Tomei called She Gets It From Me back in April. The movie is about a newly engaged woman who decides to reconnect with her birth mother, who is described by Variety as a “pill-popping ex-punk rocker”. Once they do find each other they try to reconnect in a story that’s apparently “based on a true story.”

With an exciting 2026 ahead for Zegler, we’re looking forward to more head-turning getups like this incredible purple sheer gown moment.

If there’s anyone who knows how to step out in style at all times of the year, it’s a celebrity. Luckily, 2025 movie star Rachel Zegler is never without a reason to show off a number of amazing looks year-round, with the singer/actress recently taking some time out of her busy schedule to attend an event that saw her wear a little black dress that’s perfect for winter.

How Did Rachel Zegler’s Winter Black Dress Look?

Rachel Zegler has quickly become one of our fastest-rising leading ladies, and as that ascension has taken place, she’s also upped her fashion game so that her style is befitting that of a Hollywood star. The duck-like Snow White lead recently came to play and showed just how unbothered she is by all the ongoing criticism surrounding her when attending the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting at the Michael Kors store in the famed location.

It’s been quite chilly lately, but instead of delivering a fully bundled-up look for the occasion, the actress (who’s gotten support this year from her West Side Story director, Steven Spielberg) stepped out in an adorable little black dress/jacket combo that’s perfect for winter. Just look:

I don’t know about you, but winter always seems to catch me off guard as I’m enjoying my gently cozy sweater days. This means that I can suddenly find myself searching for my serious “it’s f@$king winter” coat instead of putting together calmly orchestrated cold-weather outfits. Not so for the Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes star. Oh, no. There is zero about this cute ‘fit that seems rushed.

The details on her dress and jacket don’t appear to be floating around just yet, but my guess is that she’s likely sporting Michael Kors, seeing as how the event took place at the designer’s store. As you see, she opted for a simple, all-black look of a sleeveless minidress, stockings (which I honestly didn’t think anyone wore anymore), and a furry jacket that seems to be well-insulated on the inside to help keep the winter weather from dulling Zegler’s ready-to-party mood.

This is exactly the type of understated glam that would be great for a holiday party, and while she’s shown off her love of the little black party dress before, this one does seem special because of how showy it isn’t. As mentioned, the Evita lead (who got a standing ovation from her “dad” Pedro Pascal when he attended opening night) is always on point when it comes to her focus on fashion.

She’s done everything from method dressing as Katniss for her Hunger Games movie and turning heads while nodding at Snow’s fairytale adventures, to doing a sheer dress with lavender lingerie and showing off underboob over the years, so we know we can expect a wealth of good fashion from the star for years to come, whatever the season.

At just 24 years old, Rachel Zegler has proven herself as a talented star of both the stage and screen. First becoming a household name thanks to her work on West Side Story (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription), she took on more major roles in projects like Shazam! Fury of the Gods ,The Hunger Games, and Disney's live-action movie Snow White. And she recently explained why she's remained unbothered by the online criticism she's been getting lately.

The backlash surrounding the actress seemed to begin when Zegler made negative comments about the animated Snow White movie. Things heated up even more online as a result of her political comments about the conflict between Israel and Hamas. In an interview with Glamour Magazine, she addressed the hate that's constantly coming at her on social media. In her words:

That sounds like a pretty healthy way of handling things. The constant criticism could be overwhelming for any of us out there, especially while trying to continue a career as a public figure. But it seems like she's not letting the hate bother her, and instead letting it wash over her like water off a duck's back.

It sounds like the actress is standing by the comments she made that found her under online criticism. Zegler's co-stars have come to her defense, but she seems like she's got a strong sense of self. When asked how she stays grounded, the Hunger Games star said:

While the Snow White chatter might have been loud, Zegler has a ton of positive memories of working on the musical blockbuster. And since she made some strong friendships while playing the Disney Princess, she's got no regrets about taking on the project... even if Snow White flopped at the box office.

Aside from her film career, Rachel Zegler has been keeping busy as a wildly successful theater actress. After making her Broadway debut in Romeo & Juliet opposite Kit Connor, she also starred in Evita on the West End. And it was just announced that she'll return to the West End in The Last Five Years with Ben Platt. So clearly she's not slowing down anytime soon.

A number of Zegler's film projects are on Disney+. We'll just have to wait and see what movies she signs up for next, on the 2026 movie release list and beyond.

The Hunger Games movies are wildly successful book to screen adaptations, one that returned to theaters thanks to the spinoff The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. That prequel focused on the 10th annual games, and featured a young Coriolanus Snow, played by actor Tom Blyth. He shared the screen with Rachel Zegler's Lucy Gray, and recently addressed the backlash that his co-star often gets online.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes did well at the box office, bringing Panem back to the big screen in the process. Rachel Zegler's comments about Snow White landed her in hot water, and she's gotten a ton of hate online over the last year. While speaking with The Independent, Blyth spoke about seeing the discourse surrounding his co-star, stating:

How sweet is that? As someone who knows and worked with Zegler personally, Blyth has a different perspective on the 24 year-old actress. Rather than jumping on the bandwagon, he's proud of the way she's stayed true to herself amidst all the chatter attacking her character. And as he said, you just can't deny the Y2K actress' talents.

At just 24 Zegler has already proven herself as a star of the stage and screen. After becoming a household name thanks to Steven Spielberg's West Side Story (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription), she's taken roles in a variety of film genres. And she recently starred as the title character in the West End revival of Evita, which might end up moving across the pond to Broadway.

For her part, Zegler has spoken about the backlash she's gotten, over both her political opinions as well as the viral comments she made about Snow White. While she admits some of the chatter has been "alarming", she's still standing in her truth and using her platform as a celebrity for causes that are dear to her. Even if that means she gets some hate on social media.

Despite the online hate that Zegler has received, her career continues to thrive. She immediately sold out her West End concerts after closing Evita, and there are rumors she'll play the role of Eva Perón on Broadway. This comes after her Broadway debut in Romeo and Juliet opposite Kit Connor. At the time of writing this story she doesn't have any upcoming moves lined, up but Hunger Games fans are hoping she returns as Lucy Gray Baird sometime in the future.

The Hunger Games franchise will once again return to theaters when Sunrise on the Reaping hits theaters November 20th of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list. Whether or not Songbirds and Snakes get a sequel remains to be seen, but it sounds like Blyth would be happy to work with Zegler again.

Ever since Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth worked together on the highly reviewed adaptation of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, I’ve been yearning for a reunion between these two. Thankfully, they support each other big time, and when they reunite in real life, we get to see adorable photos. However, after their latest post together, fans have a specific request regarding a potential professional reunion that I’d like to co-sign.

Why Rachel Zegler And Tom Blyth Reunited

Rachel Zegler is currently closing out her run on the West End in Evita, and Tom Blyth paid her a visit backstage. Re-creating the image they took when Blyth came to see her in Romeo + Juliet on Broadway, the actress wrote about her love for her former co-star, and you can see the adorable Instagram post below:

Along with this absolutely adorable post, Zegler took to her IG stories to praise her Songbirds and Snakes co-star, writing:

While Lucy and Snow’s love for each other was questionable at best in the movie these two worked on, the actors’ adoration of each other in real life is palpable. That was clear from Zegler’s post by itself, but to really hammer this point home, take a look at the IG story Blyth posted about this interaction:

These two really are the cutest, and their support of each other is quite literally the sweetest thing. So, yeah, I totally get why so many fans (myself included) want them to make a rom-com together.

Now, Fans Really Want The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes Stars To Make A Rom-Com

While Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes featured romance, it was by no means romantic. So, yes, we got to see Blyth and Zegler’s electric chemistry in that great movie; however, Snow’s Hunger Games prequel didn’t end happily for them. So, yeah, we want to see these two on screen together again; however, maybe this time they can play out a happier and significantly more romantic tale.

Fans made it clear that’s what they want by commenting:

• Zeglyth casted in a romcom when. -rachelsbairds
• I need to start a petition for ya’ll to be in a romcom together rn 😭 -cassidy.chadwick
• Zeglyth romcom pls 😭 -neshukos
• Need Rachel Zegler and Tom Blythe in a Romcom as bad as I need Jennifer Lawerence and Josh Hutcherson in one. 😭😭 cmon casting directors do the world a favor -knights.of.ni
• So when’s the romcom coming…-alicepauowen
• My romcom dream duo🥲 -cibeleramoa
• I'm praying for that romcom 🤞🏼💕 -gguksrosies

Well, I’m sad to report that for now, this dream has not come true. However, considering how close these two clearly are, I don’t think it’s out of the question.

I also don’t think rom-coms are something they’d turn down either, especially since Tom Blyth just made one.

That’s right, the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation of Emily Henry’s book People We Meet On Vacation stars Blyth as the male main character, with My Lady Jane’s Emily Bader set to play the female main character and his love interest. That film is set to premiere on Netflix in January on the 2026 movie schedule, so it won’t be long before we see the Snow actor in a happy love story (which I can tell you it is, I’ve read the book).

However, while that’s exciting, the fans and I are still longing for a reunion between Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler. They clearly have a strong bond as friends in real life, and that chemistry was evident in Songbirds and Snakes. Now, we gotta get these two in a rom-com so they can give that chemistry to a significantly happier story. They deserve it, and, dare I say, so do we.

Rachel Zegler’s summer continues to reach new heights with her ongoing success helming the West End revival of Evita. Even before the June 14 opening night, which pal and father-figure, Pedro Pascal attended, buzz about the limited run had gone viral. Now, just about a week before the final September 6 show, Steven Spielberg showed up to support Zegler. And the feeling she must’ve had after the icon attended the production for her must be magical.

Before we get into this fairytale evening, let’s quickly cover some ground. For those that didn’t know, or recall how these two met, Spielberg plucked Zegler out of an open audition for his stunning West Side Story remake. She was cast as Maria, and the relationship was cemented. You can catch it with a Disney+ subscription.

That was 2018, and now 7 years later, the Jaws filmmaker is still rooting for her. After the August 27 performances, the 24-year-old posted a collection of familial-like pictures (along with a few throwbacks) of the duo. She shared that he’d attended earlier in the month and revealed how much he means to her. Along with it, she expressed how grateful she is he’s still so supportive, check out the sweet post below:

What a pinch me, full circle moment it must’ve been for her... and maybe even Spielberg himself! I mean, to be introduced to Hollywood via the Steven Spielberg stamp of approval is a tall order to deliver on. Yet, here she is beautifully pulling off one of the most celebrated musicals in Broadway history. And with him in the crowd still cheering her on, no less.

Needless to say, the relationship and the beginning of her career feel cinematic in their own right. To have this top-tiered historic Hollywood giant pick her out of a crowd and more or less continue as a solid guide and shoulder is too cool. I’m sure it has to be a little dizzying still at times on her end to have him as the person who launched her career.

Outside of her beginnings, Zegler has made her own way in Tinseltown. While the majority of her roles have received praise, West Side Story and The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, she’s also been met with a lot of backlash over personal comments. Most recently, which was earlier this year, the same happened for her 2025 movie title Snow White. And the rising celeb opened up about the discourse and remained steadfast in her beliefs.

It seems like this virtue is part of what makes her such a shining star, at least to me. Post Evita, she has a future project with Marisa Tomei lined up, but I do hope the West Side Story collaborators reunite on something. It’s hopeful, but maybe she’s a part of Spielberg’s under wraps 2026 movie schedule project? I’m just so happy to know Zegler still has him in her corner.

Rachel Zegler remains one of Hollywood’s up-and-coming stars but, at the same time, she’s received a lot of backlash. The past few years have seen Zegler draw into a number of controversies, some of which involved projects she participated in. Chief among them was the Snow White situation, which saw social media users chastise Zegler for comments she made about the Disney princess. Now, one of Zegler’s Evita co-stars is speaking out on her behalf and isn’t holding back about the bad press she receives.

This summer marked Rachel Zegler’s West End debut, during which she played political leader and activist Eva Perón in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita. Among Zegler’s co-stars is James Olivas, who plays the role of Juan Perón. Olivas discussed this latest revival of the acclaimed musical during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. When discussing Zegler, Olivas had nothing but praise for her, and he also spoke out against those who criticize his scene partner:

When it comes to the West End Show, the Shazam! Fury of the Gods alum has been critiqued due to one key moment in the production. Said segment sees the leading lady, while in character as Eva, leave the stage and perform “Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina” from the balcony of the London Palladium for those outside the building. When that happens, theater attendees are treated to a livestream of that performance. Many have taken issue with having paid to see the play only for that particular song not to be performed on stage.

James Olivas seems to be of the opinion that much of that backlash is disingenuous. Later on in his discussion with THR, he referred to it all as “such manufactured outrage.” Olivas went on to describe the reactions that he’s personally heard in regard to his co-star taking to the balcony to sing live for the citizens of London:

Said balcony brouhaha was preceded by the aforementioned Snow White controversy. That began in earnest in 2023, at which point comments that Rachel Zegler made about Snow White at 2022’s D23 Expo resurfaced. Zegler stated that her iteration of the princess would have more agency and complexity than her animated 1937 counterpart. Fans took offense, with that backlash coming after many criticized the decision to cast Zegler (who’s of Latin descent) as “The Fairest of Them All.” James Olivas had this to say about it:

Rachel Zegler herself has also addressed the flak she’s taken for not only her comments about her Disney character but her political views as well. As far as her take on global issues go, Zegler finds it “alarming” at times, though she believes she has a platform to speak out on such topics. The West Side Story breakout also got candid about having a conversation with her psychiatrist about the hate she’s received.

