’55 minute standing ovation’: 2 days after being compared to Lord Farquaad, Rachel Zegler unleashes a show-stopper that’s dropping jaws and inciting applause

Rachel Zegler is one tough cookie. The rising star has always handled backlash with grace, but there’s really no better way to shut the haters up than by leaving them in awe of your incredible talent. 

For years now, Zegler has been dealing with all kinds of comments about her casting as Snow White in the upcoming live-action remake. Most recently, Piers Morgan, who spends his free time antagonizing women, had a panel discussion on his YouTube show Piers Morgan Uncensored, where one panelist said Zegler “looks like Lord Farquaad,” and the others slammed her casting as politically correct nonsense. Thankfully, when you’ve got vocals that can bring a house down, you don’t really pay old bullies any mind, and Rachel Zegler’s recent showcase at Elsie Fest proves that Snow White will be a walk in the park for her.

The Snow White backlash 

All of Disney’s live-action adaptation endeavors have been heavily criticized, and the upcoming Snow White movie is no exception. The adaptation has been mired in controversy at every stage of its production, and Halle Bailey and Rachel Zegler have received the worst treatment from so-called Disney “fans.” 

Ignorant fans first protested against the choice to cast her as Snow White due to the fact that she isn’t white, but is half-Columbian and half-Polish. Of course, most of that backlash was more fueled by racism than by any particular reverence for the source material. Just like with the backlash Halle Bailey faced when she was cast as Ariel in The Little Mermaid, people conveniently forget that these are fairy tales with universal stories that do not solely belong to people of white European descent. 

Moreover, those that were already looking for any reason to fault Zegler eventually found another target when she expressed some opinions on the original 1930s animation. She stated that this adaptation would be reimagining some of the problematic aspects of the story, such as the prince’s behavior and Snow White’s passive role in the story. Angry mobs interpreted this as Zegler disliking and disrespecting the source material, a narrative that people have continued to push, despite Zegler clearing the air. 

Rachel Zegler’s show-stopping Elsie Fest performance

Evidently, Rachel Zegler can’t, and won’t ever let the haters get her down and has shown this repeatedly. She notably didn’t publicly respond to any of the comments made about her on Piers Morgan’s show, instead choosing to go about her life. However, it’s her recent performance at Elsie Fest, and the amazing response she’s received, that feel like the ultimate clap back to the comments made, specifically about her looks and talent. 

Elsie Fest is Broadway’s outdoor music festival, celebrating music from both stage and screen shows. This year’s festival featured performances from Zegler, Jordan Fisher, Darren Criss, Lizzie McAlpine, and many more. Zegler’s performance of “Gimme Gimme” from Thoroughly Modern Millie was an instant hit, with one fan even tweeting that she gave it a 55-minute standing ovation (which we suspect may be a slight exaggeration). 

Comments on both X and Instagram raved about Zegler’s vocals, her outfit (which consisted of a sparkly gold crop top and matching shorts), and her general aura and stage presence. The response to her performance just goes to show how much of the hate against her is both unfounded and isolated, because the general public seems to be loving everything she’s serving.