It is safe to say that Disney’s live-action Snow White ended up being a flop, yet the movie did do one good thing by confirming something about Rachel Zegler and her acting future. In March 2025, Snow White made a less-than-stellar splash due to a series of on-and-off-screen controversies and a general dislike of the film. Audiences were disappointed by countless things, from the changes Disney made to the original story to the CGI seven dwarfs. In fact, the movie’s failure has been so significant that Disney put a pause on its upcoming adaptation, Tangled.

There is little doubt that Snow White has put Disney and Snow White’s cast in a tough position. Disney is being forced to reevaluate the quality of their live-action adaptations, while actors like Zegler and Gadot are being put on blast for their comments and beliefs outside the film itself. However, even in the face of all this backlash, Snow White isn’t all bad. There are definitely bright spots throughout the movie that have been overshadowed by the controversy. In particular, one of these silver linings is Zegler and her future as a musician and actress.

Snow White Is Already Rachel Zegler’s Fourth Musical Movie

Zegler Shines Regardless Of The Movie’s Quality

Putting aside Snow White’s reception, the 2025 film is Zegler’s fourth musical movie in the span of just four years. To be clear, Zegler’s movie career only began in 2021 when she was cast as Maria in Stephen Spielberg’s West Side Story. Since then, she has appeared in six movies, four of which have seen her taking on a musical role. These include West Side Story, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Spellbound, and now, Snow White. Clearly, Zegler has become a coveted young star in a short period of time.

One throughline of all these musical movies is that Zegler is a highlight, regardless of how the film is received. Snow White is an obvious example, but the same remains true for some of her other films. For one thing, 2024’s Spellbound was poorly received, earning dual 48% scores on Rotten Tomatoes. However, any mention of Zegler was positive, as she brought her incredible voice to a middle-of-the-road production. A similar scenario occurred for The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, in which Zegler brought fiery life to Lucy Gray Baird alongside some truly iconic actors like Viola Davis and Peter Dinklage.

Rachel Zegler’s Musical Performances Are A Highlight Of Snow White

Snow White Would Have Been Way Worse Without Zegler

When it comes to Snow White, Zegler is a serious strength of the movie. Regardless of whatever controversies she has been a part of, the actress completely embodies the role of the Disney princess. She is sweet, curious, and caring for others. More than that, she adds new dimensions to Snow White that make the character even more compelling. Zegler’s Snow White is stronger than the original, and has a more in-depth story. Not to mention, her voice is spectacular. Zegler’s Snow White blends the delicate sopranos of the 1937 princess with a more modern, powerful flair.

To me, there is no doubt that Snow White would have been way worse without Zegler in the lead role. Gadot’s performance as the Evil Queen was hard to believe, and the dwarfs feel more computer-generated than played by real humans. In this way, Zegler carries Snow White on her shoulders, infusing the film with the magic and talent it needed. Obviously, Snow White is far from a perfect film, but audiences must admit that Zegler gives her all in this film, and it shows. Despite all the drama, Zegler may just escape Snow White somewhat unscathed.

Rachel Zegler’s Singing Is So Good, Even Her Non-Musical Movies Let Her Do It

Zegler’s Acting Is As Strong As Her Singing

Zegler’s singing skills not only helped save Snow White, but they also make appearances in her non-musical movies. The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is an action adventure movie, but Zegler’s character is a singer. Rather than downplaying this element of the story, it is emphasized and executed perfectly by Zegler, who takes on a more folksy, southern tone to her voice. In a similar vein, 2024’s Y2K includes a brief moment of Zegler singing, even though it adds little to the overall plot of the movie. Her abilities are so great that having her sing only adds to a project.

That being said, viewers should not disregard Zegler’s acting abilities. Although most of her career thus far has been dedicated to movie musicals, her singing is always accompanied by strong acting. Already, Zegler has shown her range by going from the fierce and wise Lucy Gray Baird to the softer, more naive Snow White. On top of that, Zegler has experience appearing in both an ensemble and as the lead character. Ultimately, music may be her strong suit, but it is not the only thing that is earning her a notable career in such a short time.

Movie Musicals Rachel Zegler Should Do Next After Snow White

Zegler’s Next Projects Explained

The bottom line is that Zegler needs to continue doing movie musicals after Snow White. The Disney movie may have been troublesome, but Zegler has shown that her talents may be able to bring light to even the most controversial films. Hopefully, in the future, Zegler can take on musical projects that are better received, which will allow audiences to better appreciate her skills. In particular, Zegler would do well in upcoming movie adaptations of musicals like Gypsy, Spring Awakening, or Bare: A Pop Opera. With time, these could redeem Zegler after Snow White’s disastrous release.

At the moment, Zegler has no film roles lined up for the future. However, she is slated to take on the role of Eva Perón in the West End’s revival of the musical Evita, which is quite huge for an actress of her age. Furthermore, considering the praise Zegler received for her recent role as Juliet in Broadway’s Romeo + Juliet, Evita will likely be a great step forward for the actress. All in all, Snow White has been a difficult project for Zegler, but in the next few years, she can absolutely make up for the failure with another batch of incredible performances.