Rachel Zegler has already lived a roller‑coaster Hollywood origin story. She leapt from high‑school musicals to Spielberg’s West Side Story remake in 2021, and moved straight into Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023). Then, she landed the biggest crown of all: Snow White (2025).
That last gig, however, detonated a minefield.
From complaints about a “Latina Snow White” to backlash over her comments on the 1937 animated classic and real‑world politics, and not to mention all the controversy surrounding the film’s dwarfs, who were originally played by real actors before being changed into CG characters, the production seemed cursed before cameras even rolled.
As for box office takings, the film’s $194 million global haul (so far) against a budget north of $240 million hasn’t helped matters.
Yet talent remains talent, and Zegler’s triple‑threat résumé suggests she’s far from finished. So here’s a thought experiment: if Jenna Ortega ever walks away from Netflix’s hit series Wednesday—she has a history quitting franchises like Scream 7 and the animated Jurassic World: Chaos Theory (not to throw any shade whatsoever as her reasons are perfectly valid)—who should inherit the braids? A logical candidate is Zegler herself.
At 23, she’s close to Ortega’s age (22), shares the same expressive eyes and raven hair, and has demonstrated a gift for sardonic line-delivery when she’s not belting out show tunes. Match that knack for deadpan with Wednesday Addams’s gothic wit, and you get a recipe that might surprise even Zegler’s harshest critics.
Related: Rachel Zegler’s Potential as Princess Leia: Will She Join the ‘Star Wars’ Universe?
Of course, there’d be many obstacles. Zegler’s outspoken interviews during the Snow White press run irritated plenty of moviegoers, a hurdle that a high‑profile series switch wouldn’t erase overnight. But Wednesday’s acidic humor arguably needs an actor who isn’t afraid to ruffle feathers—something Zegler has done in spades, if mostly off‑screen.
Besides, a small‑screen reinvention could distance her from the Snow White saga and let audiences re-evaluate what she does best: inhabit characters with a strong melodic through‑line and a streak of mischief.
If Ortega exits after Wednesday Season 2, Netflix might look for an actress who can honor the Addams Family teen’s legacy without mimicking the performance beat‑for‑beat. Zegler’s theatrical chops, coupled with her proven ability to handle fan scrutiny, would make the casting conversation at least worth having.
Would viewers give her a chance? Hard to say. But in a franchise landscape where nothing stays static for long, the idea of Rachel Zegler haunting Nevermore Academy feels less far‑fetched than it did before Snow White’s poisoned‑apple press tour.
Snow White is out in theaters now. Wednesday is streaming on Netflix.
Would you like to see Zegler replace Jenna Ortega in Wednesday? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!
Just another great big who cares!
Ortega has had her 15 minutes.
No, no a thousands times no!