Snow White was a box office bomb, yet Rachel Zegler’s career has continued to thrive. In June, Snow not only trended high amid its Disney+ debut, but this latest production of Evita also raked in a considerable amount of cash on the West End. Also, Zegler is working with Oscar winner Marisa Tomei in an upcoming dramedy film, She Gets It From Me, which will see them play mother and daughter. As Zegler’s critics continue to share thoughts and her career continues, it seems she can say James Olivas is in her corner.

Rachel Zegler is currently hard at work leading the West End revival of Evita in London, but as America celebrates Independence Day on Friday, July 4 the actress took some time to look back on her Hunger Games experience on 2023’s The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Hardcore fans of Suzanne Collins’ books will get it!

About a year and a half ago, Rachel Zegler played Lucy Gray Baird, a District 12 tribute and singer in the Covey who wins the 10th Hunger Games after a young Coriolanus Snow is her mentor. But do you know why the actress is celebrating being in one of the Hunger Games movies on July 4th specifically? First, check out her post from her Instagram stories:

Zegler wrote “it’s July 4… iykyk”, with the acronym meaning “if you know, you know.” She decided to look back on her time on Hunger Games on the American holiday because Reaping Day in Panem actually occurs on July 4th every year. In the dystopian world, a male and female tribute are chosen at random from each of the republic’s districts to compete in the Hunger Games.

In the science fiction series, Panem is supposedly North America after the Earth was devastated by climate change and global nuclear war, leading to the collapse of modern civilization. Eventually, a new nation was founded called Panem, and it was segmented into thirteen districts, with each being responsible for producing different goods of a specific industry. It is run under a totalitarian dictatorship led by President Snow.

The Hunger Games is thought of as a patriotic duty by each district to all who take part in it, even if it means children are slaughtered on live television. The science fiction series definitely imagines a dark future for what July 4th could look like. But since the day is the only important date one can really surmise from the franchise, Zegler took the opportunity to share BTS photos like this one with Tom Blyth. It's much more goofy than the subject matter of the series itself.

Today would be a good day to rewatch The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. And if you want to watch the original films with Jennifer Lawrence, they recently became available to stream on HBO Max!

As far as the world of Panem goes, there’s currently another Hunger Games novel that's part of the upcoming book-to-screen adaptations. Sunrise on the Reaping, which focuses on Haymitch’s Hunger Games has cast a slew of great actors like Ralph Fiennes, Elle Fanning, Kieran Culkin and Jesse Plemons. Oh, and in the book, we learn that Reaping Day (aka July 4) is actually Haymitch’s birthday, too!

Rachel Zegler’s role in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was definitely one for the books, so it’s a great day for the actress to highlight the role and for the rest of us to be grateful the Hunger Games isn’t an actual tradition on July 4. Rather, we can enjoy watching fireworks and eating hot dogs instead.

It’s summer, and for many of us our mood automatically becomes lighter as we imagine relaxed days and warm evenings by the pool/beach and think about vacations. While Rachel Zegler isn’t exactly in vacay mode right now, it’s clear that she has also lightened up and left Snow White’s bad press and box office failure from early in the 2025 movie schedule far in the past. She’s currently thriving in a West End production of Evita, and her latest ‘fit features a sheer mini-dress and fancy lavender lingerie.

How Did Rachel Zegler’s Sheer Dress With Lingerie Look?

Even though sheer styles are no longer relegated to summer, it’s certainly the time of year when they tend to become most popular. Lots of stars have been rocking the look lately, with Ines de Ramon wearing it for Brad Pitt’s F1 premiere, Alexandria Daddario going back to sheer after giving birth, and Kristen Stewart rocking a sheer skirt over shorts not long ago.

Rachel Zegler (who recently signed on for She Gets It From Me with Marisa Tomei) celebrated Evita’s opening with a cool look for the afterparty, which was shared on Instagram by her stylist. Take a look, and we can get into some specifics, below:

I mean, c’mon! I have my doubts that most of us would dare to wear a completely sheer mini dress, even with some perfect undies showing, but the West Side Story star looks amazing, right?

Per the info relayed by the stylist, Zegler stepped out in a LaQuan Smith dress, which appears to be a mini version of his mockneck gown with sweeping dolman sleeves, which is currently sold out but cost $2,095. Meanwhile, the actress/singer paired it with lingerie by Araks which seem to be in a similar shade of luscious lavender. She looks to be sporting the Beatrice bralette ($135) and the Aaron panty ($95), and the combo does make a pretty, sexy outfit when assembled.

The actress has long been on point when it comes to her fashion game. From her early 2024 semi-sheer netted dress to her lovely hair ribbon and corset dress combo and lots of Snow White method dressing, she’s quickly become a young style star just as much as she’s a movie star who’s very much still on the rise.

Despite some hiccups earlier in the year, Zegler is kinda on a high right now. Not only is Snow White actually doing well on Disney+ after its lackluster performance in theaters, but her new stage production managed to rack up $9 million in just one week after starting previews, plus her Hollywood “dad” Pedro Pascal has been on hand to support her. The talent also made news recently for her funny reaction at hearing that Ralph Fiennes will portray Snow in the upcoming film, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. With everything that’s coming up for Zegler, we’re sure to see more stunning looks from her as the year goes on!

Pedro Pascal might be the internet's daddy, and one of Hollywood's finest heartthrobs, but for Rachel Zegler, he really is like a dad. The young actress recently made that clear too, as she recalled how the Fantastic Four: First Steps actor sweetly supported her as she led the cast of the West End revival of Evita on its opening night.

At Evita's opening night festivities, Zegler shared with Hits Radio UK why she calls Pascal ‘Dad.’ The stage and Hollywood star explained that their friendship is sweet and real. It was on full display too, as the actor supported his friend from the audience, helping solidify the reported great preliminary previews of the West End revival. While in attendance, Pascal reportedly gave her a standing ovation after every number, and it’s how she spotted him in the crowd. Lovingly, she shared:

I’m just so smitten with how cute this friendship is! He’s been showing up and showing out for the Y2K alum for quite some time, including through the Snow White drama earlier this year. So, it’s really no surprise she has nothing but love for her Hollywood Dad.

Now, not only do I want to see Rachel Zegler's iconic and viral balcony scene in this production, but I also want to see Pedro Pascal's reaction to it.

Thankfully, if you’re like me and wish to have seen it in person, both posted a small clip of him cheering her on on their IG stories. It’s not much, but at least it’s something, and Zegler returned the love for her Papi! Here’s a screenshot to get the idea of the brief video:

Clearly, Pascal loved every minute of his pal’s performance, and other critics are praising Evita too. But the revival already seemed promising after Zegler went viral earlier this summer for her public balcony performance to people on the street.

As mentioned, it’s just the beginning of the singer and actress’s time in Evita. It’ll have a 12-week run from July 1 to September 6 at The London Palladium, one of The West End’s most prestigious theatres. Also, along with her theater career, Zegler will return to the screen too after landing She Gets It From Me.

Meanwhile, the Gladiator II alum has plenty going on. Pascal returned to the 2025 TV guide hit The Last of Us, which you can stream with an HBO Max subscription. And that was soon followed by his first 2025 movie calendar title, Materialists. Now, the releases of Fantastic Four: First Steps and Ari Aster’s Eddington are right around the corner.

The last two films mentioned will premiere this July as well, and that will hopefully give Rachel Zegler the chance to reciprocate the hype Pedro Pascal showed at her performance.

Rachel Zegler is one of Hollywood’s most promising rising stars, but she is still no stranger to backlash from the media, as she seems to be a frequent target of internet vitriol. While she has received endless critical praise for her roles in movies like West Side Story and The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, public backlash has been rampant due to her political opinions and comments during the press tour of Disney’s latest live action remake, Snow White. Now, the 24 year old actress is speaking out.

In a recent interview with ID Magazine, Zegler chatted about online hate, as well as why she feels the need to still be outspoken despite the criticism. The actress explained that her compassion and strong opinions on global issues is not limited by her status as a movie star, and she feels like her status actually gives her more responsibility to speak her mind and speak up for injustice. She said:

It’s not uncommon for celebrities, especially young women in the industry, to face pushback when they engage with topics beyond entertainment. However, the specific hate towards Zegler feels beyond what others have attracted in recent years. Much of this came after she was candid about the failings of the original Snow White film, and explained that her version of the titular character would have more independence and agency that was depicted in the past. Disney purists felt like this was a slight to the source material, and turned against her quickly. Some even blamed Zegler’s outlook for why the live action Snow White flopped at the box office.

Aside from her media opinions, Zegler has been increasingly outspoken about global politics, domestic politics, and situations that she feels are inhumane. Her bravery for standing up for unheard voices has been lauded by some, but has impacted her negatively career wise. Variety even reported that Snow White producer Marc Platt flew to see her and ask her to take some of her social media posts down. Zegler refused, and she doubled down on her choice in this interview, saying:

Whether controversial or not, Zegler is sticking to her guns, and is also getting a lot of support from fans. As for her mental health, well it seems like she has that handled as way, as she got candid about seeing a therapist throughout all of the media backlash. She said:

It’s good that the Shazam 2 actress has a good head on her shoulders, and seems to be handling the situation with a lot of grace. Despite the criticism, Rachel Zegler shows no signs of slowing down. She is currently starring in Evita in the West End, and it’s already a critical smash hit. If you can’t get to London to see her shine on stage, fans can also see Zegler in the live action remake of Snow White, which is now streaming with a Disney+ subscription.

Regarding the two live-action Disney remakes that have come out this year, the reception has felt like night and day. Lilo & Stitch warmed fans’ hearts (give or take a gripe or two) and is the second biggest hit so far in 2025. Meanwhile, Rachel Zegler's Snow White was deemed a commercial flop and dealt with so much controversy, it didn’t even get a real premiere. But after Zegler’s eventful week, it seems the actress is moving forward and simply killing it.

Rachel Zegler’s West End Show Is Getting A Lot Of Buzz, And Has Already Made Millions

A month after her Snow White press tour, Rachel Zegler moved into rehearsals for her latest project, the Evita revival on the West End, which finally opened for previews at the London Palladium this past week. The actress plays the titular lead role in the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which is being directed by Jamie Lloyd, who recently won a Tony Award for his revival of Sunset Blvd.

Per Deadline, since previews began a week ago, Evita has already earned $9 million, and it has good buzz among audiences. Evita’s producer told the publication that the show has “gone through the roof with the public,” thanks to “pure word-of-mouth that’s nothing to do with normal advertising.”

Much of that word of mouth has to do with Lloyd’s decision to have Zegler come outside on the balcony of the Palladium to sing the show's biggest song, “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”.

It’s apparently become so popular that Zegler has been singing to somewhere between an audience of 800 to 1,000 on the streets of London as people who paid for a ticket watch the moment via a live stream inside.

The viral moment has its haters, too. Some people (via New York Post) have criticized the move for being a "rip off” because the biggest number is being sung outside the theater.

But, it also is being praised for giving the public rare access to live theatre for free, no less, along with connecting to the themes of the musical itself. Plus, the paying audience gets to see Zegler strut her stuff for over two hours inside the Palladium.

Now, there’s also already talk (though not confirmed) that Zegler’s Evita could come to Broadway in 2027!

The Snow White Movie Also Spent The Past Week As Disney Plus’s No. 1 Title

At the same time that Zegler has been earning applause and praise for Evita in London, Snow White debuted on Disney+ last week. While there’s been a lot of negativity around the movie, clearly a lot of people decided to stream it, given it’s been the No. 1 title on the service for a straight week.

Snow White only just gave up its top spot with the release of the Frozen musical, but it’s still staying strong at No. 2.

For all the bad press Rachel Zegler endured over the past year, it sounds a lot like she’s a successful star these days, given these recent developments!

I must have gotten true love's kiss because this is truly the film that just never dies, huh?

No, on a real note, the live-action adaptation of Snow White was doomed from the start. Already, many Disney live-action films have received significant pushback from fans over the last few years and haven't performed as well. Still, there were comments and other remarks made by the leading stars – as well as outside circumstances and the first trailer for Snow White – that made it a shoo-in for being a bomb in some way.

And bomb it did, my goodness.

Either way, the film finally dropped on the streaming service Disney+. I decided to stream it (again) because I wanted to really see if it was as bad as I remembered it being – and honestly, there's one aspect of the film that makes me snicker thinking about it because it reminded me of an older movie I was not expecting. Let's get into it.

The Movie Is…Fine

Look, the movie is…fine.

I don't think Snow White is as egregiously bad as people say it is. I believe Rachel Zegler, who is known for her starring role in the West Side Story cast as well as The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, is actually a good Snow White. She has a beautiful voice, and she captured some of her essence.

But the rest of the movie didn't feel like an adaptation of the original story from Disney's animated classics. It felt altered and morphed to supposedly fit a modern view when, in reality, people just wanted the original story. And really, I don't even want to talk that much about the Evil Queen because, yeah… Gal Gadot was not the best choice for that.

Either way, I can see why kids love the Snow White live-action, but it's fine and alright if you're looking for something to do on a Saturday afternoon, but it certainly is not my favorite. However, there's one aspect of the film that reminded me of an old movie – and it has to do with Christmas.

But I Have To Admit, The Dwarves Reminded Me Of The Polar Express

Ya'll, these dwarves are creepy as heck.

I really wanted to give the movie time. I thought that when the first trailer dropped for Snow White, they would take the feedback from the fans about the strange-looking dwarves and really dive into redoing the designs. Think Sonic from the Sonic the Hedgehog movies and how they redid his entire thing.

But, ah…they didn't. They kept the dwarves the way they were, and why????

I'm looking at them, and honestly, the first thing that came to mind was that these little creepy CGI monsters look like the kids from The Polar Express. There! I said it! And I'm not taking it back! It's an uncanny valley up in here!

There's just something about their eyes or the way they move that doesn't feel right. I mean, I know they did it because of comments from other actors, specifically Peter Dinklage, where they felt little people should not be cast as dwarves because it's type-casting and offensive, but if the result is this? I'm not sure. I understand the sentiment, but we can do so much better.

