Rachel Zegler on Dealing with Toxic Fans Online: ‘It’s Just Not Worth the Time and Energy' (original) (raw)

Rachel Zegler is getting candid about dealing with online hate.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes actress, 22, revealed in a new segment of Variety's Actors on Actors series with Halle Bailey that when people spew vitriol on social media at her, she chooses to look on the positive side.

“Choosing thankfulness and gratefulness is choosing peace,” Zegler said. “As much as you’d like to remind people verbally that being in the spotlight doesn’t absolve you of your humanity — that you’re allowed to have human moments — it doesn’t necessarily do what you want it to do. It fuels them more.”

“So, it’s choosing to be present and know that they’re probably just having a really hard day,” she added. “And I’m putting out a movie.”

She added that the online hate she has received helped her to become stronger, and said that she was "thankful" for the experience because it helped her learn how to deal with backlash online at such an early point in her career.

“I feel so thankful for those moments because it started to make me feel like solid Teflon. That nothing can hurt anymore because they’ve said the worst that can be said,” the actress explained. “You just say, ‘Thank you so much for this. I have a lot of love in my life, and I’m very thankful.’ We get to do our work and have that speak for itself instead.”

Bailey chimed in: “I love the saying, ‘You throw stones, and I’ll build a bridge out of them.’”

Rachel Zegler attends The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes European premiere.

Tristar Media/WireImage

“It’s true though,” Zegler responded. “Because we’re making things that make people connect with one another. And there are people out there who say things that make people want to not come together, that make people want to fight. And it’s just not worth the time and energy.”

The West Side Story actress said in January 2022 that after her casting announcement as Snow White in Disney’s live-action remake, she trended on Twitter “for days, because all of the people were angry."

At the time she noted that she needed to “love” her critics “in the right direction," adding that "at the end of the day, I have a job to do that I'm really excited to do. I get to be a Latina princess."

A photo of Rachel Zegler and her Disney princess counterpart Snow White.

Swan Gallet/WWD via Getty; Walt Disney Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection

Bailey has also dealt with backlash to her casting as Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. Following the 2019 announcement that she would play the beloved main character, racist backlash kicked up online from some who objected to the casting of a Black actress in a role previously animated as a White character, voiced by actress and singer Jodi Benson.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“That was definitely something that I had to navigate,” Bailey said on Actors on Actors. “But it turned out to be the most beautiful lesson — to block any naysayers or negativity out. Also, I’m an Aries, so I’m a fire sign. People are like, ‘Oh, she’s so sweet. She’s so nice.’ But a lot of times when I see stuff online, I get mad.”

“... It’s hard being women under the spotlight,” she told Zegler. “People are so critical and say anything that they would never say to your face.”