Rachel Zegler as Snow White in Snow White (2025), Walt Disney Studios

A new report indicates Disney may have been courting controversy long before Rachel Zegler was the finalist selected to play Snow White.

Rachel Zegler via Variety YouTube

During a video on the WDW Pro Channel, Paulie of Latino Slant made a startling claim regarding The Walt Disney Company’s live action remake of Snow White. The film currently stars Rachel Zegler who has become something of a lightning rod for controversy.

The young actor has called Prince Charming a “stalker” in the original film, declared that Snow White will receive a new origin story in her film, and has repeatedly conveyed that Walt Disney’s original feature film is dated… a product of its time. However, it turns out that Zegler’s casting may have been far more interesting than the public is aware.

This is who Disney cast to play Snow White. Rachel Zegler says:

•Cancel Jeremy Renner calling him a transphobic racist.

•Deplatform JK Rowling & encourage violence towards her.

•Bullying of Gina Carano over pronouns.

•Says all conservatives are racist white supremacists. pic.twitter.com/ypekSIBr8F

— Dataracer (@Dataracer117) June 22, 2021

According to Latino Slant (a YouTube channel dedicated to Latino issues and stories in entertainment), the runner-up for the role of Snow White was Renata Vaca, another young Latina actress. When asked about the qualifications Disney had put in the casting call for Snow White prior to choosing its talents, it affirmed that Disney had specifically indicated it was open to “all types,” which may be code in Hollywood for diversifying a role previously associated with someone of European descent.

But it gets even more interesting! Paulie went on to say that not only were the two leading candidates for Snow White women of Latin American heritage, but the third runner-up for the role was an unnamed woman of African descent. It almost seems as if Disney set out to make a controversial statement with their casting choices for a German princess even before Zegler came onto the scene.

The channel Latino Slant is no stranger to picking up this kind of info. The interview with Renata Vaca, who after being cast aside as Snow White would go onto play a major role in City of Dreams, is must-watch if you are interested in knowing who could have played Disney’s first princess had Zegler not scooped up the part.

Perhaps as notably, Renata Vaca has been essentially scandal-free in Hollywood and seems to have a tremendous ability to navigate public relations — it is the opposite of how Rachel Zegler is often characterized.

For some, the idea that Disney was intent to hire an actress of a particular skin color not reflective of the original fairy tale is as strange as casting a white guy to play Mulan or a blonde girl to play Black Panther.

The language one speaks, the origin of ones ancestors and the culture from which one has been raised are not disqualifiers for playing any role, but when the character is literally called “Snow White” because of her shockingly pale skin tone, it seems odd to have three castings that are very much not that.

Perhaps that’s why they decided to change the origin story for Snow White. Now she’s a blizzard-fighting infant… or something.

Rachel Zegler as Snow White in Disney’s live-action SNOW WHITE. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Disney’s investors may hope for the company to get out of controversy and back to making money. With Zegler behind Snow White, that might not be on the table for another many news cycles.