It's Shocking How CGI Has Somehow Evolved Backwards

I know what you're going to say. "Alex, you've said before that you love The Polar Express! You've said it's one of your favorite animated Christmas movies!"

And yes, you're right. I do love The Polar Express. However, there's a difference between loving something from my childhood and acting like a critic nowadays to suggest that a 2025 film should not resemble one from 2004.

Animation, in general, has undergone significant changes in the last several years, particularly over the last decade and a half. And what else has changed is the live-action remake landscape because we've had so many of them. And I have seen much better within the world of bringing creatures and animals to life.

Granted, these are smaller humans, but it's still within the same realm of trying to bring something alive in animated form, as they are entirely CGI-animated. I think of Mufasa from The Lion King, which had some of the best live-action animals from an animated movie that I've seen. They felt at least relatively realistic and stood out on the big screen.

And while, again, dwarves aren't animals, they could still easily be recreated. But here we are, with animated characters that feel less like humans and more like strange creatures that needed a lot more time in the editing room.

Is This Just The New Standard For Creatures In Disney Live-Action Movies?

I hate to say this, but it feels like Disney is moving in this direction, where live-action creatures and humans in their remakes are not going to be great. And it's not just Snow White.

Let me tell you frankly that the Lilo & Stitch live-action remake, aside from Nani, was excellent in its animated form, particularly with Stitch. He felt real, fun, and cute, and it looked like a lot of effort had been poured into his design. However, many other movies don't evoke the same feeling. The dwarves are one example. Another one is Pinocchio from the live-action adaptation.

And honestly, there are others, but I don't want to talk about all of them because we'll be here all night.

I'm just starting to feel that this might be the new normal for Disney, where they… don't care as much as they used to. I know that some live-action productions have been placed on pause, but there are still new ones coming out (like the live-action Moana), where there's still time to make these animated creatures look good.

Even so, I'm eager to see what other people think of when they finally see this movie on Disney+ and if most feel the same way I do about these dwarves. Maybe I'm totally on my own here, but I still think that you could pick them up and place them on their train to the North Pole. Time to see Santa meet the Seven Dwarves somehow.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is ramping up to be one of the most exciting upcoming book adaptations, and a lot of that has to do with all the great casting announcements rolling around over the past few weeks. Now, after Friday brought word that Ralph Fiennes is set to play President Snow in the prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes actress Rachel Zegler had a fun reaction to the casting.

Fans of the movie franchise, of course, know Rachel Zegler played Lucy Gray Baird in the last Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which told President Snow’s villain origin story of sorts. It involved a teenage Coriolanus Snow mentoring Lucy, who becomes the District 12 tribute of the 10th Hunger Games. During the games, the pair fall in love before Snow ultimately turns on her, she escapes him, and he starts his path as Panem’s totalitarian leader.

Tom Blyth played Snow in that movie, and Donald Sutherland played the president at his oldest age in the original trilogy. Now, Fiennes is playing him at his middle age, and Rachel Zegler reacted to his casting in the funniest way, writing:

The actress made the comment on the official Instagram announcement of the casting of President Snow. It’s a hilarious comment that brings some perspective on Zegler’s side of things. Imagine playing a character who falls in love with another, and then learn a legendary actor like Ralph Fiennes is playing the same guy 40 years into the future?

Plus, Ralph Fiennes is probably best known for playing Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies. Now he’ll play another famed literary villain after the late Sutherland initially portrayed him in his 80s before Tom Blyth played him at the age of 18. In Sunrise on the Reaping, Snow is 58, which aligns very closely with Fiennes' own age of 62. So, between that and the fact that we know he can play a great villain, this is iconic casting.

Prior to Fiennes’ casting, a popular pick among fans for Snow was Donald Sutherland’s son, Kiefer Sutherland, who is perfectly aged for the role at 58. That’s not the direction Sunrise on the Reaping has decided to go with their pick for Snow. However, Fiennes is a distinguished choice who will ensure another interesting chapter of the Panem president being explored as a young Haymitch competes in the 50th Hunger Games.

The movie will also star newcomer Joseph Zada as Haymitch, Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove (who has a connection to Zegler’s character), McKenna Grace as Maysilee Donner and Jesse Plemons as Plutarch. Along with Ralph Fiennes being cast as Snow this week, there were a few other new announcements about Sunrise on the Reaping. Kelvin Harrison Jr. has been cast as Beetee, Maya Hawke as Wiress, Lili Taylor as Mags Flanagan and Ben Wang as Wyatt Callow.

The movie is being directed by Francis Lawrence, who helmed all the other Hunger Games movies aside from the first one. He’s called it a “return to form” from the original movies due to it being closer in the timeline. That alone has got me excited, however, all this casting news makes me even more stoked for the film's November 20, 2026, release.

So, between Fiennes stepping into the role of another iconic villain, as Zegler hilariously pointed out, and all the other remarkable casting choices made, I think we're in for something special. So, stay tuned, folks.

Well, Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner are now red carpet official. While the couple has been together for about two years, they keep things very private, and they hadn’t walked a carpet together until now. So, obviously, there was a big reaction to this moment. However, what wasn’t expected was the response Rachel Zegler had to it.

This all went down after the Dune actor and The Kardashians star walked hand-in-hand down the carpet for the 70th David Di Donatello Awards. They posed together and looked like the happy and in love couple they are, and after seeing images of them together (which you can see below), the internet had a big reaction.

I fully anticipated a big response over these two and this moment, because it's a very big deal. However, I did not expect to see someone like Rachel Zegler commenting on it. When Cosmopolitan posted the images on Instagram of the high-profile couple, though, the Snow White actress was quick to share her cheeky thoughts on the matter, writing:

Now, for context, the viral Timothée Chalamet fan account, Club Chalamet, is not the biggest fan of Kylie Jenner. Back in 2023, per NBC, the social media account went viral for posting allegations about the reality star after she was seen at a Beyoncé concert with the Oscar nominee. Since then, there’s been an ongoing conversation on the internet about this account that loves the Little Women actor and their feelings about his girlfriend.

Zegler wasn’t the only person to call out Club Chalamet when these photos of the actor and Jenner dropped. Vanity Fair also referenced the account in their X post about the news, writing:

After that, Club Chalamet responded, posting an image of only the A Complete Unknown actor at the event, with the caption:

The outlet then retweeted that post, furthering the discourse about how Club Chalamet might react to the news that the subject of their account and Kylie Jenner are now red carpet official.

Overall, this whole discourse, and especially the fact that Rachel Zegler commented on it, was surprising. However, the fact that Kylie Jenner’s relationship with Chalamet is now red carpet official has been a long time coming, in my opinion.

The two have been linked since 2023, and while they keep things low-key for the most part, they do attend high-profile events together. Jenner was sitting next to Chalamet at the Oscars; she was also in the chair next to him at the Golden Globes, and they’ve been spotted out and about on numerous occasions.

Plus, Chalamet just bought a house that’s a whole lot closer to his partner.

So, it would appear that these two are in it for the long haul, and that was further proven by their red carpet debut. Now, as we learn more about them as a couple and as they potentially make more appearances together, I’ll be curious to see what both Club Chalamet and Rachel Zegler say about it.

Rachel Zegler is one of the many actors to have a notable film released as part of the 2025 movie schedule. Earlier this year, she marked the release of Disney’s Snow White, the latest live-action remake from the House of Mouse. It would appear that at this point, the film hasn’t hit the heights of some of its predecessors. All the while, Zegler is still making waves within the Hollywood landscape. On that note, she just landed her follow-up flick, and it’ll pair her with a beloved Oscar winner.

The 23-year-old singer and actress is joining the dramedy film She Gets It From Me. Per Variety, the film will see Rachel Zegler team up with Marisa Tomei, as the pair will play mother and daughter. Julia von Heinz is set to direct the film, which is based on a true story. It tells the story of an engaged woman named Nicky (Zegler), who finds herself thrust into a situation where she finds and reconnects with her birth mother. A brief synopsis reads, “YouTube is packed with tearful family reunions, but nobody films the messy aftermath.”

Preliminary plot details suggest that Marisa Tomei’s character, Charlotte, is quite a pistol. Not only is she apparently a former rocker, but she also apparently has a habit of popping pills. Tomei is no stranger to taking on roles that are a little over-the-top as well as mom characters (which she has regrets about). Based on the little information we have on Julia von Heinz’s film thus far, I’m getting vibes of 2015’s Ricki and the Flash. That film has its charms, and I’m hopeful that this upcoming one does as well.

What’ll truly be intriguing to see, of course, is how the My Cousin Vinny star mixes it up with Rachel Zegler on screen. I’m not sure they’re the first two actresses as peg as portraying a mother-daughter duo. However, I do like the notion of it, and it could be fun to see them bounce off each other, especially in what could be a funny and emotionally messy film.

It goes without saying that Rachel Zegler has been gaining some serious notoriety over the past several years. She burst onto the cinematic scene in a big way through her role as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, which also marked a major instance of Latina representation. Also among her live-action credits are The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (which she nearly turned down) and the horror comedy Y2K. She even dipped her toes into the superhero genre with Shazam! Fury of the Gods and, even in recent years, Zegler’s been fancasted for Marvel roles.

Much has been said about the New Jersey native’s role in Snow White, as some took issue with her casting. She also drew backlash for making comments about the OG film, saying that she felt some aspects of it were outdated and that the remake would remedy them. Ultimately, the Marc Webb directed-film opened to lukewarm reviews and, while it topped the box office in its opening weekend, the movie has since underperformed.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t seem as though Rachel Zegler is being hampered by the live-action Disney flick’s performance. Not only that, but critics who reviewed Snow White singled out her performance as a highlight of the film. I was already curious as to what Zegler would do next but, now, I’m especially pumped to see her share the screen with the great Marisa Tomei in She Gets It From Me.

This week, there's been much excitement for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, which is among the upcoming book adaptations. A plethora of casting news has surfaced, as the young Haymitch actor was revealed alongside the actress playing Haymitch’s girlfriend. Additionally, Ghostbusters’ Mckenna Grace is playing a District 12 tribute, and Jesse Plemons is portraying a young Plutarch. All the while, fans can’t stop talking about how one piece of casting reminds them of Rachel Zegler’s prequel role.

In 2023’s The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which serves as the origin story for President Snow, Rachel Zegler plays Lucy Gray Baird, a covey girl and District 12 tribute. The Baird name will return for Sunrise on the Reaping with Whitney Peak playing the role of Lenore Dove Baird, and fans are noticing how similar Peak looks to Zegler. Take a look:

Peak, who has previously been in the Gossip Girl reboot, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Hocus Pocus 2 is officially playing Lenore Dove Baird, who is the girlfriend Haymitch leaves back home when he's chosen for the 50th Hunger Games. Peak and Zegler are not related and have distinct facial features, but I totally see what fans are talking about.

They both have massive doe eyes and similar noses. Some users can't help but wonder if Peak's casting is partially due to the producers wanting both Baird girls to look related. Check out another comment:

The Sunrise on the Reaping takes place 40 years after the events of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which ends with Lucy Gray Baird disappearing from Corilanus Snow’s view as he rises to power. Fans are also left with questions regarding Snow really loved her. Peak’s Lenore Dove won’t enter the Hunger Games, but she is very important to Haymitch Abernathy’s backstory.

Now that I can see, alongside fans, how Lenore will bear a resemblance to Lucy, this movie is only going to hit harder. Here are some more comments that reference the casting:

• “Whitney Peak and Rachel Zegler look like two Barbie dolls with the same face mold.” - @dankblonde1
• “whitney peak genuinely looks like she could be related to rachel zegler im with it 100%” - @stolenwisteria
• “I literally cannot get over how similar Rachel Zegler and Whitney Peak’s features are. Like casting went OFFFFFF” - @mblovestaylor

Plus, Rachel Zegler also took to social media this week to congratulate Whitney Peak on her casting. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes actress said “I know she’s gonna do the Baird name proud”. Now, I'm wondering if Zegler will cameo somehow! We’ll have to wait until the movie comes out on November 20, 2026. Until then, you can read The Sunrise on the Reaping book!

For the next Hunger Games prequel film, Sunrise on the Reaping, the casting for Young Haymitch and other characters took a while because the Suzanne Collins book hadn’t come out yet. Now that the long-awaited novel is on bookshelves, it's been revealed that the lucky actor portraying the young Hunger Games winner is Joseph Zada, with Hocus Pocus 2’s Whitney Peak portraying Haymitch’s girlfriend, Lenore. Hunger Games alum Rachel Zegler made sure to give her reaction to Peak’s casting, specifically, which is so on-brand for her.

Rachel Zegler may have been known to the world first in her Golden Globe-winning performance in West Side Story, but playing Lucy Gray Baird in Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes cemented her place in The Hunger Games series. While her character’s ambiguous ending leaves the actress out of any upcoming movies (as far as we know), Zegler is still being an on-brand team player, sharing on her Instagram stories how happy she is for Whitney Peak to be cast as Lenore and the connection to her own character:

For those like me who haven’t read the book yet, now we know that Whitney Dove’s character Lenore is somehow related to Lucy Gray Baird. I wonder if that means we’ll be hearing the actress belt out some tunes, as the Bairds are known for their musical ability.

Another thing we know about Lenora Dove is that she dates 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy by the time he’s inducted into The Games. Something tells me Lenore will play a big role in Haymitch’s actions in competing in The Quarter Quell and what comes after.

It’s so heartwarming to see Rachel Zegler be such a Hunger Games superfan over a year after playing Lucy Gray. Then again, she was a fan of the dystopian film series well before that, seeing the first movie when she was a child. So I can imagine how happy the American actress must have felt to have a big role in the same series as an adult.

