ARTICLE
'West Side Story' breakout star Rachel Zegler is Disney's live-action Snow White!
By Rachelle / 25 Jun 2021 (Friday)
Looks like the live-action Snow White movie will feature a Latinx Disney princess!
Rachel Zegler, the breakout star of Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, has been tapped to play the titular character in a live-action adaptation of the Disney animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. The casting further marks Disney's move in more inclusive casting for key roles. It follows Halle Bailey's casting as Ariel in the live-action Little Mermaid and Yara Shahidi's casting as Tinkerbell in Peter Pan & Wendy.
The film will be directed by Gifted and The Amazing Spider-Man's Marc Webb and feature new music from La La Land and The Greatest Showman duo, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
Webb said:
Rachel's extraordinary vocal abilities are just the beginning of her gifts. Her strength, intelligence, and optimism will become an integral part of rediscovering the joy in this classic Disney fairytale.
Zegler was announced as Maria in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story back in 2019 after Spielberg and the studio auditioned approximately 30,000 Latinx actors for the part. The film will finally be released in cinemas this December 9, after shifting release dates due to the pandemic. The actress will have a role in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, scheduled for release in June 2023.