Anti-Israel actress Rachel Zegler and YouTuber Ms. Rachel named Glamour magazine’s ‘Women of the Year’
Glamour Magazine cover featuring Rachel Zegler and other models. Glamour
Glamour magazine’s latest “Women of the Year” lineup features two Rachels — both of whom have faced major backlash over their public comments on the Israel-Hamas war.
Actress Rachel Zegler and children’s YouTube star Ms. Rachel (real name Rachel Griffin Accurso) joined this year’s honorees alongside actress Demi Moore and singer Tyla, the magazine announced Monday.
Both women have had eventful years. Zegler, 24, rose to fame with Disney’s live-action Snow White, though the film became a notorious box-office failure. She later rebounded with a starring role in the hit stage musical Evita. Ms. Rachel, 42, continued her meteoric rise as one of YouTube’s most popular children’s educators, with her videos surpassing 10 billion total views.
But their inclusion in Glamour’s list comes after months of controversy linked to their public stances on the Middle East conflict.
Zegler sparked outrage after posting “and always remember, free Palestine” shortly after Disney released the Snow White trailer. Reports later claimed tensions on set between Zegler and her Israeli co-star Gal Gadot over the issue. The Anti-Defamation League has warned that the phrase “Free Palestine,” while often used by activists, has also been invoked by extremists to justify violence against Jews.
The backlash intensified when Jonah Platt, son of the film’s producer Marc Platt, said Zegler’s social media behavior had “clearly hurt the film’s box office,” a comment he later deleted. The $270 million remake went on to flop, prompting Disney to reconsider future live-action adaptations.
Zegler also faced criticism after posting an angry reaction to President Trump’s second election victory, writing on social media, “May Trump supporters and Trump voters and Trump himself never know peace.” She later apologized after widespread condemnation but has kept her earlier “Free Palestine” posts online.
Her reputation took another hit when she dismissed the 1937 Snow White original as “dated,” saying it featured “a guy who literally stalks” the heroine and suggesting Prince Charming might not appear in future remakes.
Ms. Rachel, meanwhile, found herself embroiled in a similar firestorm after expressing sorrow over the suffering of children in Gaza. The YouTuber posted several messages about the deaths of Palestinian children and even recorded a song praying for peace:
“This is a prayer for children in Gaza. This is a prayer for children in Israel. This is a prayer for all the innocent — please stop hurting them.”
Despite the message’s humanitarian tone, the watchdog group StopAntisemitism accused her of echoing Hamas propaganda, though it offered no evidence for the claim. Critics also noted that one of her shared photos — supposedly showing a starving Gazan child — was later debunked as a case of cystic fibrosis.
Griffin Accurso largely avoided further comment, later clarifying that she prays for and supports all children — Israeli and Palestinian alike. Over the summer, she appeared in a video with Palestinian journalist Motaz Azaiza, who has previously encouraged “resistance” and once wrote online, “May God curse the Jews themselves.”
Joining Zegler and Ms. Rachel on Glamour’s “Women of the Year” list are five WNBA players and legendary makeup artist Pat McGrath.
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