Jenna Ortega’s Brutal Dig at Rachel Zegler Rocks Hollywood After Snow White’s Box Office Disaster—Why This Feud Is Sending Shockwaves Online! 👇
Hollywood is buzzing with a fresh scandal as Jenna Ortega, the Wednesday star and scream queen, has reportedly delivered a stinging rebuke to Rachel Zegler, intensifying the fallout from Zegler’s catastrophic Snow White live-action remake, which tanked at the box office in 2025. The rumor, sparked by a viral YouTube video and X posts on April 25, 2025, claims Ortega publicly shamed Zegler, blaming her controversial behavior for Snow White’s $115 million loss and cementing a major setback for the embattled actress. As fans and critics take sides, this alleged feud has reignited debates about Zegler’s career, Ortega’s rising star power, and the toxic undercurrents of Hollywood’s young talent pool. What prompted Ortega’s alleged attack, and is there truth to this explosive claim? Let’s unpack the rumor, the context of Snow White’s failure, and the broader implications for both actresses and the industry.
The Rumor: Ortega’s Alleged Takedown
The controversy erupted with a YouTube video titled “Jenna Ortega Shames Rachel Zegler In MAJOR Setback Following Box Office Catastrophe!”, shared on X by user @StarGossipX on April 25, 2025. The video, which amassed thousands of views, alleges that Ortega, 22, made pointed remarks about Zegler, 23, during a promotional event for Wednesday Season 2, set to premiere on Netflix later in 2025. According to the leak, Ortega criticized Zegler’s handling of Snow White’s promotion, suggesting her outspoken political comments and dismissive attitude toward the 1937 classic alienated audiences, contributing to the film’s dismal performance. The video claims Ortega’s comments were a “shaming” blow, framing Zegler’s behavior as a cautionary tale for young actors.
No primary sources—such as direct quotes, event footage, or statements from Ortega or Zegler—have verified the claim, and the story’s reliance on anonymous “insider” accounts raises doubts about its authenticity. Ortega, known for her roles in Scream (2022) and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024), has maintained a professional image, rarely engaging in public feuds. Zegler, however, has faced relentless scrutiny since Snow White’s March 2025 release, making her a prime target for such rumors. X posts, like @MovieScoop22’s “Jenna dragging Rachel for Snow White’s flop is iconic,” amplify the narrative, while @ZeglerFan4Life countered, “This is fake—Jenna wouldn’t stoop that low.” The lack of evidence suggests the rumor may be clickbait, but its viral spread taps into Zegler’s polarizing reputation.
Snow White’s Box Office Catastrophe
To understand the rumor’s traction, we must revisit Snow White’s disastrous run. Disney’s live-action remake, directed by Marc Webb and starring Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, grossed just $169 million globally against a $240-$270 million budget, per Box Office Mojo, resulting in a projected $115 million loss. Its 1.6/10 IMDb rating, flagged for review-bombing, and 40% Rotten Tomatoes score reflect widespread disapproval, with critics like ScreenRant’s Rachel Labonte (5/10) praising Zegler’s radiant performance but slamming the CGI dwarfs and anticlimactic ending.
The film faced controversies from its 2022 announcement. Zegler’s casting as a Latina Snow White sparked racist backlash, while her comments calling the 1937 film “weird” and its prince a “stalker” alienated fans of the classic. Her pro-Palestine posts in 2024, clashing with Gadot’s pro-Israel stance, fueled boycotts, with the BDS movement targeting the film. Zegler’s post-election Instagram outburst, including a “f*** Donald Trump” comment she later apologized for, further polarized audiences. Producer Marc Platt’s son Jonah publicly blamed Zegler’s “narcissism” and political posts, while Ariana DeBose’s cryptic Instagram post about “narcissism” (later clarified as unrelated) added to the narrative of Zegler as “difficult.” The film’s CGI dwarfs, a response to Peter Dinklage’s critique of “backwards” portrayals, drew ire from actors with dwarfism, compounding its woes.
The Ortega-Zegler Connection: Rivalry or Fabrication?
The rumor posits Ortega as a foil to Zegler, leveraging their shared status as young, Latina actresses navigating Hollywood. Ortega, fresh off Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s $451 million global gross and Wednesday’s streaming dominance, has built a reputation as a horror icon and reliable box office draw. Her A24 horror-comedy Y2K (2025), despite bombing with a 42% Rotten Tomatoes score, became a streaming hit on Max, showcasing her resilience. Zegler, meanwhile, has struggled post-Snow White, with her Evita West End run facing sluggish ticket sales and unverified rumors of studio blacklisting.
