Alert – Rachel Zegler’s ‘woke’ Snow White is the year’s biggest flop. But her new role is even more astonishing… and insiders say she’s made a VERY powerful A-list enemy

Snow White was granted a second chance thanks to her true love’s kiss, which roused her from a poison-induced slumber. 

But it may take a miracle far greater than a prince’s affection to revive Disney actress Rachel Zegler’s tarnished career.

Now, after the radically progressive starlet’s turn in the catastrophically ‘woke’ box office flop of House of Mouse’s live-action remake of Snow White, Zegler, 23, is taking on the role of an iconic woman.

And the casting is said to have already sparked the ire of one major Hollywood idol.

Zegler is slated to play Eva Perón in director Jamie Lloyd’s West End revival of ‘Evita’ at the London Palladium this summer, paying homage to Lord Andrew Lloyd Weber and Sir Tim Rice’s 1978 production.

The story tells the rags-to-riches rise of the First Lady of Argentina – wife to the authoritarian leader Juan Perón and how Eva abandoned her acting career to become a national hero to some and a villain for acting as the mouthpiece for his husband’s fascist regime.

Snow White was granted a second chance thanks to her true love’s kiss, which roused her from a poison-induced slumber. But it may take a miracle far greater than a prince’s affection to revive Disney actress Rachel Zegler’s tarnished career.

After the radically progressive starlet’s turn in the catastrophically ‘woke’ box office flop of House of Mouse’s live-action remake of Snow White, Zegler, 23, is taking on the role of an iconic woman.

But Zegler’s casting has struck a bad chord with none other than Madonna, 66, the superstar singer-actress who first brought Eva’s story to life on the big screen in the 1996 musical ‘Evita’.

‘Madonna has always felt a deep connection to the character of Evita, a role that was incredibly meaningful to her,’ a source close to the singer exclusively told the Daily Mail. ‘She has been vocal about Rachel playing the part that she made iconic.’

‘Madonna has heard the rumblings about Rachel,’ the insider continued. ‘While Madonna prides herself on being controversial, she has never been disrespectful. That is not to say Madonna doesn’t like her personally.’

A cultural icon herself, the ‘Like a Virgin’ singer’s distaste for Zegler’s selection is rumored to stem from the young actress’s failure to acknowledge Madonna’s path-blazing turn in ‘Evita’. A role for which she took home a Best Actress Golden Globe.

Indeed, when Zegler touted her new role in a statement last month, she failed to name-check her more famous predecessor.

‘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.’

Of course, it was Madonna’s rendition of the song – originally composed by Loyd Webber and Rice in 1976 – that introduced the story of Eva Perón to an entirely new generation of fans.

Perhaps the most famous scene from the 1996 movie is when Madonna belts out Don’t Cry for Me Argentine from the balcony of the Casa Rosada – the Perón’s palatial mansion.

‘She just felt slighted by Rachel not acknowledging who she heard sing Don’t Cry for Me Argentina as a child,’ the insider said.

‘She didn’t acknowledge Madonna’s influence. She’s not sure Rachel would have heard of Evita if not for her. Madonna feels her Evita film is timeless, and it was one of the proudest moments of her life.’

Representatives for Zegler and Madonna did not respond to requests for comment on these claims.

Madonna has made no secret of how much the role meant to her.

She sent director Alan Parker a four-page letter arguing why she was the best person to portray the female leader in 1994 after Michelle Pfeiffer turned down the role, pregnant with her second child.

Zegler’s casting has struck a bad chord with none other than Madonna, 66, the superstar singer-actress who first brought Eva’s story to life on the big screen in the 1996 musical ‘Evita’.

‘Madonna has always felt a deep connection to the character of Evita, a role that was incredibly meaningful to her,’ a source close to the singer exclusively told the Daily Mail. ‘She has been vocal about Rachel playing the part that she made iconic.’ (Pictured: Madonna in ‘Evita’).

In a bid to prove herself, Madonna flew to Buenos Aires to walk in Eva’s footsteps and even underwent vocal training, reportedly developing an upper register that she didn’t even know she had.

Living and breathing Eva, she clashed with Lloyd Weber’s portrayal, claiming it was a ‘male chauvinist point of view.’

She later claimed: ‘I am prouder of Evita than anything else I have done.’

So, it is no surprise that she may feel somewhat like a gatekeeper to ‘Evita’ and any interpretation of it.

But Madonna isn’t the only one raising questions about Zegler’s casting, which followed months of speculation that West Side Story co-star Ariana DeBose, 34, was set for the lead.

‘She has a great voice, but I genuinely wonder if she has the acting chops for this,’ questioned one Reddit user of Zegler’s talent. ‘Nothing she’s done so far suggests she does?’

Another added: ‘How does this girl get EVERYTHING? Like, I don’t get it. Her singing is amazing, but as an actress and a person, she’s pretty awful.’

The apprehension follows the controversies that engulfed Snow White,’ which cost $270 million before marketing and distribution.

Disney is set to post a $115 million loss on the ‘Snow White’ remake, which featured CGI dwarves and transformed the princess-to-be into a feminist leader, plotting to overthrow the Evil Queen, played by Gal Gadot.

The box office performance was so disastrous that Disney has also hit the brakes on a live-action remake of ‘Tangled,’ the 2010 retelling of Rapunzel.

Zegler has weathered the brunt of the backlash after attracting attention for her outspoken ‘woke’ views.

She once described the original 1937 Snow White film as ‘weird’ and called the prince ‘a stalker.’

Days after the movie’s official trailer was released in August 2024, Zegler told fans to ‘always remember, free Palestine’. Months later, following Donald Trump’s election victory, she declared ‘F*** Donald Trump,’ and posted to Instagram: ‘May Trump supporters… never know peace.’

Fans threatened to boycott the film and studio bosses shunned the usual Hollywood premiere for the film in favor of a small gathering at a remote Spanish castle back in March.

Zegler was the only member of the main cast in attendance.

But even without the backlash, sources suggest impressing Madonna would have been a difficult task.

‘Madonna would be critical of anyone who stepped into the part,’ they said. ‘She believes that no one would ever be able to portray Evita in the way that she did. They would all fall short in her eyes.’