So, the question on everyone’s lips lately: who plays Snow White in the new movie?
Honestly, if you haven’t heard the name Rachel Zegler yet, you’ve probably been living under a literal rock—or maybe just hiding in a diamond mine with seven magical roommates. She’s the one taking on the yellow skirt and the iconic bob in Disney’s 2025 live-action reimagining.
It hasn’t been a quiet road to the screen. Not even a little bit.
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Rachel Zegler isn't just some random casting choice. She basically manifested this career. Back in high school, she was already playing Disney princesses like Belle and Ariel on stage. But her real "glass slipper" moment came when she beat out roughly 30,000 other people to play Maria in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (2021).
She won a Golden Globe for that. At 20.
Since then, she’s been everywhere. You might recognize her as Lucy Gray Baird from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, where she proved she can handle a massive franchise and a bow and arrow—sorta. But Snow White is a different beast entirely. It’s Disney’s "Original Recipe." The 1937 film is the foundation of the entire company, so the pressure on Zegler has been immense.
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Who Plays Snow White in the New Movie and Who Else is in the Cast?
While Zegler is the heart of the film, she’s surrounded by some seriously heavy hitters.
- Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen: Yep, Wonder Woman herself has gone to the dark side. She plays the vain, power-hungry stepmother who is obsessed with being the "fairest of them all."
- Andrew Burnap as Jonathan: Interestingly, there is no "Prince Charming" in this version. Burnap plays a new character named Jonathan, a rogue bandit and rebel leader who helps Snow White reclaim her kingdom.
- Ansu Kabia as the Huntsman: The man tasked with taking Snow's heart (literally) but who ultimately finds he can't go through with it.
- The Seven "Magical Beings": This was a huge point of contention during production. The movie features a mix of CGI and live-action performers to bring characters like Doc (Jeremy Swift), Grumpy (Martin Klebba), and Dopey (Andrew Barth Feldman) to life.
Why All the Drama?
You can’t talk about who plays Snow White in the new movie without mentioning the "controversy." It’s basically been a three-year-long internet debate.
First, there was the backlash over Zegler’s heritage. She’s a "white Latina" of Colombian and Polish descent. Some purists argued that because the original Brothers Grimm story describes the character as having skin "as white as snow," the casting was wrong. Zegler has been pretty vocal about this, noting that it’s a "modern interpretation" and that "it's no longer 1937."
Then there were the comments Zegler made about the original film. She joked in an interview that the 1937 Prince was "a guy who literally stalks her." That didn't sit well with everyone. People felt she was disrespecting the legacy of the original.
But here’s the thing: once the trailers dropped and the movie hit theaters in March 2025, a lot of that noise quieted down. Why? Because Zegler can sing.
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A New Kind of Princess
In this version, Snow White isn't just waiting around for a kiss to wake her up. Well, technically, Jonathan still gives her a "true love's kiss," but it happens much earlier in the story, serving as the catalyst for the final act.
The 2025 film gives her a new origin for her name, too. Instead of being about her skin tone, she's named Snow White because she was born during a massive snowstorm. It's a small tweak, but it shifts the focus from her physical appearance to the circumstances of her birth and her character.
Zegler’s Snow White is described as a leader. She’s trying to become the ruler her father (the King) believed she could be. The movie adds new songs like "Waiting on a Wish," written by Pasek and Paul (the duo behind The Greatest Showman and Dear Evan Hansen). These songs give the character more internal depth than the 1937 original ever could.
The Reality of the Box Office
Despite the star power of Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, the movie had a rough run financially. With a massive budget of $240 million to $270 million, it grossed about $205.7 million worldwide. In the industry, that's called a "box office bomb."
Critics were split. Some loved Zegler’s performance, calling her "the heart and soul of the film," while others felt the CGI for the seven beings felt a bit "uncanny valley." Gal Gadot's performance was also polarizing—some enjoyed the campy villainy, while others felt it didn't quite land.
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However, the film has found a massive second life on home media and Disney+. It turns out that while people might not have rushed to the theaters, families were more than happy to watch Zegler’s take on the character from their own couches.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re interested in seeing how Rachel Zegler handles the role, the best way to form your own opinion is to actually watch it.
- Watch the 1937 Original First: It’s only 83 minutes long. It helps to have the original fresh in your mind to see where the 2025 version pays homage and where it diverges.
- Listen to the Soundtrack: Even if you aren't a fan of the "modern" changes, Zegler’s vocals are objectively impressive. Check out "Waiting on a Wish" on Spotify or YouTube.
- Check Disney+: The movie is now available for streaming, so you don't have to worry about ticket prices or sticky theater floors.
Basically, the 2025 Snow White is a weird, bold, and sometimes clunky attempt to modernize a masterpiece. Rachel Zegler is undeniably talented, regardless of how you feel about the script. Whether she’s your "definitive" Snow White or just another entry in the Disney remake vault, she’s certainly made the character her own.
Actionable Insight: If you're a fan of musical theater, Zegler’s performance is a masterclass in vocal control. If you're a Disney purist, focus on the production design—the Alcázar of Segovia in Spain was used as the inspiration for the castle, and it's stunning.
Next Steps: You can find Disney's Snow White (2025) on most major streaming platforms. If you're curious about the specific changes made to the "Seven Dwarfs," look into the behind-the-scenes features regarding the CGI and motion-capture work performed by Martin Klebba and the rest of the crew.