Rachel Zegler’s Co-Star Claps Back at Online Hate: “Such Manufactured Outrage”

Rachel Zegler has been under a lot of fire online lately, but her Evita co-star James Olivas isn’t having it. The actress, who first became famous playing Maria in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, has faced harsh criticism after the release of Disney’s Snow White. The movie was a notable box office and critical bomb, partially due to Zegler’s statement. Now, as she continues her career with big projects, Olivas is speaking out to defend her against what he calls unfair attacks.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Olivas compared the mixed reactions to Rachel to the way Eva Perón was once treated, both loved by some and hated by others. He said much of the backlash is blown out of proportion and largely fueled by the media. Olivas believes Rachel is being targeted because she’s a young woman of color, making her an easy target for critics.

One hot topic has been a scene in Evita where Rachel’s character leaves the stage and sings from a balcony to people outside. Many blamed her for this creative choice, but Olivas made it clear that she’s just an actor doing what she’s told. “Do you think that she’s the writer? Do you think she’s the director? She’s an actor, she was given lines, she was given a job,” he explained. He stressed that blaming Rachel for creative decisions is unfair and misses the point.

Olivas also addressed rumors from Rachel’s press tour for Snow White. Some people claimed she hated the traditional Snow White story and changed it to remove the prince, but Olivas dismissed these claims as ignorance. According to him, Rachel simply plays the roles she’s given and doesn’t control the story.

He called the whole backlash “such manufactured outrage” and said real audiences love the balcony scene in Evita. “There’s not been a single person that has come to see the show that has anything less than loved what that moment is in the theater and how it reads outside,” Olivas said. This shows that the negative online reaction isn’t really based on how people feel after watching the performance.

Olivas also highlighted Rachel’s inspiring journey. Coming from a modest background, she worked hard and rose to become one of the most famous young actresses today. “How people feel about her, ultimately, is extremely empowering to a lot of people. The case of this woman not coming from means, and through sheer determination and willpower was able to climb her way to becoming what she was at the time: the most famous woman in the world,” he said.

In the end, Olivas’ comments remind us that a lot of online outrage can be exaggerated or unfair. Rachel Zegler is just doing her job, but because of who she is and where she comes from, some people seem determined to find fault.

Olivas stands firmly by her, calling out the media and critics for what he sees as needless attacks. This defense shows there’s more to the story than the headlines suggest, and maybe it’s time to rethink how we judge young stars like Rachel.

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