Snow White star at centre of woke row to play Evita in West End revival
The star of Disney 's embattled 'woke' Snow White film will play Evita in an upcoming West End revival.
Rachel Zegler, 23, will take on the titular role of Eva Peron at the London Palladium musical, being directed by Jamie Lloyd, in her UK stage debut.
The announcement comes as the Columbian-American actress and soprano, who won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Maria in West Side Story, is embroiled in Snow White's disastrous marketing campaign.
However, Zegler has now secured the starring role in Sir Tim Rice and Lord Lloyd-Webber's Evita, which follows the story of Peron as she rises from poverty to become the most powerful woman in Latin America.
Reaction on social media was mixed, with some praising Zegler as 'perfect' for the singing role, while another claimed the casting was 'a misguided attempt to capitalise on her rising fame'.
One person joked on X: 'When does she start dissing Argentinians?' While another asked: 'Hasn't she bankrupted enough productions by now?'
Speaking about the new role, Zegler said: 'Evita has been such an important musical to me since I was a little girl, when my dad and I would sing Don't Cry For Me Argentina together on my back patio.'
She added: 'The opportunity to bring Jamie Lloyd's singular, visionary ideas to life onstage is an honour unlike any other. The stage has always felt like home to me, and I can't wait to make my West End debut in such great company.'
Lloyd said: 'I am so excited to be collaborating with the brilliant Rachel Zegler on Evita.
'She is a phenomenal talent, and I am delighted she will be making her West End debut as the iconic Eva Peron.'
Zegler made her Broadway debut last year, starring as Juliet in Romeo And Juliet alongside Kit Connor, but made her name as Maria in the 2021 film remake of West Side Story.
The part that has garnered the most attention, however, was her casting as Snow White four years ago, which caused controversy from the outset.
Responding to critics who said she was the wrong choice for the role in the $269 million (£212 million) film, the Latina actress posted on social media that she would not be 'bleaching' her skin for the part.
In the original animation, as in the fairy tale, Schneewittchen, Snow White's name is derived from her pale complexion, specifically referencing the description of 'skin as white as snow'.
However, the actress later claimed that in the reimagined live-action movie, the princess received her name because of her 'resilience'.
She also came under fire for describing the beloved 1937 animation as 'extremely dated' and likening the prince's behaviour to that of a 'stalker'.
The son of the original Snow White animator, David Hand, condemned the 'woke' remake and said it was 'insulting' to the traditional film.
The lead-up to the film's March 21 release saw Zegler face backlash for putting a feminist spin on the traditional Disney princess. There was added controversy over Zegler's clashing views with Gal Gadot, her Israeli co-star, on the war in Gaza and she was forced to backtrack after scolding Donald Trump voters.
The entertainment giant pared back the upcoming Hollywood premiere for the live-action remake in the wake of the PR campaign.
Zegler recently made a solo appearance in Spain – without Gadot – to promote the film in Europe at a modest event.
Coverage of Saturday's premiere in Los Angeles will be limited to photographers and an in-house crew, rather than the dozens of media outlets typically invited to interview the film's cast and creatives on the red carpet.
Industry experts and fans have speculated the scaled-back premiere is an attempt to bury the troubles of the marketing campaign. A source told Page Six: 'Disney's lead actress is out of control, they don't know what to do.'
Zegler's UK stage debut in Evita will run at the London Palladium until September 6.
Tickets for the show will go on sale later this year, with 5,000 being made available at a special price for under-30s, key workers and those receiving government benefits.
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