You could tell Zegler felt proud to play a character with similarities to Katniss in using her courage and strength to make the best of being thrown into a deadly arena for audiences to see. Even at the premiere of the 2023 prequel, the Snow White actress showed she was a Hunger Games buff wearing a stunning Katniss Everdeen-like dress similar to the fiery dresses the District 12 contestant wore during her interviews with Caesar. I’m sure seeing a fresh, upcoming actress like Whitney Peak join The Hunger Games family must feel like a full-circle moment for Zegler.

Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-President Erin Westerman told Deadline that casting decisions for the main characters of Sunrise on the Reaping came from wanting to launch the careers of lesser-known actors.

After all, Jennifer Lawrence was cast as Katniss, whose previous acting experience included the sitcom The Bill Engvall Show and the indie flick Winter’s Bone. The same was said with Tom Blyth, whose big role before being cast as young Snow in Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes came from the MGM+ series Billy the Kid.

Now, newbie stars like Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak will soon carry on the legacy of The Hunger Games series, which will lead to their breakthrough roles.

After seeing Rachel Zegler giving her props to Whitney Peak for joining the Baird family, it’s clear that this is the Y2K actress’s way of passing the torch for the next Panem citizen who’ll likely be getting a dose of The Capitol’s control. I’m anxiously excited to see Peak’s performance in the highly anticipated Sunrise on the Reaping movie hitting theaters on November 20, 2026.

A few days ago we learned that Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds had landed a coveted invitation to the 2025 Met Gala, but were not planning to go. Allegedly, they’d passed well before the legal drama with Justin Baldoni began (though in truth the behind-the-scenes drama has run on for much longer). Now Anna Wintour has found herself handing out another invitation to an actress who has been dealing with some controversy: Rachel Zegler.

Per a report over at Page Six, Rachel Zegler was given an invite to attend the 2025 Met Gala. This has come, the outlet has alleged, despite the fact there have been rumblings of some drama between the actress and her co-star Gal Gadot, who is Israeli and has supported pro-Israeli views. He co-star, on the other hand, landed in the headlines headlines when she posted pro-Palestine commentary on a post that was really supposed to be about the Snow White trailer.

At the time of this writing, the movie has only gone on to make $169 million at the global box office, a far cry from what December’s Mufasa: The Lion King raked in (nearly $722 million). But Zegler is still an actress in demand thanks to roles like the more successful Hunger Games prequel Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and it was enough to land her an invite, though she allegedly will also not be attending due to a conflicting work gig in London (where she will be in the West End version of Evita).

So, while it seems like BTS drama does not deter Ms. Wintour, we may not see some of the more controversial names on the guest list this year regardless. The outlet’s Ian Mohr specifically joked there will be some “people” at the famous fashion event, before noting:

It is worth pointing out that Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have skipped the Met Gala before. They didn’t attend the last two years, in fact, with one decision having to do with Lively being recently postpartum at the time. Lively’s first Met Gala was in 2008, but she also skipped a smattering of years in between her debut and 2022, when she wore an incredible reversible dress.

So it’s not that unusual to hear she would be skipping. Still, after the backlash to Ryan Reynolds’ SNL50 jokes that cropped up online, it’s would also be easy to see why they might want to keep a lower profile right now with their legal battles going through the system. Though, again, they've reportedly said the decision was made prior.

This year, Doechii and some other names have already committed to the event, but we’ll have to wait and see what major staples end up showing. And insofar as Zegler and Lively go, at least they probably won’t have to deal down the line with the rumors the Kardashians literally deal with every year when it comes to the Met Gala.

Audiences who've seen the live-action Snow White starring Rachel Zegler generally seem to like the movie. Unfortunately for Disney, the size of that audience simply hasn’t been what the studio hoped. Many are already drawing a line between the film’s controversies and its box office take. However, not everybody is convinced the movie flopped because it was “woke.”

From the point where Latina actress Rachel Zegler was announced as the lead in Snow White, the film was accused of being “woke,” leading many to decide years ago they were going to skip the film. Some have suggested that’s the reason the movie didn’t become a box office smash, but David A. Gross of movie consultancy FranchiseRe recently told Business Insider the reasons for the movie’s lack of success are far more mundane. He explained…

Gross says that the mixed reviews for Snow White are more to blame than the movie’s perceived “wokeness.” While some have blamed Rachel Zegler herself for the film's failure, actual critics have generally seen the movie as simply insubstantial. Zegler has generally been receiving positive responses for her performance, making her casting seem like one of the best aspects of the movie.

These comments fall in line with a report from Deadline that compared the live-action remake's opening weekend numbers to other films and broke the numbers down by “red” states and “blue” states. It found that “red” state moviegoers actually saw Snow White in slightly higher percentages than other family and animated movies, certainly indicating those viewers were not staying away from the movie in unusual numbers.

While the politics involved may not have been the cause of the poor box office, that poor box office is still an issue. Snow White was reportedly a quite expensive film, which means it almost certainly will not be profitable by the time it leaves theaters. However, Gross points out that the box office is just the beginning for any Disney product, and the movie still has a multitude of ways to make money…

Anecdotally, it seems that the children seeing Disney's fantasy flick are its biggest fans. My kids certainly loved Snow White, which likely means good things for the consumer products side of Disney. If the movie sells a lot of merch, it could still become a massive success. It wouldn’t be the first time. Walt Disney made far more money on Mickey Mouse dolls than he did on Mickey Mouse cartoons.

You can make up your own mind about Snow White by seeing it in theaters now. Also, you can use a Disney+ subscription to stream the original 1937 film along with other animated classics from the House of Mouse.

The Life List has become quite the hit on Netflix’s 2025 schedule. After its release last week, it's been dominating the Top Ten, holding both the No. 1 and No. 2 spots at various points. However, one of its stars, Kyle Allen, seemingly can’t quite believe it. Don’t worry, though; his former co-star Rachel Zegler had an A+ response to his bafflement that explains, in part, why it’s such a success.

During its first week of release, The Life List accumulated 24.4 million views, per Tudum, putting it at the top of Netflix’s movies on both the global and US charts for the week. If you look at Netflix right now, the daily top ten puts it at No. 2. Kyle Allen, who plays one of the main love interests in the film, was amazed by all of this, writing on an Instagram post about the ranking:

Now, critics were split over The Life List. However, this rom-com about Alex (Sofia Carson) completing a bucket list her mom left behind after her death with the help of the family’s lawyer, Brad (Allen), has been deeply impacting audiences. In fact, it led some people to actually break up with their partners or quit their jobs in an effort to live their lives to the fullest.

It also stars the ever-lovely Sofia Carson and rising star Kyle Allen. Speaking about Allen specifically, he should honestly be considered one of the internet’s boyfriends at this point, and he’s incredibly charming as the lawyer Brad in the movie.

So, it makes complete sense that when Rachel Zegler saw Allen’s post about his rom-com and the question in the caption, she wrote:

She’s right, he is, and I think we’ve both known that for a long time.

I’ve known this and am not surprised by the success of this movie, because Kyle Allen is a great romantic lead. I was introduced to him in 2021’s The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (you can stream it with an Amazon Prime subscription). He was delightful, funny and emotional in that movie, and when I found out he was in The Life List, you better believe I hit play immediately.

Meanwhile, Zegler has worked with him before. They were both part of Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story cast (you can watch that film with a Disney+ subscription). While Allen played a very small role in that movie as a Jet, he did get to show off his talent as a dancer, and I would assume this movie is why he knows the Snow White star.

It’s understandable why Zegler would leave a sweet comment on his post, and she’s also right for multiple reasons. However, focusing on The Life List specifically, Kyle Allen really is a "dream" as Brad, the sweet attorney who helps the film’s leading lady on her journey of self-discovery, grief and ultimately, love.

So, yes, Mr. Kyle Allen, people are using their Netflix subscription to watch The Life List, and I think it’s time for you to embrace that incredibly impressive ranking on the streamer’s top ten list.

Disney’s live-action Snow White hasn’t enjoyed massive box office success, but the film’s star, Rachel Zegler, is still being heavily discussed within the news cycle. Zegler has been under fire since long before the movie came out due to her casting. Now, the question is why Snow White failed to make back the film's massive budget. The son of the film’s producer believes Zegler's to blame for the film’s failure. Now, Zegler’s West Side Story co-star, Ariana DeBose, has also found herself involved.

However, DeBose now says that it was not her intention to insert herself into the story, as she didn’t even realize that a quote she reposted was in reference to Zegler. Here’s a rundown of what happened.

What Jonah Platt Said About Rachel Zegler

The issue dates back to March, just after Snow White was released to lukewarm reviews and box office. A story in Variety claimed that Marc Platt, a producer on Snow White, actually flew across the country to speak with Zegler about her social media use. Some of her comments were politically divisive, and it was feared that such comments could negatively impact the film’s reception.

Then, in a comment on Instagram, Marc Platt’s son, Jonah, confirmed the account of events and specifically blamed Zegler for the film’s poor reception. He also said…

This line would then live on, as Oscar winner Ariana DeBose recently reposted the quote on her own Instagram. Many took this as a direct admonishment of Zegler, but now DeBose says that’s not the case.

Ariana DeBose Reposted Platt’s Quote Without Knowing Where It Came From

Ariana DeBose has since posted to her Instagram Stories to claim that she had no idea where the quote came from when she posted it. She apparently saw it out of context and shared it simply as a view of narcissism and not a response to Rachel Zegler. DeBose said in part…

It’s at least believable that Ariana DeBose might have simply seen the quote, not actually seen the news regarding Jonah Platt’s comments and posted what seemed like a harmless statement. DeBose still doesn’t mention Zegler by name and doesn’t state her opinion on the clash one way or another, simply stating she wants no part of the controversy.

Normally, a movie that doesn’t break the bank at the box office falls into almost instant obscurity. It seems that’s simply not going to happen here. Snow White may be the most talked about mediocre movie in a long time. As for this social media situation, specifically, it remains to be seen whether Ariana DeBose might speak on it further or if Rachel Zegler might respond in some manner.

The latest in Disney’s increasingly long line of live-action remakes of animated classics is here. While most critics weren't wowed by the new movie, our own Snow White review was much more positive. Fans have been equally mixed, with some audiences enjoying Snow White and others not caring for it. There are several reasons that the film may not have connected with audiences, but one reason may have been that, when compared to other live-action remakes, Snow White just didn’t look as nice.

A post has gone viral on Threads, which puts two of Disney’s live-action princesses side by side and asks the question, why does Cinderella look so much better than Snow White? Looking at the two official images of the movie, one showing Lily James in her gown and the other Rachel Zegler and the dwarfs, it’s difficult to argue that the older film, which cost a fraction of Snow White’s reported budget, looks better.

Post by @currlyman

View on Threads

While there are plenty of defenders of Snow White in the comments and plenty of gross comments that focus on Rachel Zegler’s casting above all else, the vast majority stay on topic and agree that the one certainly looks a lot better than the other. Comments include…

• Maybe a hot take but the live action Cinderella is much better than the original and still remains the best remake to date
• The year CGI reached its ultimate peak, filmmakers got lazy with practical effects.
• Ok I was giving a chance to Snow White but I've never seen anything so poorly executed! Like did they swallow the 300 mill?
• The hardest part for me to fathom is that the same woman designed both the Cinderella dress and the Snow White dress…

The reason one of the movies cost as much as $300 million while the other had a reported budget of just $95 million is right there in the picture. Snow White had significantly more CGI than Cinderella. That fact also likely impacted the look of Snow White as the entire look of the movie would need to be adjusted in order to make the CGI look as good as possible.

But whatever the reason, the fact of the matter is that Snow White’s extreme budget is a problem, and not simply because it didn’t make the movie look perfect. Cinderella went on to make over $500 million worldwide on its small budget, a massive hit. It's also seen as one of the best Disney live-action remakes to date.

Even if Snow White were to match that number, which is unlikely considering its mediocre opening, that likely would not be enough to make the movie a success. Especially once you add in the costs of marketing and distributing the film to its inflated budget.

Whatever you think of the two movies overall, what's clear is that a movie doesn't need to break the bank to look great, and spending more money doesn't always mean a better result.

Nobody captures cool girl style like Jenna Ortega. Her edgy, gothic-inspired fashion often takes elements of early 2000s culture while giving it a Gen Z twist, making her look totally unique. But this time she seems to be taking a page out of another It-Girl’s play book. Her latest vampy look appeared reminiscent of some of the looks fellow actress Rachel Zegler has been rocking on the Snow White press tour, and honestly I’m just loving all the red.

Jenna Ortega recently appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to discuss her new A24 film, Death Of A Unicorn, and to chat with the host about some other upcoming project she has coming down the pike, like Season 2 of Wednesday. She looked absolutely stunning on the show, wearing a blood-red stained dress with a subtle rosette pattern. You can see the look below in an Instagram digital bit from The Late Show:

The minidress in question is from Oscar de la Renta’s Fall 2025 collection, and is the perfect choice for Ortega. It’s sleek and elegant with a little bit of edge, which is exactly the actress’s vibe. However, I could’ve also seen this look on Zegler as well, who has been wearing a lot of red, rosette patterns to invoke Snow White as she promotes the film. For example, she wore a red Carolina Herrera jumpsuit with a floral detail while promoting the film in Spain, and her bold crimson Richard Quinn dress she wore to perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live! was nothing short of memorable.

These actresses share more than a sense of style. They are both coming from a new generation of Hollywood stars, who are leading big tentpole films and buzzy TV shows. Zegler is currently in the thick of promoting Snow White, but soon she will return to the theater with the West End revival of Evita. Ortega also will be on everyone’s mind once press for Wednesday starts ramping up, and she has a number of film projects that are heading to the big screen soon. These are two very successful women, who’s careers are just getting started, and they seem to be doing everything in the chicest way possible.

