Fans compare “crazy” reactions to Rachel Zegler and Noah Schnapp controversies
Netflix/LionsgateStranger Things star Noah Schnapp and Snow White star Rachel Zegler have run into controversies of late, and now fans are comparing the “crazy” reactions both actors received.
If there’s one word to describe the reaction to Rachel Zegler’s Snow White comments, it would be “loud”. Back in August, a 2022 interview of Zegler did the rounds online; notably, a clip of her discussing some of the issues she takes with the original Disney animation and how these would be rectified in the upcoming live-action Snow White.
In it, she described the prince as a “stalker,” joked about cutting male lead Andrew Burnap’s scenes, and suggested that the plot would center on female empowerment rather than true love. The furor this caused was significant, with resurfaced videos of Zegler doing the rounds online, old dramas being dragged up, and talks of boycotting the star’s next movie too.
Numerous fans have jumped in to defend Zegler, with one describing how the clip was “curated” and pointing out male stars who have hated their characters in famous franchises and not received any backlash. And now, some are comparing the incident with Noah Schnapp’s latest controversy.
Rachel Zegler and Noah Schnapp controversies compared by fans
The Will Byers actor is receiving backlash this week over an Instagram Story in which he’s seen laughing with friends in a coffee shop as they pass around stickers that say “Zionism is sexy” and “Hamas is Isis”.
The clip arose amid the 2023 humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as Israel intensifies its bombing of the overwhelmed area following the Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas’ attack last month. According to The Washington Post, 11,180 people were killed in Gaza from October 7 to November 10, many of them children.
Schnapp’s social media pages have since been inundated with angry comments, while some are threatening to boycott Stranger Things Season 5. Now, a number of spectators have noticed the similarity between the reaction to Zegler’s comments with Schnapp’s “Zionism is sexy” post.
One X/Twitter user shared a screenshot of a comment that reads: “If Noah Schnapp isn’t fired, you can kiss your season goodbye. Handing out stickers saying ‘Zionism is sexy’ yes genocide is so sexy Noah. He has now hit a lower point than Rachel Zegler. Do better.”
Alongside the image, they wrote: “Misogyny is crazy because why are people comparing Noah Schnapp supporting genocide to Rachel Zegler *checks notes* thinking the Snow White movie is outdated…”
In response, another said: “None of those things are the same AT ALL. They’re not even on the same spectrum.” A third added: “Men literally have to be shamelessly pro genocide to get *some* push back. Rachel hasn’t said anything bad to be put at such a close level. Unbelievable.”
Elsewhere, one person said: “Two drastically different things that are just not comparable: Noah Schnapp poked fun of civilians losing their lives; Rachel Zegler said a few things about Snow White. No amount of Zegler saying mean things about Snow White is going to equal cheering on deaths.”
Another shared side-by-side shots of comments addressed to Schnapp and those addressed to Zegler, stating: “The difference between Noah Schnapp’s and Rachel Zegler’s comment sections (one is Islamophobic and supports genocide and the other said her version of Snow White will be different from the original).”
You can read more about Noah Schnapp’s controversies here, and more about the Rachel Zegler backlash here.