Movie actress Rachel Zegler will portray the lead role in the live-action adaptation of Snow White, the Walt Disney Company announced on Tuesday.
A rising Disney star who recently played Maria in the company’s adaptation of West Side Story that will be released later this year, Zegler will “become an integral part of rediscovering the joy in this classic Disney fairy tale” due to her “extraordinary vocal abilities, … strength, intelligence, and optimism,” director Marc Webb said in a press release obtained by multiple outlets.
Zegler called the role “a dream come true” in an Instagram post.
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Zegler, 20, catapulted to fame at age 16 after responding to an open casting call for the part of Maria that attracted 30,000 submissions. After seeing the notice on Twitter, she shared videos of herself singing “Tonight” and “Me Siento Hermosa” (“I Feel Pretty”).
A Colombian American actress, Zegler portraying the character of “Snow White” follows the selection of Halle Bailey for the role of Ariel in the live-action production of The Little Mermaid.
Disney has pushed to promote diversity in recent months while limiting the circulation of titles deemed racially insensitive.
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“This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures,” says a warning message, which made headlines in October, to viewers who watch movies such as Peter Pan, Dumbo, and The Jungle Book on the streaming service Disney+.
“These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now,” the warning continues. “Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together.”