Maybe Snow White-core is about to become the new trend, like how everyone was rocking Barbie-core fashion after the Barbie movie was released in 2023. I’m kind of hoping it catches on, as this color seems to look great on everyone, making a statement and being ever so glamorous. Both of these stars have different aesthetics, but they both are absolutely rocking these blood red looks and it compliments both of their features. It’s hard to say who wore it best when both of them look so incredible.

You can see Jenna Ortega in Death of a Unicorn, which hits theaters on March 28th 2025. You can also see Rachel Zegler in the Disney live-action remake film, Snow White, which is currently in theaters nationwide. For more information on other exciting movies heading to cinemas this year, make sure to consult our 2025 movie release schedule.

After several years, and more than one significant delay, the live-action remake of Disney’s Snow White finally arrives in theaters this weekend. Critics have been mixed on the new film, though our own Snow White review was a solid one. There are significant questions regarding how Snow White’s box office will turn out, but Rachel Zegler is celebrating the film’s release, as is another live-action Disney Princess: Halle Bailey.

Rachel Zegler’s casting as Snow White was met with immediate backlash from a subset of the internet that didn’t like that she was non-white. The same thing happened when Halle Bailey became the live-action Ariel in The Little Mermaid. The two supported each other when Little Mermaid was released and now they’re doing it again. In an Instagram post for the release from Zegler, Bailey replied…

To be sure Snow White simply being released is something of an accomplishment considering the movie's tumultuous production. It was back in the summer of 2021 that Zegler's casting as Snow White was officially announced. However, it was almost immediately met with anger from those who didn't like that a Latina actress had been chosen.

Halle Bailey herself had to deal with racism from those who didn’t like that she wasn’t white. Zegler’s casting as Snow White had already been announced before Little Mermaid had been released, leading to the two actresses finding an unfortunate connection between them. Zegler responded back to Bailey saying…

It’s nice to see that the support the two stars have shown each other has continued to the release of Snow White. The backlash against both movies was unfortunately the most common way the movies were discussed prior to their release. While there were also positive responses from those people who appreciated the diversity and visibility, the angry voices were often louder online.

What’s unclear is how much, if at all, all the controversy impacted the movie’s success. The Little Mermaid grossed well over $500 million at the global box office which is a perfectly respectable number on its own, but also a far cry from the over $1 billion that the most successful Disney remakes have achieved.

Whatever the box office result, Rachel Zegler is certainly happy with the final product. In her full Instagram post she talks about how much Snow White means to her, as it was a massive project that took her years to complete. Check out her full comments below.

It, of course, won’t be too long before the next Disney remake the upcoming live-action Lilo & Stitch arrives in just a couple of months and a Moana remake arrives next year. Rumors have persisted that a Tangled remake is also in development. Depending on how that movie gets cast the new Rapunzel might need a friend like Rachel Zegler and Halle Bailey.

Once upon a time, many Disney Princesses may have fit into the same glass slippers, but that’s hardly the case anymore. First, Disney Animation started telling stories depicting more types of women with more personality types. Second, the studio acquired Pixar and branched out even further, and finally, Disney purchased additional studios and brands that brought with them an entire back catalog of princesses. One of those, of course, came from Star Wars, and during our interview with director Marc Webb and star Rachel Zegler ahead of Snow White’s release, we slipped Princess Leia into a Princess trivia game to see if we could fool them.

It turns out the answer is no. We asked the pair what Disney Princess said “stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder.” It took Marc Webb a few seconds to work out what we were trying to do, but Rachel Zegler nosed it out almost immediately and was clearly delighted thinking about Princess Leia standing alongside Snow White and the other classic characters the Mouse House was built atop. You can check out a clip of the fun moment below…

The fun exchange happened during our game of Disney Princess Total Recall. The rules were simple. We asked Webb and Zegler for their guesses on which Disney Princesses said various classic lines we read off. They each wrote their answers down on a board and then flipped them around. I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that one was a lot more confident than the other. You can find out who by watching the video below…

Of course the reason we got together with Zegler, Gadot and Webb was to hype Snow White. Disney’s live action remake is about to hit theaters this weekend, and while the fans haven’t had a chance to weigh in yet, many critics have already given their say. Here at CinemaBlend, we gave the movie 3 ½ stars and were particularly into Zegler’s performance as the titular character. Most other critics have been positive about her work too, though reviews for the overall film have been a bit all over the board.

After some initial controversies and negative momentum during production over the decision to use CGI dwarfs and some comments Zegler made about aspects of the original that feel dated, those involved have worked hard to try and right the ship. Zegler has been extremely positive during her press tour and has even rocked some Snow White inspired fashion. The film is projected to do around $50M or so at the box office during its debut weekend, but its long-term fate will likely come down to whether word of mouth is good and eventually convinces casual moviegoers to check out the live action remake.

Disney is the home of the franchise. Marvel and Star Wars alone make for a nearly endless stream of new content in theaters and on Disney+, but there’s another corner of the iconic Walt Disney Studios that is an equal, and sometimes even bigger, box office winner: the live-action remake. While few of the movies are actually connected together, the regular stream of live-action remakes of Disney’s animated classics has been a huge part of Disney’s live-action output outside of Marvel and Star Wars, and this week the original Disney animated classic takes its turn with the remake of Snow White.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is the movie that made the Walt Disney Studio. It’s possible I wouldn’t be somebody who professionally covers all things Disney if this movie hadn’t happened. It’s a piece of cinematic history that changed everything. It’s also arguably the Disney movie most in need of a remake.

Do Disney Live-Action Remakes Need To Exist?

It’s a common refrain when movie fans talk about Disney’s live-action remakes that the films “don’t need to exist.” So many of the movies that the studio has remade are among the best Disney animated movies. Many of these remade films were seen as perfect the first time around, so why mess with perfection?

And to be sure, there’s an argument to be made that many of them, in fact some of the most successful, don’t need to exist. If there’s a point at all in remaking anything, it’s widely seen as a chance to do something different with a popular and known story. The remakes of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King are practically shot-for-shot remakes of the original. Clearly, the goal there was not to make something new, but to give fans exactly what they already loved.

On the flip side of the coin, there are some Disney remakes that do things a little differently. Maleficent tells the Sleeping Beauty story from a different point of view and Dumbo is mostly a sequel. However, few if any live-action remakes are seen as better than the films they are remaking. So if it’s not better nor different, what’s the point?

Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Is A Piece Of Cinema History

The decision from Disney to give the live-action remake treatment to Snow White has been a topic of debate and controversy from the beginning. Rachel Zegler's casting has been met with racist backlash, and a lot of people don't seem to like the CGI dwarfs.

But the bigger issue is that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs isn’t just a Disney movie, it’s the Disney movie. It’s the film that started everything. Not only that, but the original film became the highest-grossing movie ever made at the time of its release. The remake is certainly not going to match that level of success.

And to be fair, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is iconic for a reason. It was the first cel-shaded animated feature, an accomplishment nobody thought was possible at the time. Walt Disney and his team of animators proved that audiences could truly care about characters that were nothing more than paint and ink. The entire feature animation industry exists because of this film.

So considering just what a historic movie the original film was, a remake seems already destined for failure. And yet, I’m excited to see it because based on the trailers it seems clear that the new remake will improve on the original film in at least one major way.

Snow White Is The Least Interesting Disney Protagonist

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is an iconic movie, but that’s not the same thing as saying that Snow White, the character, is a particularly compelling one. In fact, she’s very much the opposite. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' title character mostly useless. There, I said it. I feel so much better now.

A lot has already been written about Disney’s Princesses, especially the first generation of them, for whom the only particular goal of the characters seems to be romance. I try not to be too hard on Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty since there are worse things in the world than to want to fall in love, but at least they actually do something about achieving their goals.

I know that as a huge Disney fan, it’s sacrilege to say something bad about a classic character, but Snow White is boring as hell. She doesn’t do anything. The entirety of the plot happens at her. She’s not an active participant in the story, she’s a passive observer. It's difficult to get invested in a character who simply watches the world go by.

Snow White the Character Can Be Improved, Even If The Movie Can't

Maybe it’s just a case of the movie being over 80 years old. Maybe it’s that the incredible visuals blew people away so much at the time that the movie got a pass on its plot. Yes, on a technical level, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is an incredible achievement that is worthy of everything that’s been said about it, but there are things about it that could be improved.

It’s already clear from the Snow White trailers that this issue is being addressed. There are scenes in the trailers that were not in the original movie showing Rachel Zegler's version of the character taking a much more active role in her own story. We know that the ending will change in some way. It’s unclear if the movie will go down one of the radical paths that I have suggested for Snow White, but even if we basically get the same story as the animated movie, the title character will be part of the action, not simply a witness to it.

This is a good, important and necessary update. This is a reason to remake Snow White. A proactive Snow White is simply a more interesting protagonist. Whether or not it will make for a better movie remains to be seen, but it will absolutely make for a better Snow White.

Method dressing has become a common practice in recent years, and it’s always thrilling when we see a performer really go for it with their on-theme looks. From Margot Robbie’s Barbiecore moments that took over 2023 to Zendaya’s sci-fi-inspired Dune: Part Two fits and Jenna Ortega’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice looks last year, these women have emerged as queens of method dressing. Most recently, Rachel Zegler has been making her mark on the trend during her Snow White press tour, and her latest look 1,000% proves that her method dressing has been on point.

Ahead of Snow White’s March 21 premiere on the 2025 movie schedule, Rachel Zegler has been traveling the world to promote it and rocking on-theme look after on-theme look. During her time in LA, she dropped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! to talk about the film and perform. Obviously, she came method-dressed to impress, take a look:

For context, the West Side Story star wore two looks during the appearance, and this particular number was shown off while she sang “Waiting on a Wish.”

According to Zegler’s stylist, Sarah Slutsky Tooley’s Instagram, the dress is by Richard Quinn, and it truly is giving Snow White. The red garment reminds me of the cape the princess wears, while the white fabric in the middle with the big white bow compliments it perfectly. Plus, the red bow in her hair is giving big princess energy.

Rounding out the look, the actress and her stylist paired the lovely red and white dress with black pumps by Betsey Johnson and jewelry by FoundRae and Melissa Kaye. She also had a simple glam makeup look and her hair was perfectly pulled back with a red bow. I think Snow White would be proud!

Now, while the image shows off the fit brilliantly, take another look at the fashion moment in action:

Of course, Rachel Zegler has been killing the method dressing game this press tour.

She proved she was the fairest of them all while performing in a white gown that had serious Snow White energy, and it was complimented perfectly by a red apple purse. She also met a bunch of kids dressed as Snow White while wearing a pink dress that was practically perfect for a princess. Not to mention, I was obsessed with her white gown which featured a red heart with a dagger through it, which was worn during a performance in Japan.

Honestly, these immaculate and on-theme looks have me even more excited to see the film and the actress's outfits in it. If she looks like a princess in real life, I think we’re in for a real treat when we get to see her as a literal princess in Snow White (which has gotten good reviews, by the way).

So, like the strong feelings people have about Snow White, I have strong feelings about this, as Rachel Zegler has proven she’s more than just a princess of method dressing, she’s a queen.

Steven Spielberg might not be directing the upcoming live-action Snow White, but he had a hand in making sure the right actress landed the part. Rachel Zegler, who first skyrocketed to fame thanks to her role in Spielberg's West Side Story, recently revealed that the legendary filmmaker gave her a "glowing recommendation." And, in classic Spielberg fashion, he found a creative (and slightly cheeky) way to let her know she had landed the part before she even got the official call.

The New Jersey native shared this fun behind-the-scenes casting tidbit when she stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live. The show's official Instagram account shared a clip from the chat, and the Shazam! Fury of the Gods actress expressed gratitude while recalling how Spielberg vouched for her to Snow White director Marc Webb. But, honestly, what I really love is how the acclaimed filmmaker also subtly spoiled the big news in a way that feels straight out of a movie:

Jimmy Kimmel immediately praised the director's response, calling it "very clever" and "very Steven Spielberg." And honestly? He’s not wrong. The Best Picture Oscar-winning director could have congratulated Rachel Zegler outright but, instead, he opted for a cryptic hint, which I'd say made the moment even more special. She continued:

That’s a pretty spot-on way to describe it. Between the Saving Private Ryan director’s subtle hint and his behind-the-scenes support, it’s clear that he has a lot of faith in the Hunger Games alum’s talent, which makes sense considering her show-stopping and barrier-breaking debut in West Side Story. She’s already proven she can bring a fresh take to a beloved classic, so tackling Snow White seems like a natural next step.

Interestingly, the starlet also revealed that, as is the case for many of the House of Mouse's projects, the audition process was highly secretive. When she first received the script, she had no idea she was even reading for an upcoming live-action Disney remake:

Of course, Snow White has been the subject of much controversy in recent years, with excitement and debate over the live-action movie. Still, a number of fans appear excited to see how Rachel Zegler brings the iconic Disney princess to life in the upcoming Disney movie. If the strong, early reactions to Zegler's film are anything to go by, it looks like she's nailing it, and many people are saying this could be one of Disney's best live-action films yet. With that, I think those who enjoy the star's performance should thank Steven Spielberg for putting in a good word for her.

Audiences won’t have to wait much longer to see Rachel Zegler take on the role of the iconic princess. Snow White is set to hit the 2025 movie release schedule on March 21. In the meantime, you can catch her previous work in West Side Story (which is streamable on Disney+) as we count down to her next magical performance.

A lot of controversy has surrounded the live-action remake of Snow White, but as we get closer to its release on the 2025 movie calendar, many are wondering about the film itself. Disney’s live-action remakes have been hit or miss, and some are already predicting box office troubles for Snow White. However, many of those who attended an early screening of the movie have positive first reactions.

