Rachel Zegler became one of the most talked-about celebrities at the 2026 Met Gala, but it was not entirely because of her outfit.
Keep reading to learn more.
The actress Rachel Zelger, sparked a wave of online concern and debate after videos of her posing on the Met steps began circulating across X and Reddit, with viewers fixating less on her fashion and more on what they described as her “strange” facial expressions and exaggerated mannerisms.
The annual event, held Monday, May the 4th, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, celebrated this year’s theme, “Costume Art,” with a dress code titled “Fashion is Art.”
Zegler, best known for West Side Story and Disney’s Snow White remake, arrived wearing a dramatic white ensemble paired with a blindfold-inspired detail.
The look, styled alongside Sarah Slutsky, drew inspiration from Paul Delaroche’s famous painting The Execution of Lady Jane Grey.
While some praised the theatrical concept, social media quickly shifted toward analyzing Rachel’s red carpet behavior instead.
Videos showing the 25-year-old repeatedly opening her mouth and striking highly stylized poses sparked immediate speculation online.
“What is actually wrong with her face. Does she do this on purpose?,” one person questioned.
“For those unaware, the jaw thing is because she’s an absolute coke fiend… lol Cocaine jaw is quite a common side effect,” one person responded.
Another concerned individual wrote, “Seriously- what is she doing with her mouth… she looks like she’s having a brain aneurysm”
There were others who came to the actress’s defense, with one person writing, “You may not like her, but she’s damn beautiful.”
Several viewers argued that Rachel appeared completely aware and intentional in the viral clips.
One person wrote, “It is narcissism and it is gross.” While another added, “Her sense of vanity is absolutely astounding.”
Another commenter pointed out that her exaggerated jaw movements were not new behavior.
According to the observer, Rachel has been “doing that jaw thing since Snow White,” arguing that her expressive posing style was simply part of the artistic character she was embodying on the carpet.
The intense reaction reflects the unusual level of scrutiny that has followed Zegler throughout much of her young career. The actress first rose to prominence after being cast by Steven Spielberg as María in West Side Story, a performance that earned widespread praise and quickly established her as one of Hollywood’s rising stars.
But her later casting as Snow White in Disney’s live-action remake sparked major backlash online. Some Disney fans criticized the decision to cast a Latina actress in the role, arguing it conflicted with the original description of the character having skin “as white as snow.”
Others accused Disney of becoming “woke.”
Rachel also faced criticism after comments she made about the original 1937 animated film resurfaced online.
“There’s a big focus [in the original] on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird! So we didn’t do that this time,” she said in 2022.
The remarks triggered outrage among some fans of the original movie and reportedly even frustrated people connected to the production itself.
Jonah Platt, son of producer Marc Platt, criticized the actress in a since-deleted Instagram comment, writing that she lacked “adult responsibility” and that her actions “clearly hurt the film’s box office.”
Rachel later responded to the ongoing criticism during an interview with Variety, clarifying her broader views about romance and ambition. “I believe that women can do anything. But I also believe that they can do everything,” she said.
“I would never want to box someone in and say, ‘If you want love, then you can’t work.’ Or ‘If you want to work, then you can’t have a family.’ It’s not true. It’s never been true.”
Despite the controversies surrounding Snow White, Zegler’s career has continued gaining momentum.
Her recent performance in Jamie Lloyd’s revival of Evita at the London Palladium earned strong reviews, with many critics praising her stage presence and vocal performance.
The production is now scheduled to transfer to Broadway in spring 2027.
