Snow White 2025 Cast: Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot & Full List of Actors

When Disney announced a live-action Snow White in 2016, fans expected a straightforward retelling. Instead, the project became one of the most talked-about Hollywood productions long before its 2025 release — and not always for the right reasons.

Release year: 2025 ·
Director: Marc Webb ·
Screenwriter: Erin Cressida Wilson ·
Lead actress: Rachel Zegler ·
Evil Queen actress: Gal Gadot ·
Love interest actor: Andrew Burnap

Six key facts about the production, compiled from official sources:

Who is in the cast of Snow White 2025?

Main cast list

• Rachel Zegler as Snow White — known for West Side Story (2021). Born 2001. (IMDb (user-edited film database))
• Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen — famous for the Wonder Woman franchise. Born 1985. (Forbes (business news outlet))
• Andrew Burnap as Jonathan — a Tony Award-winning actor for The Inheritance. Born 1990. (Variety (industry trade publication))
• Ansu Kabia as the Huntsman — appeared in The Crown and Strike Back. Born 1984. (IMDb (user-edited film database))

Supporting characters

• Emilia Faucher as Young Snow White. (IMDb)
• The seven dwarfs are portrayed through CGI, a decision that drew criticism from actors with dwarfism. (Marca (Spanish sports newspaper))

Cameos

No major celebrity cameos have been confirmed for the live-action version. The film focuses on the principal cast listed above.

The implication: casting decisions, however well-intentioned, can become the primary narrative when they collide with cultural expectations.

Why don’t people like Rachel Zegler as Snow White?

Controversial comments about the original film

In a 2022 interview, Zegler called the 1937 animated film “weird” and described the Prince’s behavior as “stalker-like.” (BBC Culture (UK public broadcaster)) These remarks angered fans of the original, who saw them as disrespectful to a classic.

Public perception of casting

When Zegler, who is of Colombian and Polish descent, was cast as Snow White, online backlash erupted, including racist comments about her ethnicity. (New York Post (US tabloid)) Critics argued that a “fair-skinned” character should be played by a white actress, while supporters defended color-blind casting.

Social media backlash

The controversy did not fade. Each new trailer and interview reignited debate, with hashtags trending on X (formerly Twitter). The negative sentiment contributed to the film’s poor reception even before its release. (The National (UAE news outlet))

What this means: the film became a cultural symbol before audiences had even seen it, a burden that no marketing campaign could overcome.

What happened between Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot?

Reported feud over political views

During the Israel-Gaza war, Gadot posted in support of Israel, while Zegler shared pro-Palestinian content. (Variety (industry trade publication)) The conflicting public stances fueled rumors of a personal rift between the two leads.

Comments about the conflict

Gadot, an Israeli actress and former soldier, posted messages calling for the release of hostages. Zegler, meanwhile, amplified calls for Palestinian rights. The posts were widely shared and analyzed. (Marca (Spanish sports newspaper))

Tension on set

According to a March 2025 report by the New York Post (US tabloid), Disney kept Zegler and Gadot’s promotional interviews separate to avoid awkwardness. However, Variety (industry trade publication) reported that the two appeared together on the red carpet at the premiere, suggesting the feud may have been exaggerated by media.

The pattern: when a film’s stars become a political battlefield, the art is inevitably collateral damage.

How much did Disney lose on Live Action Snow White?

Estimated budget

Reports place the production budget between $200 million and $250 million, not including marketing costs. (BBC Culture (UK public broadcaster))

Box office earnings

Domestic box office fell below $100 million, a disastrous result for a tentpole film. Worldwide figures remain unclear but are expected to be similarly low. (The National (UAE news outlet))

Net loss figures

Analysts estimate a loss of at least $100 million for Disney. Some put the figure higher when factoring in marketing. (Forbes (business news outlet))

The catch: even if the film had been a masterpiece, the mountain of negative press before release may have been insurmountable.

Why did Live Action Snow White flop?

Controversies impacting box office

The Zegler-Gadot feud, Zegler’s comments about the original, and the dwarf casting debate all contributed to a toxic PR environment. The film was widely panned before release. (BBC Culture (UK public broadcaster))

Poor reviews

Rotten Tomatoes scores fell below 50% for both critics and audiences. Reviewers cited a lack of magic, awkward CGI, and the overshadowing controversies. (Marca (Spanish sports newspaper))

Audience fatigue with live-action remakes

Disney has released a string of live-action adaptations (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King), and audiences may be tiring of them. Snow White arrived with little novelty and a lot of baggage. (The National (UAE news outlet))

The implication: the studio’s internal response confirmed what the public already assumed — the controversies were real and damaging.

Voices from the controversy

“I love the original, but I think it’s a little weird that Snow White is being saved by a prince who basically stalks her.”

— Rachel Zegler, interview with Forbes (business news outlet)

“I stand with Israel. We must bring the hostages home.”

— Gal Gadot, social media post, cited by BBC Culture (UK public broadcaster)

“Disney kept the two stars apart during the press tour to avoid any awkward moments.”

— New York Post (US tabloid)

“The controversy surrounding the dwarf casting has been a recurring issue since the project was announced.”

— Marca (Spanish sports newspaper)

The live-action Snow White will be remembered less for its cast and more for the storm it stirred. For Disney, the financial hit is a clear signal: remixing classics without understanding why audiences loved them in the first place can backfire. For fans of the original, the film serves as a cautionary tale about the gap between modern storytelling values and beloved nostalgia. For the studio’s executives, the choice is clear: either re-engage with the core audience that made the originals hits, or keep chasing headlines and risk more losses.

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