Actress Rachel Zegler says her racial identity has often complicated her career in Hollywood. The star, known for roles in major films such as “West Side Story” and Disney’s “Snow White,” recently opened up about the challenges she says come with being biracial in the entertainment industry.

According to Zegler, casting decisions and public reactions have frequently focused on whether she fits neatly into a single ethnic category. That scrutiny, she argues, has made navigating Hollywood particularly difficult.

Actress Says Identity Became A Casting Issue

Zegler discussed the topic in a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, reflecting on how her mixed heritage has shaped her experience in the film industry.

The actress said she sometimes felt caught between expectations tied to different roles.

“I was told I wasn’t enough of one thing for ‘West Side Story’ and too much of another for ‘Snow White,'” she said.

Zegler explained that the criticism created confusion during the early stages of her career.

Born in New Jersey, she comes from a Colombian and Polish background. She said she grew up deeply connected to her Colombian heritage and continues to embrace it today.

“I grew up proud of being Colombian — eating the food, wearing the dresses, drinking the coffee, doing all the things that were so intrinsic to who I was as a kid and who I am as an adult,” Zegler said.

Biracial Identity Creates Unique Pressures

The actress also reflected on the complicated position she believes biracial performers often face in the public eye.

“I do think there’s an argument to be made that, in the public eye at least, when you’re two things, you’re simultaneously nothing,” she added.

Despite those pressures, Zegler says she refuses to hide or soften her identity to satisfy others.

“But I refuse to assimilate for anybody else’s comfort.”

Her comments suggest that identity debates remain a sensitive topic within the entertainment industry.

Hollywood Casting Conversations Continue

Zegler’s remarks also echoed earlier statements she made about her casting in “West Side Story.”

While working on the film, she previously described feeling a strong cultural connection with fellow Latino performers on set.

In a 2021 interview with People, she explained that filming the musical allowed her to connect with other performers who shared similar backgrounds.

She said she grew up in a “very Colombian American household” and enjoyed being “surrounded by the biggest amount of Latinos I’ve ever been surrounded by” while filming “West Side Story.”

However, Zegler also described moments of skepticism from studio leaders regarding her background.

According to comments she made in a 2025 interview with the Los Angeles Times, she recalled executives repeatedly questioning her heritage.

She said studio leaders “kept calling to ask if I was legit.”

The actress added that it felt unusual to have “a bunch of white executives have you prove your identity to them.”

Cultural Representation Remains Central To Zegler

Zegler has often spoken about representation in film and television. In 2023, she appeared alongside fellow Disney performer Halle Bailey and reflected on the significance of diverse casting.

The actress described her own casting as Snow White as meaningful for viewers who share similar cultural backgrounds.

She called the moment “beautiful” when Bailey remarked on working with an “all-black” cast, before describing her own role as Snow White as a “huge moment” for those who share her ethnicity.

Actress Avoids Direct Political Debate

Despite the sensitive nature of the topic, Zegler reportedly avoided diving deeply into political arguments during the interview.

However, she acknowledged that current social and political developments in the United States have been difficult to watch unfold.

According to the interview, she described the situation as “very difficult to witness in real time.”

For now, the actress continues to navigate a career shaped not only by her performances but also by broader conversations about race, identity, and representation in Hollywood.