RACHEL ZEGLER IS THE HOLLYWOOD VERSION OF NICO HARRISON

Rachel Zegler has been getting a lot of heat for Snow White, and honestly, I get it.

At just 23 years old, navigating Hollywood is already a challenge, but this controversy feels like something she might not recover from. She has that “main character syndrome,” and if there’s anyone whose career trajectory mirrors hers, it’s Glee’s Lea Michele. The difference? Michele, for all her reputation, can hold her own alongside the best stage performers. She has an iconic show under her belt and a strong theater background.

You could even throw in Amber Heard. She lost her case against Johnny Depp, but she had money, and let’s be real—she could still build a career outside the U.S. Zegler could try that too. But at 23, she needs to start reading the room. Snow White isn’t just any Disney movie—it’s the one that started it all. And yet, its IMDB score is somehow lower than Dragonball Evolution, one of the worst adaptations of all time. The film is now on the verge of being one of Disney’s biggest flops ever, which says a lot about how much she loved the project.

A part of me wonders if Disney wanted this movie to fail just to lower expectations for their future projects. But then again, Snow White has become such a toxic mess that it’s even affecting Avengers: Secret Wars—and that’s wild.

Now, if we’re bringing this to basketball terms, Zegler is the NBA’s version of Nico Harrison. The Mavericks are barely clinging to a play-in spot, thanks to their patchwork lineup, but no one’s forgotten that it was Harrison who put them in this mess. Luka Dončić is Prince Charming—the character the production initially saw as the problem—while the botched casting choices, lack of direction, and overall mismanagement are the actual missteps that sunk Snow White. Harrison is Zegler, trying to justify the Mavs’ downfall with her beliefs, and Anthony Davis is, unfortunately, Gal Gadot, the random, not-so-innocent bystander that is also taking bullets. No matter how much Harrison tries to spin Luka’s conditioning issues, he needs to remember that the Mavericks are a global brand. And just like how Texas refuses to budge on gambling laws, the Mavs have lost credibility with fans worldwide. By next season, when Kyrie Irving either opts out or reverts to his unpredictable Brooklyn Nets self, this entire debacle will be Harrison’s legacy.

And speaking of legacies—Disney needs to clean house. This isn’t about the “woke” debate; it’s about the quality of what they’re putting out. Rehashing old stories, oversaturating Marvel and Star Wars, and churning out subpar merchandise isn’t cutting it anymore. The Mufasa movie is a prequel that nobody wanted and the live action Lilo and Stitch movie might also take heat for just existing.

Right now, the “White” in Snow White feels more like a surname than a defining trait.

I liked Prince of Persia, but it caught flak for not casting an actual Persian lead. Now, Disney is doing the same thing in reverse—casting a Latina actress for a role that has always been Caucasian. As a Filipino, when I saw the movie’s aesthetic, it reminded me of a low-budget high school play. You cast whoever’s available because you have limited options. I’ve even played a girl in a class play before because we had too many guys, and someone had to do it.

But even then, I knew I couldn’t sell the role.

Zegler’s Snow White? She longs for her father, gets rescued by a discount Flynn Rider, relies on dwarves and bandits for support, and defeats a dictator through feelings rather than action. And to make things worse, the lead actress had a personality that actively repelled audiences.

No wonder the movie tanked.

Maybe when Hollywood stops calling, she should apply for the Mavericks’ GM job?