Rachel Zegler has been the subject of a lot of hate recently. She faced backlash when she talked about her lack of a connection to the Snow White story despite being cast in the titular role for the remake of the classic Disney film. She also was criticized when she admitted to taking her role in Shazam! Fury of the Gods because she needed a job. Now, Jacob Elordi is saying the same thing about picking projects, but fans are praising him for his candor. Some are understandably sensing there may be a double standard here.
Shazam 2 wasn’t exactly a slam dunk for DC, and it lost a lot of money for the studio in addition to being slammed by critics. Many were wondering why a rising star like Rachel Zegler would take a role in such a film, especially after her first film was West Side Story. When asked about it by The Hollywood Reporter at the Shazam 2 premiere, she responded with honesty, saying she took the role simply because she needed a job. You can see a TikTok from the moment below:
@hollywoodreporter ♬ original sound - The Hollywood Reporter
DC fans had a brutal reaction to Zegler’s response, and criticized her for being blunt about her association with the DCEU. Comic book movies have passionate fans, and it seems like they wanted the actress to be as passionate about her character as they were. However, when Jacob Elordi was asked a similar question by IndieWire at the Saltburn premiere, he responded almost the same way. He admitted to taking on characters based on what came to him and because he needed a job. You can see a video of his response below:
After finishing compelling arcs in #Priscilla and #Saltburn, Jacob Elordi tells us what he is looking for in his next role. pic.twitter.com/odrevAmFC4November 15, 2023
Elordi may have said practically the same thing as Zegler, however the reactions to his statement were very different. Many praised Elordi’s honesty, saying it made sense given the quality of the Kissing Booth movies the Euphoria actor participated in for Netflix. One fan said on Twitter:
He’s so real lmao especially with accepting that bad role in Kissing Booth
Another fan felt that they found his response to be charming, and that he was just being real about what is expected from young rising stars in the industry. They tweeted:
Embracing the hustle with a touch of sarcasm – because who doesn't appreciate an actor who keeps it honest while navigating the wild world of showbiz?. 😂
These are clearly very different reactions compared to what Zegler received when she gave a candid response about her roles. This didn’t go unnoticed by a lot of fans, who sensed that the expectations around young women at the start of their careers are very different from the expectations of young men. One Twitter user called out the double standard:
when jacob elordi says he took a part bc he needs a job it’s a funny joke but when rachel zegler says the same thing it’s bratty. hey alexa play “the man” by taylor swift.November 16, 2023
Another user believed that no actor should respond to questions like this with such glib answers. Acting is a tough field to get into, and according to this X post, it comes off as disrespectful when anyone is so flippant about how they feel about the movies they get to participate in. They said:
i don't support the rachel zegler hate campaign but i don't find it charming when actors say stuff like this, jacob elordi included https://t.co/5yIeAwDeWtNovember 15, 2023
Even if some may agree, one can’t deny the general reactions to both stars have been very different. In a recent interview with GQ, Elordi was candid once again about his negative feelings about the Kissing Booth movies. Meanwhile, Zegler can’t seem to catch a break about saying that her version of Snow White will be much more feminist than the original animated film from the '40s. Disney fans said that she comes off as ungrateful for a great opportunity, while fans praised Elordi for his honesty about The Kissing Booth, and his desire to work on better projects as his star has risen.
Despite criticism, Zegler continues to kill it in big blockbuster films, often holding the weight of massive franchises on her shoulders. Even with the backlash, she is still starring as the titular lead of Snow White, which is set to hit theaters in 2025. She is also currently the star of the adaptation of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which is playing in theaters now. Even though her climb to the top hasn’t been without hate, she continues to be a talented young movie star, playing some of the most iconic roles on the big screen. Hopefully, as she continues to rise in her career, she is given the same grace as her male counterparts.
Both Rachel Zegler's The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Jacob Elordi's Saltburn have premiered on the 2024 movie schedule and can be seen in theaters.
