Rachel Zegler’s casual comment about Gal Gadot ignites tension between Snow White cast members

The pair got along during filming. However, things grew awkward due to differing political views and a “dismissive” comment Zegler made about Gadot.

At the premiere, Disney made sure to keep Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot separated due to controversies surrounding Zegler’s past criticisms of “Snow White.” Additionally, Disney took control of Zegler’s social media accounts during this time.

A bombshell report by Variety has shed light on the alleged behind-the-scenes drama between Zegler and her co-star, Gadot.

Despite insiders claiming that there were no issues between the two actresses on set and that they actually got along well, things started to get awkward leading up to the film’s release on March 21.

Sources suggest that the unease between Zegler and Gadot might have been influenced by their differing opinions on the conflict in Gaza. However, the situation escalated after the Academy Awards on March 2, marking a significant turning point in their relationship.

Following their joint award presentation, Zegler, 23, responded to an Instagram comment by referring to Gadot, 39, as a “professional pageant queen,” a remark some insiders “considered a dismissive way to describe a fellow actress.”

As a result, Disney opted to have the actresses conduct most of their press interviews separately, a move that only “fueled the perception of a feud” between the two.

Reports suggest that Zegler and Gadot were deliberately kept apart during the scaled-down “Snow White” Premiere at Los Angeles’ El Capitan Theatre on March 15.

At the screening afterward, sources claim Zegler sat two rows ahead of Gadot and her family.

By the time of the premiere, the publication reports that “Disney had given up hope that the film could overcome the backlash” surrounding the film.

Last year, tensions were also noticed between the co-stars after Zegler posted “Free Palestine” on X in August 2024, around the time the first “Snow White” trailer dropped.

Producer Marc Platt allegedly flew to New York to discuss the situation with Zegler, who refused to remove the post.

Meanwhile, Gadot, who is Israeli, allegedly received death threats, prompting Disney to pay for additional security.

A source told Variety that Zegler “didn’t understand the repercussions of her actions as far as what that meant for the film, for Gal, for anyone.”

Beyond her “Free Palestine” post, Zegler stirred backlash with her remarks about the original “Snow White” film.

She dismissed the 1937 classic as “dated” and criticized the Prince character as “a stalker,” promising that the remake would be more “modern.”

Adding to the controversy, Zegler also took aim at supporters of Donald Trump following the 2024 election. According to the outlet, this was the breaking point for Disney.

The studio allegedly arranged another meeting between Zegler and producer Platt, after which she was assigned a social media strategist, paid for by Disney to monitor her posts leading up to the film’s release.

Despite the uproar surrounding the movie and her remarks, Zegler has embraced “Snow White’s” debut.

On opening day, she posted a heartfelt Instagram tribute featuring behind-the-scenes photos from filming, though noticeably, none included co-star Gadot as the Evil Queen.

Calling the project “a life-changing experience,” Ziegler reflected on how she “became a real adult” while making the movie.

She also recently took to Instagram to celebrate the movie hitting number one worldwide despite negative reviews.

Zegler shared a photo of herself dressed as the titular character and captioned the post, “#1 Movie In The World,” along with an apple and snowflake emoji.

On Friday, March 21, Zegler shared another Instagram post reflecting on her “Snow White” experience, but Gadot was absent from the tribute noticeably.

Instead, she spotlighted members of the production team, including choreographers, camera operators, director Marc Webb, and co-stars Dujonna Gift and Andrew Burnap.

“It takes a village to bring stories like ‘Snow White’ to the big screen and i loved this one so very much,” Zegler wrote, emphasizing the collaborative effort behind the film. “Here’s a little glimpse into this family I came to care for deeply.”

She encouraged fans to see the cast and crew’s work and “catch them all in action both in front of and behind the camera, in theaters now.”

That same day, Zegler also posted a separate Instagram tribute to her publicists and stylists, thanking them for their support throughout the global press tour.