Deadline recently sent the internet abuzz with rumors that Rachel Zegler is in talks to play Maria von Trapp in a production of The Sound of Music at Lincoln Center in New York City. The article mainly dealt with Zegler’s appearance as the titular Evita at London Palladium’s auditorium. After noting Zegler’s strong singing chops, of which even her strongest critics begrudgingly agree she has in spades, the article casually noted, “There’s intense talk of Zegler playing the Julie Andrews part in The Sound of Music at Lincoln Center,” before backpedaling ever so slightly by adding, “But, hold on to the “Do-re-mi” of it all, that’s not in any shape or form confirmed.”

Von Trapp was iconically portrayed by Julie Andrews in the film in 1965, so it’s a role that would be challenging for anyone to take up the mantle, even in the theater, but Zegler in particular comes with some additional baggage after the astronomical failure of Disney’s live-action Snow White. The reason’s for the film’s disaster are legion (unsettling CGI dwarfs, a “modernized” version of the story, and Gal Gadot’s poor singing ability to name a few issues) but Zegler certainly didn’t help herself when she criticized the original 1937 film as being outdated. “I mean, you know, the original cartoon came out in 1937 and very evidently so. There’s a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her,” Zegler said at Disney’s D23 Expo in 2022. “Weird! Weird. So we didn’t do that this time,” she concluded.

She also found herself at odds with her co-star Gal Gadot when she voiced her support for Palestine, while Gadot is a native Israeli and speaks out against antisemitism. In a recent interview with British magazine i-D, Zegler stated she did not regret sharing her thoughts on Palestine. “Obviously I’m taking a professional risk by speaking my mind,” she said. “But nothing matters more than human lives. My heart can’t ignore that—and if that’s what sinks me? There are worse things.”

Reception of Zegler playing von Trapp was mostly negative. “Let’s have her ruin something else that’s iconic,” wrote one user on X. Another took aim at the race-swapping such a role would require. “Perfect. She looks unmistakably German/Austrian. Just like Snow White…” they said.  Some, however, criticized the outrage as out of place, given that Zegler is only rumored to be in talks for a stage adaptation. “It’s a play,” wrote one user. “Peter Pan was played by a woman for decades. It’s cool bro. You don’t have to suddenly pick up an opinion of things you don’t know about.”