Rachel Zegler didn’t mince words as she voiced her concerns about fame and the growing challenges in Hollywood, including the rise of artificial intelligence. 

In a candid interview with Variety, the 23-year-old Golden Globe winner shared why “being famous isn’t for the faint of heart.”

The West Side Story star, who skyrocketed to fame after beating out 30,000 actresses for the role of María Vasquez in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 adaptation, has faced intense criticism, including racist backlash over her casting as Snow White in Disney’s 2025 live-action remake and trolling over her political views.

“The reason I fell in love with this industry is not because of this town,” Zegler said of Los Angeles. 

“In fact, I kind of can’t stand this town. I don’t like that there’s a town built around the industry that I work in; it’s stifling and isolating and weird. In New York, nobody gives a f**k.”

Reflecting on the racist backlash she faced after being cast as Snow White, Rachel Zegler remained firm in her stance, saying she doesn’t try to understand why “Disney adults” would have an issue with a Latina actress portraying the beloved princess.

In a recent interview, she revealed changes to the iconic line about her character’s “skin as white as snow” in the 2025 live-action remake. Zegler shared that this line will now reference a different version of Snow White’s story. 

In this adaptation, the character survives a snowstorm as a baby, and her parents, the king and queen, name her Snow White to symbolize her resilience.

“One of the core points in our film for any young woman or young person is remembering how strong you actually are,” the actress explained.