Rachel Zegler portrays Disney’s first princess, with Gal Gadot taking on evil stepmother duties. So what is the early response to the upcoming Disney movie? Critic Christopher Mills writes on X that the year’s biggest surprise so far is that this “controversial” and “hated” film is actually decent. Mills praises Zegler as the titular character, saying:

With other Disney live-action remakes in the works including Lilo & Stitch and Moana, they may have to work hard to outshine Snow White, given what Tori Brazier of Metro UK thinks of director Marc Webb’s movie. Brazier says:

Like many Disney fans, Skyler Shuler of DisInsider was wary of this project, but after seeing it, Shuler says this is a must-see, joining others in calling it one of the best live-action remakes yet:

Katcy Stephan of Variety calls Rachel Zegler a “supernova,” while also complimenting the new music and the depth that’s given to the story. The love story is pretty sweet, too, Stephan says:

ScreenRant's Ash Crossan’s biggest complaint with the movie seems to be the princess’ hair, though that doesn’t stop Rachel Zegler’s gorgeous voice in the overall “charming” movie. Crossan says:

The verdict isn’t unanimous, however, with at least one critic voicing disappointment in the upcoming kids movie. Carl Kaka of Future of the Force says live-action remakes in general don’t replicate the fun and enjoyment of their originals, and this movie “just wasn’t for me.” Kaka continues:

If you want to see what all the fuss is about and draw your own conclusions about Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot and the rest, you don’t have to wait too much longer. Snow White is set to hit theaters on Friday, March 21, and if you want to revisit the animated classic in the meantime, that’s available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.

Rachel Zegler is making history as the first Latina actress to play Disney's Snow White. The West Side Story breakout was able to play out some fairytale moments for the big screen, but she also had an iconic moment while promoting the film. During the Hollywood premiere of the upcoming live-action Disney flick this weekend, Zegler was able to meet a whole line of little kids dressed just like “the fairest of them all,” and it’s the most adorable sight.

While walking the red carpet at the premiere of Snow White, Rachel Zegler looked like a real princess. She graced guests with her presence at the El Capitan Theatre on Saturday and was wearing a light pink, strapless Christian Dior dress with embroidered butterflies on the bust, with her hair in an updo. You’d think she was plucked straight out of a storybook. However, what got my attention the most was sight of the New Jersey native meeting the kids, and you can see that for yourself:

Isn’t that the cutest thing?! It’s enough to make you want to cry, to be honest. That has to be a surreal moment not just for the young fans showing their love to the star but also for the actress herself. What I also love is the sheer glow on the Shazam! Fury of the Gods alum's face as she greets her admirers. I'd imagine that neither the actress nor her fans are going to forget this magical-looking moment.

When an upcoming family-friendly movie from the House of Mouse is on the docket, young fans are quick to share their love and excitement, especially if a Disney princess is involved. For example, Beauty and the Beast star Emma Watson met a tiny Belle on the red carpet, with the little one dressed in the character's iconic yellow dress. The Harry Potter actress took the time to autograph the mesmerized-looking young fan’s book, and it was simply lovely.

A similar situation happened with Halle Bailey at the London premiere of The Little Mermaid. As the fashion princess wore an Ariel-inspired seashell gown, a little girl was there on the blue carpet holding the Ariel doll that looks just like the actress in character. Young fans really know how to make a starlet feel special, don’t they?

Seeing little girls dressed as Snow White must have meant the world to Rachel Zegler. After all, the Hunger Games star said the part about being a Disney princess that made her “sob her eyes out” was seeing little girls wearing the Disney character’s iconic costume in public spaces. This time around, that -- paired with the energy of the premiere -- could've been overwhelming for the actress.

The former YouTuber is also quite very aware of the position she's in. When Rachel Zegler was honored as a Latina trailblazer for TheWrap’s “Latino Power List,” she made sure to let up-and-coming Hispanic performers know to recognize their worth and be loud and proud about it. Just like how young Black girls saw themselves in Ariel when watching TLM's trailer for the first time, I’d hope the same can be said for young Latina girls when it comes to Snow White.

One would hope that Rachel Zegler continues to feel that kind of love during and after her latest film's release. Let's also hope that her encounter with these cute fans is a reminder that Disney characters exist not just on the big screen but in the hearts of those who've been captivated by their stories. You have the chance to be part of the magic by seeing Snow White in theaters when it opens on March 21st as part of 2025 movie schedule. You can also use a Disney+ subscription to stream other princess-centric films.

The Snow White global press tour is in full swing, and thanks to trailblazing stars before her like Margot Robbie and Zendaya, that means Rachel Zegler gets to have fun with method dressing like the fairytale princess in a number of creative ways for the latest of live-action Disney movie remakes. After the Hunger Games star showed up with an apple purse as an accessory for the premiere at a medieval castle in Spain, Zegler is giving “lips as red as a rose” a new meaning while doing press there.

This week Zegler wore a Carolina Herrera look that looked right out of the pages of the fairytale her new movie is based on. Check out what her stylist shared on Instagram:

Snow White famously is described as a character with skin “as white as snow,” lips “as red as a rose” and hair “as black as ebony,” and this press look definitely gives one of those phrases a literal translation. It’s an excellent switch up from Rachel Zegler’s embellished white princess gown that she wore at the Spain premiere.

She looked super chic in the piece that looks to be a deep red two-piece ensemble with the top being a long sleeve turtleneck and the bottoms being slightly flared pleated pants with the real centerpiece of the whole thing attached – obviously the huge rose wrapped around her hips. She also has a matching purse on her arm with another rose on the front of it. The actress wore the outfit with her hair slicked back in a pony, hexagon shaped dark sunglasses and some minimal gold jewelry. It’s giving modern runway Snow White!

It’s become somewhat of a tradition for leading women to channel their characters during their press tours in recent years. The Little Mermaid’s Halle Bailey for example, had fun with all kinds of Ariel-inspired looks when she went all over the world to promote the 2023 remake.

Along with Rachel Zegler bringing Snow White to Spain this week, the actress previously went to Tokyo, Japan the week prior. As she posted on her Instagram story on Friday, she’s now traveling to Los Angeles next prior to going to the El Capitan in Hollywood for a screening of Snow White. Per Variety, Disney has decided to scale back from having a massive premiere for the Disney flick to a “pre-party and screening” with Zegler and her Evil Queen, Gal Gadot.

The movie, hitting theaters next weekend, is expected to have a domestic opening weekend range of 65 million to 85 million, per Box Office Pro, which might be a big deal for other movies, but considering it cost a reported $250 million to make and other Disney remakes have made over $100 million in their domestic opening weekends, Snow White might not spell success for Walt Disney Studios.

You can check out own theories about how Snow White might be a radical remake here on CinemaBlend as we wait for the release and more stellar Zegler press looks.

Whether or not Disney’s upcoming live-action Snow White is going to be a box-office hit is a big question. However, what’s not in question is Rachel Zegler’s fashion, as she has been traveling the world to promote the new film and has continued to show off her method dressing game.

Method dressing has been a major Hollywood trend in recent years. It's not uncommon to see stars wearing clothes or carrying accessories that evoke the character they play in the film they're promoting.

On a recent stop in Japan Zegler appeared wearing a dress with a heart and sword pendant. The image comes from the box that the Huntsman is supposed to use to carry Snow White’s heart after he cuts it out in the original animated film. More recently Zegler appeared in Spain in a stunning dress, but also with an equally dazzling apple purse.

Zegler was on hand with Snow White director Marc Webb to perform the song “Waiting on a Wish” one of the original songs created for the Snow White remake. The song was performed in front of The Alcázar of Segovia, a castle in Segovia which was the inspiration for the castle used in the original 1939 movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

It's the perfect place to bring the remake full circle. And it safely makes for a stunning image.

Disney has been using the new song, “Waiting on a Wish" in trailers for Snow White and other advertising. The song is available in full on various music streaming platforms for fans who want to hear it. For those who are waiting to hear the full song when it appears in the movie, like me, you can still get a taste of what to expect in Disney’s Instagram post from the event.

While the casting of Zegler as Snow White has resulted in a seemingly endless backlash, it’s little surprise why she got the role. She’s an incredible performer, who absolutely belts out this song.

"Waiting on a Wish" won’t be the only new song in Snow White. Trailers have indicated that Gal Gadot will have a performance of her own. The Evil Queen didn’t have a villain song in the original animated film, but Disney villain songs are iconic, so it’s only fair that she gets one in the remake.

Disney’s live-action remakes have frequently been big business for Disney. The early box office estimates for the film do not indicate that Snow White will be another billion-dollar success, but it’s still possible the movie could surprise people. If nothing else the world tour does appear to be getting people interested, which may translate to box office dollars. Snow White hits theaters next week.

One of the most talked about movies on the 2025 movie schedule isn’t a Marvel movie or the next Avatar installment, but the upcoming live-action adaptation of Disney’s classic Snow White. At this point, it’s far from clear how audiences will respond to the film, but we can be sure two members of the audience will be very interested in how the movie turns out, Gal Gadot's eldest daughters.

Gadot plays the Evil Queen in the new Snow White opposite Rachel Zegler as the title character. Appearing on GMA, the actress talked about her two eldest daughters, who had very different reactions to finding out their mom, who had once been Wonder Woman, was now going to be the bad guy. Gadot said…

One can understand a kid not liking it when their mom plays the villain. Gadot has traditionally played heroes, and kids are (hopefully) always going to see their parents that way. Of course, actors often say playing the bad guy is more fun, and the older child, being 13, is probably old enough to see that.

In the original animated Snow White, the Evil Queen is arguably the more interesting character when compared to Snow White. The Snow White trailer also shows that the Evil Queen will have at least one song, and a good villain song in a Disney movie can make a film.

Of course, the Evil Queen was reportedly so scary that kids in the theater watching the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs reportedly wet themselves, so maybe it’s understandable why somebody’s kid may not want to see their mom that way. My own kids are pretty terrified of the Evil Queen. I'm pretty sure I scarred one child when I took her on the Snow White ride at Disneyland.

Will seeing Mom play the villain make the villain more appealing, or make Mom a little more scary? Check out Gadot’s full comments below.

Snow White’s box office prospects are a big question right now. It’s unclear just how popular the film will be, but if Gal Gadot is an excellent Evil Queen that could go a long way to making the latest Disney live-action remake a solid hit. We'll find out when the movie hits theaters next week.

Disney’s live-action remakes have been making a boatload of money for the studio, but they have also come with their fair share of complaints from fans annoyed with various aspects. Some of this has had to do with the rehashing a lot of the live-action movies have been a part of, but some of it has had to do with changes those remakes have made to the original animated storylines. Whether you are a fan of the remakes or not, there is one component of these live action movies I’m absolutely obsessed with, and Rachel Zegler has already proven she’s a tour de force. Yes, I’m talking about method dressing.

While credit goes to OGs like Zendaya for starting the method dressing trend with looks like her Dune 2 robotic armor and all the tenniscore she wore for Challengers, the trend has expanded to other actors, actresses and movies. I'm loving it, and Rachel Zegler is having no trouble jumping on the bandwagon for the release of Snow White, which hits the 2025 movie release schedule on March 21.

This means we should have a few more weeks of amazing press looks like this one from the press tour for the flick:

Zegler is currently traveling globally for the release, and spent some time in Tokyo with fans over the weekend. Her cream dress with its red heart accent with a sword is similar to a lot of Snow White fan art and tattoos that have a knife or sword cutting through the apple, symbolizing its rotten core. In the animated movie, the queen presents a box with a knife stabbing through a heart, too.

The outfit’s matching red cloak is also doubtless a nod to the movie. If you’ve seen the Snow White trailer, Rachel Zegler rocks a vivid red cloak through some of the movie’s scenes. It's also the same red color as the apple that tempts Snow White in the famous fairytale movie, and the actress also wore a candy apple red outfit for a separate appearance she shared on her Instagram.

Rachel Zegler’s been asked about the Snow White backlash, and she’s honestly been thoughtful and careful about sharing her own feelings. However, it hasn’t calmed down the conversation about Disney’s live action movies in general, with some people feeling like we need more originals at the box office, and some people simply wanting less rehash from the studio.

I personally can see both sides of the coin. I, too, love new, original content, but I can also see how the studio would want to keep churning these out when some of them have pulled in more than a billion globally. I also like how the best of these movies bring a sense of freshness and nostalgia at the same time.

I think something like Mufasa: The Lion King kind of is the best of both worlds, where it’s a new story and new music based on a classic tale fans love. After a slow start, the prequel went on to make more than $704 million globally, and we’ll have to wait and see if that’s the tact Disney takes if it keeps rolling these out.

At the end of the day, I'm clearly here for the red carpet looks, though, and Disney stars can keep method dressing as long as they want. We'll keep you posted as Snow White continues unveiling new looks ahead of its release on March 21.

The 2025 movie schedule has a strong slate of upcoming Disney movies and the first film out of the gate, Captain America: Brave New World was a solid start on what could be a banner year for House of Mouse. However, one of the big question marks of the year for Disney has to be the Snow White live-action remake. While many of Disney’s remakes have been massive box office hits, Snow White’s fortunes may be heading in the wrong direction.

Snow White is about three weeks away, and according to THR, the movie is now tracking for an opening weekend of anywhere between $48 and $58 million. While that number isn’t necessarily bad in isolation, it’s actually down from projections earlier in February that had the movie coming in with an opening as high as $70 million.

Snow White’s Box Office Projections Are Heading In The Wrong Direction

Certainly, this isn’t the direction Disney wants to see projections going, and it’s not the direction that they usually go. Most of the time early projections start low but then steadily increase over time. The closer we get to a film’s release, the more marketing makes audiences aware that a film is coming, and the higher the projections get.

