‘I can’t watch children die’: Snow White star Rachel Zegler on speaking up for Palestine

Rachel Zegler, who stars opposite Gal Gadot in Disney’s upcoming remake of Snow White, has been vocal in her support for Palestine for a year now and that has cost her.

Her costar, Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen in the film, is a high-profile Israeli actor who infamously served two years in the Israel Defence Forces before rising to global stardom. It’s no surprise then that the two stars don’t see eye to eye on the Israel-Palestine issue. In August, The Guardian reported that their polarising views have turned their fairytale into a nightmare.

But in Variety’s latest issue, Zegler, who is the cover star for the magazine for October — the month marks a year since Israel launched its military offensive in Gaza against Hamas’ October 7 attack, killing 41,689 Palestinians since — explains why her stance is rooted in a deep sense of humanity without having anything to do with Snow White and its success.

For the unversed, the whole ‘controversy’ involving Zegler started in August when she capped off a tweet thanking fans for supporting Snow White with a reminder to “free Palestine.”

Soon after, Newsweek declared that Zegler was on a “collision course” with her co-star, Gadot and Fox News reported, “Rachel Zegler stirs more controversy.” While Zegler bore the brunt of speaking up for Palestine, BDS called for a boycott of Snow White for featuring Gadot.

“I can’t watch children die,” Zegler told Variety. “I don’t think that should be a hot take.” The actor’s stance is not for religious or political point-scoring and she proves that by adding, “I’m only responsible for what I feel. And I’m also responsible for how I act upon it. We’re nearing one year since the horrendous attacks in Israel on October 7, but I’ve been following this conflict for so many years. Like so many people, I’m so heartbroken by the loss of life that we’re seeing with these insane death tolls coming out of both regions.”

Zegler’s comments come at a particularly polarising time in Hollywood, where taking a stance on Israel and Palestine can lead to heavy scrutiny and loss of employment. Still, she insists on using her platform to support Palestinians despite the inevitable fallout.

“I don’t have the answers,” she admitted. “I don’t think any celebrity making a political statement has the answers. But we have the platform to share a donation link to make sure that these people get the money, the care and the aid that they need that people in power aren’t giving them.”

As the Variety piece makes clear, Zegler recognises the gravity of her influence and is willing to bear the weight of responsibility that comes with it. “If that means that it can fall upon us to be in power in a way that is helpful, then I’m happy to do it,” she concluded.

Zegler’s principled stance, like that of Nicola Coughlan or other celebrities who have been vocal about the war on Gaza, sets the blueprint for how celebrities can use their platforms for activism. Her comments also place her in a delicate position, particularly as Snow White gears up for release alongside Gadot, a vocal supporter of Israel. How this dynamic will play out in the public eye remains to be seen, but for Zegler, the cause is worth the risk.