Rachel Zegler, star of Disney's live-action version of "Snow White," recently "clarified" her earlier comments criticizing the 1937 animated classic in an interview. However, this change was widely questioned by the outside world as a public relations strategy rather than a sincere change of attitude.
Previously, Zegler had publicly criticized the original "Snow White" many times, saying it was "outdated" and "the prince behaved inappropriately," causing dissatisfaction among a large number of fans. In this interview, she redefined fans' criticism as "enthusiasm" and said, "I feel very honored to be able to participate in something that people are so passionate about."
This inconsistent statement was considered to lack sincerity and had obvious public relations traces. The outside world questioned that Zegler's move was to recover the negative impact caused by his previous remarks, and speculated that Disney's public relations team was behind the scenes.
In addition, Zegler mentioned his cultural background many times during the interview in an attempt to shift the topic to diversity and inclusion. This approach was also criticized as a typical public relations strategy.
Currently, the live-action version of "Snow White" is facing box office pressure, and Zegler's controversial remarks will undoubtedly make the film's promotion even worse. Many viewers said they were disgusted by the star's insincere behavior and expressed concerns about the quality of the film.
Some media analysts believe that it is still unknown whether Disney's public relations strategy will work. But what is certain is that audiences are paying more and more attention to the veracity of celebrities’ statements, and any attempt to manipulate public opinion may backfire.