Certainly, Disney would love to see Snow White do gangbuster business. A live-action remake of Disney’s first theatrical animated movie, which became the highest-grossing movie ever made when it was released, has the potential, on paper, to be a success story on par with other Disney remakes like Aladdin and The Lion King. Disney's live-action remakes have made billions over the years, largely on the success of a few standouts.

Snow White’s Biggest Problem Isn’t Box Office, It’s Budget

The thing is, even with an opening weekend of around $50 million, things wouldn’t necessarily be dire for Snow White. A $50 million opening weekend in late March for a movie based on a fairy tale is, at least potentially, a solid start. The problem comes because Snow White’s reported budget is in the neighborhood of $250 million, this means that Snow White would have to put up box office numbers on par with those billion-dollar successes in order to be considered a real win for Disney.

That obviously becomes pretty hard if Snow White starts off with a fraction of that. While there are cases of movies making more money on a second weekend than they did when they opened, like the recent Heart Eyes, or of films seeing significant week after week box office without having a huge opening weekend, as The Greatest Showman did a few years ago. However, that’s certainly not the way it usually works.

With three weeks left before opening, there’s still plenty of time for Snow White’s projections to improve. We’ll certainly see an increase in marketing leading to release weekend and that may get enough people excited that the movie will become the hit it basically needs to be.

The list of upcoming Disney movies on the 2025 movie schedule has some guaranteed hits like Avatar: Fire and Ash and Zootopia 2, but it also has some significant question marks. The biggest of these has to be the forthcoming live-action remake of Snow White, starring Rachel Zegler, which has already received its fair share of backlash prior to release.

Disney’s live-action remakes have run the gamut from billion-dollar smash hits to direct to Disney+ flops. There are a lot of reasons that Snow White could be one of those success stories, but the film has been mired in controversy for years thanks to everything from Rachel Zegler’s casting to expected changes to the source material.

Speaking recently with Vogue Mexico (and translated by Variety) Zegler chalks up all the backlash to what is simply a very passionate fanbase. She said…

The actress is certainly taking the high road here with her statements, as the backlash against Zegler’s own casting started almost as soon as it happened. To me, it feels as if "passion" may be a polite way of noting some have a problem with Zegler being cast as a Latina Disney Princess.

That aside, it’s certainly true that a lot of the response has been from people who at least claim that they care deeply about the source material. When Zegler indicated the new movie would not have Snow White saved by a prince, many fans took issue with that bit of info, as it seemed to indicate a drastic shift from the source material. (Even if a change to Snow White's source material might make for a more interesting movie.)

At every turn, it seems there has been a new controversy. When the first trailer for Snow White arrived, perhaps there was hope fans would see the way the new film clearly took its inspiration from the Disney original. Instead, fans freaked out over the look of CGI dwarfs.

The question now is simply how all this "passion" for an 85-year-old movie is going to translate to the box office. Will people excited for a new version of Snow White turn out and make the movie a hit, or will those people who feel strongly that there’s something wrong with the movie stay away?

Sometimes controversy benefits a film as everybody decides to turn out just to see what all the fuss is about. At this point it's too early to tell, though how Snow White turns out will certainly be one of the more interesting topics of the cinematic year. If Snow White is a hit it will likely set the stage for a big year for Disney. if it isn't, it could hinder the theatrical slate for the rest of 2025.

Disney’s new spin on Snow White is a little over a month away from opening, which means that the 2025 movie has crept into that range of time where opening estimates start to pop up. The upcoming live-action Disney remake starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot has had a rocky road to the big screen, and its chances of success are in doubt, depending on who you ask.

However, this is the internet, and other commenters have noted a factor we may want to keep in mind as we make our way to March’s releases. Because let's face it, when you're in a chapter of The Hunger Games, the odds tend to be in your favor.

Snow White Could Be A Career High For Rachel Zegler

Leave it to the people of Reddit to take the box office report issued by Deadline, and give us some interesting points to discuss surrounding director Marc Webb’s movie. Our first point comes from the poster in question, “chanma50,” who provided some further insight from The Quorum. At the time of publication, current estimates have Snow White on track for a 3-day opening of $63-70 million. For the House of Mouse, that might seem dismal, but for Rachel Zegler, that’d be pretty amazing. The post reads:

For the West Side Story star, her career best at the moment is the $44.6 million brought in during the opening weekend of 2023’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Since fans are still hoping that we may see more of Zegler’s Lucy Gray Baird after those events, this sort of news could make that more likely to occur. Which is great, due to The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ ending leaving things where they did.

Although speaking of Rachel Zegler’s star power, it appears that there’s something else Snow White prognosticators will want to keep in mind. Which leads to another sign of the staying power for author Suzanne Collins’ continuing YA dystopian franchise, as well as how Disney+ subscription holders might view this would-be blockbuster.

If Snow White Does Flop, It Doesn’t Seem Like It’s Because Of Its Lead

Even in a month like March, there’s always a chance that something as big as Snow White, with relatively little competition, could “underperform” in the eyes of its home studio. And heading back to the Department of “Depends On Who You Talk To,” Rachel Zegler’s casting backlash might be a leading culprit for armchair detectives to cite as a cause of this hypothetical Disney flop.

Or at least, that seems to be the case if you aren’t a Hunger Games fan. Which brings up this comment from user “Sellin3164”:

With the potential for people to be into Rachel Zegler’s career, but not so much into Snow White, that does bring up what may be the most solid point. If this picture doesn’t seem to find its audience in theaters, it could be a sign that the property itself just isn’t of great interest to theatrical moviegoers.

Also, some viewers will probably admit very freely that they’d rather just wait for the film to stream on Disney+, so it doesn’t feel like as much of a gamble. So for all anyone knows, Snow White might become a huge streaming hit after the fact, much like Kevin Costner's Horizon found its audience on Max.

No matter how you look at the matter, uncertainty does seem to reign. However, I’ll leave you all with one last, non-Hunger Games point of order that came up in that Reddit post. Several commenters did mention the recent sleeper success of Mufasa: The Lion King as a sign that Disney should never be counted out too soon. Considering the negative comments people had for that prequel effort, that's a lesson we should definitely be learning in real-time.

While this opening weekend may not be mind blowing, the long game could be very kind to Rachel Zegler and her Disney princess era. March 21st is when we’ll see who’s right, as Snow White will sing her way into moviehouses on that very day.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was known to pack in a lot of emotional punches. Not only are we seeing how President Snow became the big baddie responsible for keeping The Hunger Games alive, but for his failed relationship with Lucy Gray Baird. After The Hunger Games co-stars Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler had an adorable reunion, now I really want to see these two make another movie together.

As soon as the first image from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes came out, it was plain to see we were gonna get some steamy chemistry from Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler. If you thought the Hunger Games prequel film would be the only time you see these two again, check out this adorable reunion photo from Zegler reposted from Blyth’s Instagram Story below:

Aww, the way Tom Blyth’s arm is wrapped around his former co-star as she poses with him! They look so sweet together. One of the best things about The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was the on-screen chemistry the two had together as Coriolanus Snow helps Lucy Grey survive the next Hunger Games winner while she helps him secure his future within The Capitol. With Coriolanus Snow being a calculating mastermind and Lucy Grey being a free spirit, the two contrasting personalities made for a courtship that very well could compete with Katniss and Peeta’s romance.

The cute reunion between Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler came from the British actor visiting the West Side Story actress backstage for her stage musical Romeo + Juliet. Considering what a dream career achievement the Shakespeare-adapted musical was for the talented actress, it’s incredibly sweet he got to be there to reunite and lend support to his “bona fide Broadway star.” Here’s another sweet photo of the two being all hugs and smiles:

They’re too cute for words, aren’t they? In fact, I really can’t get enough of the two’s budding chemistry that I would love it if the former Hunger Games stars would act together in another movie. It’s safe to rule out the possibility of the two having their place in the world of Panem ever again. After all, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes ending had Lucy Grey make her escape away from the menacing Coriolanus and never to be seen again.

As much as Tom Blyth would love to return as President Snow in a future Hunger Games movie as well as Rachel Zegler for the Haymitch prequel film, it looks like their backstories have been completed as far as we know. Plus, Sunrise on the Reaping is supposed to take place 40 years after the previous prequel film. At the same time, it doesn’t mean the pair can’t find their way towards an entirely different romance movie in the future.

Seeing Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler’s cute photos of their backstage reunion shows their friendship and chemistry didn’t stop after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. As film history has shown there are plenty of acting duos that work with each other more than once, hopefully Blyth and Zegler will have their next movie together lined up in the future. Until then, you can watch these two in their Hunger Games prequel film on Starz.

As the upcoming Disney remakes continue through our 2024 movie schedule, there’s even more on the 2025 movie schedule, including Snow White. Rachel Zegler, who will be playing the titular role, celebrated the ‘best girl’ and OG princess’ animated theatrical debut over the weekend with some sweet posts to her Instagram stories.

The Y2K actress called back to the original film as the actress and company gear up for their upcoming remake release. She posted a sweet homage to Walt Disney’s first and one of the top Disney princesses’ Hollywood debut to her stories on her IG account. The first has Snow White in the background and Zegler in the foreground, with the Westside Story alum sharing her love for the soft-natured princess.

It’s cute, simple and fun. And, most importantly, it shows that the most veteran Disney royalty is still as popular as ever. Even with all of the Zegler controversies that have gone on surrounding the upcoming woodland Disney blockbuster, she is still dedicated to the caring and compassionate princess. I appreciate her ode to the ‘best girl’ who started the new era.

Another great image from her charming ode shows The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes alum with her Disney World park counterpart. The two are in conversation and looking sweetly at one another.

Seeing the stories has been great, and for her to give Snow White, the character, props publicly makes me excited to see how the film will do the same. The emoji hearts between the two are an adorable touch and it helps make her feelings known all the better.

The 2025 film has had a lot of bumps along the way. Between the aforementioned controversies, as well as production schedules (a la the SAG-AFTRA strike), Snow White and her dwarf friends have been feeling the delay. When the trailer finally dropped, and many people had strong feelings about the leading lady, lots of fans remained by her side and praised the movie’s choice of Zegler.

Again, the Spellbound actress has known her fair share of divided audiences with projects she’s been on. The singer and actress most recently was a part of Kyle Mooney’s ‘painfully accurate’ (and debatable) horror comedy Millennium movie, which had many mixed reviews and feelings. She has continued to pull through and show up for her projects in a way that feels honest and true to the young actress. I’m glad that she pulled up for the most important one of them all though, our favorite folktale housekeeper.

What will come with next year’s live-action remake–no one knows just yet (there are some speculations out there). We do know, though, that the "Best Girl" aka Snow White is still as celebrated as ever as she reached her 87th anniversary. And that Zegler is so ready and thrilled to shout out the sweet princess she’ll be playing.

If you’d like to watch other Disney live-action remakes you can do so with a Disney+ subscription.

There are a lot of movies to look forward to on the 2025 release schedule. As a huge Disney fan, the list of upcoming Disney movies alone has me incredibly excited for what's on the way. There are new Marvel movies, I will be seated for Tron: Ares, and then, of course, there’s the surefire blockbuster Avatar: Fire and Ash. However, of all the Disney movies on the way, the one I am most looking forward to may actually be the live-action Snow White.

Am I convinced the movie is going to be a massive critical and commercial success? Absolutely not. In fact, it’s the question of just how Snow White will turn out that has me so intrigued by it. It could be great, but it’s equally likely, if not more so, that it’s going to be a mess. The movie is already the subject of multiple controversies regarding everything from the casting of Rachel Zegler as Snow White to the use of CGI to create the dwarfs.

A lot of fans seem ready to write off Snow White for any number of reasons, but I’m not ready to do that yet. I freely admit this film has a pretty significant mountain to climb if it’s going to work out, but the more I think about it, the more I wonder if Disney may have a plan for how to handle this modern version of a classic story.

Disney’s Live-Action Snow White May Have Trouble Blending A Modern Heroine With The Classic Story

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was Disney’s first animated feature film and was the highest-grossing movie ever made when it was first released. It's still one of the best Disney animated movies, and it’s a true classic in every sense of the word. As such, it’s a story that everybody knows, even if you’ve somehow never actually sat down to watch it. All signs point to Snow White at least mostly being a faithful retelling of the Disney classic, but we know there will be some differences.

Rachel Zegler has said that Snow White won’t be saved by a prince this time around. While it’s unclear what that means specifically; like will there be a magical kiss to awaken her after she bites into the poison apple or not?

The trailer for Snow White has shown us a few scenes that don’t exist in the animated movie. Among them is a shot of Snow White standing with pikes pointed at her as she says she wants to take her kingdom back. This is certainly a far more proactive Disney heroine than we see in the animated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, who is largely a passive observer in her own movie.

This is, to be sure, a positive development. A version of Snow White who actually does something is an improvement compared to a character who simply has the plot happen to her. At the same time, how the movie is going to balance this more progressive Snow White, with all of the original film’s classic moments, is a significant question.

The Snow White of the animated movie is innocent to the point of being naive. It’s for this reason that it’s at least believable that she would take a bite of an apple offered to her by a random old woman in a forest. But Rachel Zegler’s version of Snow White is not that sort of character from what we see, so how will these two concepts fit together?

I see a couple of possible ways for this to work, and either one has the potential to make the live-action Snow White a very different movie than you are probably expecting.

Radical Idea #1: Snow White Is More Sequel Than Remake

The first idea is that while Snow White appears to be a live-action adaptation of the animated original, that’s not really what’s going on, or at least, that’s not only what’s going on. The story from the animated movie might only be a small portion of the total runtime of the new Snow White. Events could play out more or less as they do in the film, but a majority of the runtime could follow the story after Snow wakes up from her apple-induced coma.

