Rachel Zegler Promotes 'Snow White' In Spain, But Gal Gadot Is Nowhere To Be Seen

Rachel Zegler took center stage at a "Snow White" event in Spain, performing without her co-star Gal Gadot amid Disney’s scaled-back promotion for the controversial live-action remake.

The "West Side Story" actress, who stars as the titular princess, performed "Waiting on a Wish," an original song from the upcoming film, on Wednesday in front of the historic Alcázar de Segovia, which is the very castle that inspired Disney’s 1937 animated classic.

Despite the ongoing controversy, Rachel Zegler's "Snow White" film is set to be released on March 21.

Dressed in an elegant white gown adorned with intricate beading, Zegler accessorized with a crystallized apple-shaped purse, a nod to the film’s iconic poisoned apple, and silver strappy heels. She posed alongside "Snow White" director Marc Webb and greeted fans who attended the event.

However, noticeably absent from the event was Gadot, who portrays the Evil Queen in the remake.

Her absence follows Disney’s decision to reduce promotional efforts for "Snow White" significantly.

According to Variety, Disney has opted to limit media access at the film’s Hollywood premiere, only allowing photographers and a house crew on the red carpet rather than the usual lineup of entertainment reporters. Despite this, both Zegler and Gadot are still expected to attend the screening at El Capitan Theatre on Saturday.

The film has been at the center of controversy since its announcement, with initial backlash stemming from Disney’s decision to cast Zegler, a Latina actress, as the iconic princess. Zegler then faced additional criticism after calling the original 1937 film “dated” and suggesting that the prince “literally stalks Snow White.”

Beyond "Snow White," the 23-year-old actress has also drawn backlash for her outspoken political views, including her vocal support for Palestine and her reaction to Donald Trump’s re-election victory over Kamala Harris in 2024. After initially declaring on Instagram that Trump and his supporters should “never know peace,” Zegler later walked back her comments, admitting she had let her “emotions get the best of” her.

A source told Page Six that Disney executives have struggled to manage the situation.

“Disney’s lead actress is out of control. They don’t know what to do … she’s an outspoken 20-something, and Disney chiefs have called her directly and asked her to tone down her posts. They’ve called her management, but she won’t listen,” the insider claimed.

While Zegler has been vocal on various social and political issues, Gadot has also made headlines for her stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict. The "Wonder Woman" star, who is Jewish, has been an outspoken supporter of Israel on social media.

Meanwhile, "Snow White" has faced additional controversy over its portrayal of the Seven Dwarfs.

"Literally no offense to anything, but I was sort of taken aback," actor Peter Dinklage, who has a condition called achondroplasia, said on the "WTF With Marc Maron" podcast in January 2024. "They were very proud to cast a Latino actress as Snow White, but you’re still telling the story of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.’ Take a step back and look at what you’re doing there.”

“It makes no sense to me,” he continued. “You’re progressive in one way, but then you’re still making that f-cking backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together. What the f-ck are you doing, man?”

Following criticism for perpetuating negative stereotypes, Disney revised its approach, opting to depict the characters as “magical creatures” of diverse sizes and genders rather than traditional dwarfs.

“To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters and have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community," Disney said in a statement, per "Good Morning America."

With just days to go before the film’s release, Disney’s handling of the project, and its stars, remains a hot topic, leaving many wondering how "Snow White" will fare at the box office amid the ongoing scrutiny.