Speculation about Ortega replacing Zegler as Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s hit series, reported on April 22, 2025, adds fuel to the feud narrative. The article suggested Zegler could step into the role if Ortega, overwhelmed by her horror-heavy schedule, exits, framing it as a potential comeback for Zegler after Snow White’s flop. However, no evidence confirms Ortega’s departure or Zegler’s casting, and Ortega’s Wednesday Season 2 filming, alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones, is on track. The rumor of Ortega “shaming” Zegler could be an extension of this speculative rivalry, with fans pitting the two against each other based on their contrasting career trajectories.
Ortega’s alleged comments—if true—would mark a rare public critique. Her professional demeanor, seen in interviews praising Tim Burton and avoiding political controversies, contrasts with Zegler’s outspokenness. The rumor’s specifics—what event, what exact words?—are absent, and Ortega’s silence, consistent with her low-drama approach, suggests it may be fabricated. Similar unverified claims, like Steven Spielberg’s alleged warnings about Zegler or Jack Black’s “reality check,” have targeted Zegler, indicating a pattern of gossip fueled by her Snow White backlash.
The Internet’s Reaction: A Divided Frenzy
The rumor has ignited online debates. On X, Zegler’s critics, like @StarGossipX, celebrate Ortega’s supposed takedown, framing it as “justice” for Snow White’s failure, with posts claiming Zegler’s “arrogance” sank the film. Supporters, like @RachelDefender, dismiss it as “another smear,” citing Ortega’s professionalism and the lack of evidence. Reddit’s r/entertainment threads debate the feud’s plausibility, with u/FilmBuff22 arguing, “Jenna’s too smart to trash-talk publicly—this smells like a fan-stirred lie,” while u/DramaLad noted, “Zegler’s been Hollywood’s punching bag since Snow White; this fits the pattern.”
The controversy has amplified comparisons between the actresses. Ortega’s horror credentials and box office successes, like Scream VI ($169 million) and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes ($349 million, co-starring Zegler), outshine Zegler’s West Side Story ($76 million) and Snow White ($169 million). Fans on X, like @ScreamQueenFan, praise Ortega’s “untouchable” status, while Zegler’s defenders, including @LatinaStarz, argue she’s unfairly targeted for her activism and ethnicity, echoing backlash against her Snow White casting. The feud narrative also taps into broader culture war debates, with some labeling Zegler “woke” and Ortega “neutral,” though both have faced racist trolling as Latinas.
The Broader Implications: Scapegoating and Rivalry
The Ortega-Zegler rumor raises questions about Hollywood’s treatment of young, diverse talent. Zegler has been scapegoated for Snow White’s failure, despite systemic issues like Disney’s mismanaged marketing, CGI missteps, and audience fatigue with live-action remakes, as noted by Collider. Analysts argue the film’s 40% Rotten Tomatoes score and $169 million gross reflect broader flaws, not Zegler’s performance, which critics often praised. Ortega, by contrast, has navigated her career with fewer controversies, but her horror-heavy roles, like Death of a Unicorn (2025), have seen mixed results, suggesting she’s not immune to setbacks.
The rumored feud highlights manufactured rivalries between young actresses, a tactic seen in past gossip about Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff. Both Ortega and Zegler, as Latinas breaking barriers, face heightened scrutiny, with Zegler’s activism—pro-Palestine posts, anti-Trump comments—making her a bigger target. The Wednesday casting rumor, while speculative, underscores how studios and fans pit rising stars against each other, as seen in earlier Snow White controversies involving Zegler and Gadot. Without evidence, the Ortega “shaming” story seems like another attempt to capitalize on Zegler’s woes, as with prior rumors involving Spielberg, Black, and South Park.
What’s Next?
As of April 26, 2025, neither Ortega nor Zegler has addressed the rumor, and no footage or quotes from the alleged Wednesday event have surfaced, casting doubt on its validity. The YouTube video’s viral spread, fueled by X posts, keeps the story alive, but its lack of substantiation suggests it may fade without new evidence. Ortega, filming Wednesday Season 2 with Zeta-Jones, remains a streaming powerhouse, with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s success bolstering her clout. Zegler, preparing for Evita in June 2025 and attending the Met Gala on May 5, faces an uphill battle, with unverified blacklisting rumors and Snow White’s shadow lingering.
Disney, grappling with Snow White’s $169 million gross and paused remakes like Tangled, is pivoting to originals like Moana 2, per ScreenRant. The studio’s merchandising, including Zegler’s soundtrack, may offset losses, but the film’s failure has dented its live-action brand. The Ortega-Zegler rumor, whether true or not, underscores Hollywood’s volatile dynamics, where young stars—especially women of color—are pitted against each other in a narrative that thrives on drama over truth.
This saga is a stark reminder of the industry’s unforgiving spotlight, where a rumored jab can overshadow talent and fuel a global firestorm. As Ortega and Zegler navigate their paths, the internet’s obsession with this “feud” proves one thing: in Hollywood, a whisper can drown out a box office bomb.