Perhaps we’ll get the naive Snow White who takes random fruit from strangers at the beginning of the movie. Then, after she wakes up and discovers what happened to her, she is changed by the experience, leading her to lead the rebellion against the Queen, who, in this version, isn’t killed in a random accident while Snow White was asleep.

This idea isn’t without precedent. The live-action adaptation of Dumbo follows this structure. The story we know from the animated movie, about an elephant that is born with massive ears, picks up a magic feather, and discovers he can fly, is Act I of the live-action movie. The bulk of the runtime is given over to the story of what happens after, which includes a run-in with evil Walt Disney.

This would certainly work for Snow White. It still gives the film the ability to tell the story people love and to hit those key moments and memorable songs, while also being a more modern version of the story. But that’s not the only way it could work.

Radical Idea #2: Snow White Never Bites Into The Apple

The second idea is a bit more radical because it actually would change a key element of the original movie, but in a way that might make sense for a modern retelling of the story. What if Snow White never actually takes a bite of the apple?

The trailer for Snow White shows one hand, which appears to be the Queen in her crone form, handing the apple to another hand, which appears to be that of Snow White. Having said that, we haven’t seen an image of Snow White taking a bite or ending up in her glass coffin as she does in the animated movie.

Since, again, this is a story that everybody knows, these moments wouldn’t exactly be spoilers, so it’s at least possible that the reason we haven’t seen them is that they don’t exist. If the Snow White that Rachel Zegler is going to play is going to take a more active role in her story and isn’t going to be naive to the point of farce, then there would be no better way to show that difference than to have Snow be suspicious of the apple and not actually take a bite.

While A Radical Version Of Snow White Is Possible, There’s A Reason It May Not Happen

There’s one major reason why we may not see either of these concepts or any other significant changes play out. The Disney live-action remakes that have been the most financially successful have been the ones that strayed from the source material the least. Snow White reportedly has a significant budget to make back, so one imagines Disney would be gun shy about making massive changes to a story that might turn off audiences.

Having said that, I would love to see either of these scenarios play out, and it’s barely possible we could see both of them fit together. I’m hopeful that there is something about the new Snow White that we’re not being shown, something that will allow the movie to not simply be a reproduction of the original.

While general audiences might prefer remakes that are faithful to the original, I feel if you're going to remake something, you should have something fresh to offer. I’m far from convinced that if the original story simply inserts a modern protagonist, it’s going to work. A version of Snow White where the original Disney Princess also becomes the hero of her movie isn’t a bad thing. I want to see that movie.

A title that was on my most-anticipated upcoming horror movies list is finally here, and it’s both funny and (very) gory. Y2K is an A24 movie from SNL alum Kyle Mooney that imagines if the titular event had actually happened when the public at large ushered in the year 2000. While I was never personally afraid of that event, the movie does have a scene that actually taps into my nightmares: falling while inside a porta potty. Kyle Mooney and more spoke with CinemaBlend about filming it, and I get why co-lead Rachel Zegler wasn't into it.

In the latest scary entry in the schedule of 2024 movie releases, Jaeden Martell’s Eli finds himself trying to survive an apocalypse alongside his crush, Laura, played by Rachel Zegler. At one point, Eli and Laura hilariously and romantically lock eyes for the first time while inside a falling porta potty, after using it to hide from the technological-based monsters out to get them. Here’s what Martell had to say to me about filming the scene:

Martell, who famously starred in the It movies, said he had a blast performing the porta potty scene, while it makes me personally shudder every time I think about it. Director/co-writer Kyle Mooney then jumped in, saying this:

While I’m happy Martell had a fun time shooting the porta potty scene, I totally get why Zegler would not be having the same reaction to shooting the scene. Even if it was in fact chocolate, getting into character to pretend poop and such is getting all over you is actually horrifying to me. Further discussing his experience shooting the sequence with me, Martell explained:

I’m happy to hear the filmmakers didn’t simply throw the cast down a hill in a porta potty. But his comments are really interesting in regard to how the scene was shot practically. Kyle Mooney also gave some major props to the movie’s cinematographer, Bill Pope, who has shot iconic movies like The Matrix and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. In Mooney’s words:

And that’s just one scene in Y2K. Considering the other wild scenes in the film, it's reasonable to wonder how the crew accomplished other feats like making a monstrous Tamagatchi and getting Fred Durst on board. All of those creative choices, though, contribute to a flick that's as scary as it is funny.

Kyle Mooney's directorial debut has been lauded for its "painfully accurate" portrayal of the '90s teen experience, yet it's mostly been met with mixed responses from critics. Nevertheless, CinemaBlend’s Y2K review awarded it a 4 out of 5 stars. Believe me when I say, the movie is fun, and the the porta potty scene alone still makes it worth the price of admission. So check it out in theaters now and also dream about this amazingly nostalgic popcorn bucket idea from A24 with us.

What if Y2K had turned out differently? That’s the premise of Kyle Mooney’s disaster comedy horror hitting the 2024 movie calendar on December 6. Appropriately titled Y2K, the upcoming A24 film will see two friends crash a high school party, only to have disaster strike when the clocks flip over from December 31, 1999, to those dreaded double zeros. With ‘90s icons like Fred Durst and Alicia Silverstone amongst the cast, it sounds like Xennials should brace themselves for a nostalgia bomb, as the trailer gives vibes of Superbad meets Maximum Overdrive. But is it any good? Let’s see what critics are saying.

With Y2K now in theaters, moviegoers will follow Jaeden Martell as Eli and Julian Dennison as Danny, ostracized best friends who decide to attend the huge New Year’s Eve party they weren’t invited to. Rachel Zegler plays Eli’s crush Laura, and writer/director Kyle Mooney excels both in front of and behind the camera, according to our CinemaBlend review for Y2K. Nick Venable delights in being the target audience for this movie, rating it 4 out of 5 stars and praising the way it maintains its balance of comedy and horror throughout rather than front-loading the laughs. In his words:

JoBlo’s Tyler Nichols rates it a “Good” 7 out of 10. This critic is also a millennial who’s here for the nostalgia. If that’s not you, he warns, this may not be the ticket to buy. In fact, the critic questions how many of the references and smaller jokes might fly over the heads of younger audiences. Does Gen Z know or care who Tipper Gore is? Nichols says:

Not all the critics have the same fondness for Y2K as the above two. Nick Schager of Daily Beast, for instance, says the 1999 New Year’s Eve event might not have been a disaster, but this movie sure is. The movie fails to deliver any witty twists, instead falling back on tired jokes about teens watching porn on computers. Schager continues:

Brianna Zigler of AV Club gives the film a C-, saying Kyle Mooney’s funnier instincts are replaced by weak jokes, weak story and weak characters. The 25-year age gap between now and the real-life non-event it depicts makes Y2K feel more outdated than nostalgic. Zigler says:

Audrey Fox of Looper describes the movie’s ‘90s vibes as “immaculate,” and loves the soundtrack, but even all that nostalgia can’t save this movie’s actively terrible dialogue and paper-thin plot. Fox rates it 4 out of 10, writing:

Y2K seems to be targeted toward a very specific audience, which totally works for some critics, but not at all for others. The movie holds a 48% Rotten Tomatoes score, suggesting critics overall are as divided as those above. If you feel like this movie speaks to you — and especially if you ever had a Three Dollar Bill, Y'all CD tucked into the sleeve on your car’s sun visor, Y2K is in theaters now.

One of the most talked about movies on the 2025 movie schedule will finally debut in just a few months. Unfortunately, Disney’s upcoming live-action Snow White hasn’t always been talked about because people are excited about it, but because a lot of very vocal critics have already decided the movie is going to be terrible. And yet, while the trolls are still out there, there have been some strong positive voices as well.

The full trailer for the new Snow White starring Rachel Zegler has dropped and with it has come the deluge of comments that were largely expected. However, among the fans critical of Rachel Zegler’s casting or critical of the use of CGI to create the dwarf characters, there are also a lot of very excited people. Rachel Zegler posted the new trailer to her Instagram and most of the comments there have been thrilled…

• No matter what the haters say, Rachel you're AMAZING!!! - haroon_20061
• i’m seated. the theater employees are scared and asking me to leave because it ‘it’s not march yet” but i’m simply too seated. - eloishman
• YOUR VOICE IS INSANE 😭 I WILL BE SOBBING IN THAT THEATER MARCH 21st 🤧 - rachelscardigan

Whatever one thinks of the details, anybody who is looking forward to seeing a live-action version of Disney’s first animated feature film is certainly getting what they want. While there are clearly some elements new to this version of the story that look to give the title character some actual agency, the trailer looks like the animated movie come to life, and Rachel Zegler looks the part.

Even if we’re not talking about the people who are clearly big fans of Rachel Zegler and her obvious and insane talent, some are seeing the Snow White trailer and think it looks, you know, fine. It is, like so many Disney live-action remakes, before, a largely faithful adaptation, that will attempt to modernize those elements of the original that perhaps haven’t aged that well. Even if you’re not excited about it, there’s also very little to really get upset about.

From Disney’s perspective, the live-action remakes that have followed this formula, being largely note-for-note remakes of the original Disney animated classics, changing as little as possible, have been the most successful. Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King all made a billion dollars at the global box office.

Honestly, Snow White looks fine. While there certainly seem to be a lot of people, on both sides of the argument, who have already decided that Snow White is either a travesty or a masterpiece, one hopes most will wait until the actual movie comes out and make a decision on the quality of the art by actually experiencing it.

Lots of people are already looking forward to the 2025 movie calendar, when we’ll see Rachel Zegler bring Disney’s oldest princess to life in the remake of Snow White. However, you don’t have to wait that long — or at all — to hear the actress flaunt her royalty. Zegler is the voice of Princess Ellian in the new Netflix movie Spellbound, in which she goes on a quest to break the spell that has transformed her parents into monsters and split her kingdom into two. Critics were able to screen the kid-friendly flick ahead of its release, so let’s see what the reviews say.

In addition to Rachel Zegler, Spellbound features an impressive cast that includes John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Tituss Burgess and more. This story has been in the works for a while and did some dancing around before landing at Netflix as part of the streamer’s partnership with Skydance Animation. Was it worth the wait? Isabella Soares of Collider thinks so, rating the movie an 8 out of 10 and saying:

Tessa Smith of Mama’s Geeky calls Spellbound the perfect family film with a heartwarming message, a great voice cast, jokes that land and beautiful music. Smith says there’s a lot to love about this one, writing:

Other critics aren’t as thrilled with the upcoming 2024 movie. For instance, Mae Abdulbaki of ScreenRant rates the film 5 out of 10, praising the cast and animation, but she says the movie takes way too long to make its point about changing family dynamics. Abdulbaki continues:

Chase Hutchinson of The Wrap says Spellbound is plagued by flat animation and a story that never really takes flight or feels magical. This movie can’t emerge from the shadow cast by other, better animated films this year, the critic says:

Cody Dericks of Next Best Picture agrees, saying despite some good voice work — particularly from Tituss Burgess and Nathan Lane — everything else about the film feels half-baked with unoriginal wiring, uninspired music and lackluster animation. The critic gives it 4 out of 10, writing:

The critics seem to be split here on everything from the quality of the animation to the music and how well the message comes across. The only thing they agree on is the talent of the the voice performers. If Spellbound does sound like the kind of adventure you want to embark upon, the movie is available to stream now with a Netflix subscription.

November is halfway over but as the fall weather gets even colder all the best streaming services are giving us plenty to watch while staying comfy indoors where it’s warm. From heartwarming family movies to potential Oscar nominees, and also ballerina vampires.

There are multiple exciting moving coming soon to Netflix, all for different audiences. What’s upcoming on Hulu looks to be one of the more interesting and creative TV shows we’ve seen in a while. And if you’ve got an Apple TV+ subscription you can check out a film that is likely to be in the awards conversation very soon. Here’s what’s coming to streaming this week.

New Movies

Abigail - November 19 (Prime Video)

Fall is the time for heartwarming family films and end-of-year awards contenders. However, if those sorts of films don’t quite fit your mood this week, there may be a solution. From Radio Silence, the team that gave us the delightfully twisted Ready or Not, Abigail was released earlier this year and tells the story of what happens when a group of criminals team up to kidnap and ransom a young girl who is actually a vampire ballerina.

Spell Bound - November 22 (Netflix)

Before Rachel Zegler becomes a true Disney Princess in the live-action Snow White she voices an animated princess in Spell Bound. The first in a multi-picture deal from Skydance Animation, under the leadership of former Pixar chief John Lasseter, Spell Bound follows Zegler’s Princess Ellian as she goes on a quest to break a spell that has transformed her parents into monsters.

Out Of My Mind - November 22 (Disney+)

Out of My Mind looks like it could be one of the most heartwarming films of the holiday season and a great reason to have a Disney+ subscription. Phoebe-Ray Taylor stars as Melody, a non-verbal girl with cerebral palsy who is given the chance to attend traditional school for the first time. Jennifer Aniston appears as Melody’s inner monologue. This is a rare case of a movie about a disabled character who an actor actually plays with that disability.

Blitz - November 22 (Apple TV+)

Blitz is the story of a nine-year-old boy named George who is sent to live in the English countryside to keep him safe through the German blitz during World War II. Determined to return home to his mother, played by Saoirse Ronan, George strikes out on his own. The new film is written and directed by 12 Years a Slave Oscar winner Steve McQueen.

New TV

Interior Chinatown - November 19 (Hulu)

Based on the novel of the same name by Charles Yu, Interior Chinatown looks to be a wild story about a background character actor who becomes a main character after witnessing a crime. It’s got elements of a crime story, an action movie, and even fantasy all wrapped together. Yu is also a producer of the series, as is Taika Waititi, who directed the first episode.

Thanksgiving is coming next week and several streaming platforms are saving some exciting content for the long weekend so check back in next week to see what’s on the way.