Snow White Rachel Zegler's Jaw Movement Goes Viral During Met Gala Appearance: 'What Is Wrong With Her?'

Rachel Zegler became the subject of widespread online discussion following her appearance at the 2026 Met Gala, where videos of the actress posing on the red carpet circulated widely across social media platforms. The 25-year-old Snow White star attended the annual event at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art wearing a dramatic Atelier Prabal Gurung gown paired with a custom silk blindfold designed by Jennifer Behr.

While the outfit itself attracted attention, much of the reaction focused on Zegler's facial expressions and jaw movements as she posed for photographers outside the venue. Clips shared on X, TikTok and Instagram showed the actress repeatedly moving her jaw from side to side and pushing it forward while walking the carpet.

The footage quickly drew mixed reactions online. Some social media users questioned whether the movements formed part of a performance connected to the outfit's artistic inspiration, while others mocked the appearance and posted speculation about the actress's behaviour without evidence.

Artistic Inspiration Behind the Look

Zegler's outfit referenced French painter Paul Delaroche's 1833 artwork The Execution of Lady Jane Grey, which depicts the doomed English queen moments before her execution in 1554, according to Town and Country Magazine.

This year's Met Gala theme, titled 'Costume Art', encouraged celebrities to approach fashion as a form of artistic performance inspired by paintings, theatre and historical imagery. Social media users also shared side-by-side comparisons between Zegler's outfit and Delaroche's painting, with some arguing the actress was attempting to recreate expressions connected to fear, tension and distress shown in the artwork.

Viral Videos Trigger Online Speculation

Despite that context, many online reactions focused almost entirely on the actress's facial movements. Some users posted mocking comments, while others speculated without evidence about possible drug use because of the repeated jaw movements captured in close-up videos.

Several posts referenced cocaine use or claimed the actress appeared 'not normal', although no evidence supported those claims. The clips spread rapidly across social media platforms, where debate surrounding the actress's behaviour became one of the most widely discussed celebrity moments from the event.

Actress Addresses Backlash After Appearance

Other social media users defended Zegler and argued the criticism had become excessive. Some said the videos removed the wider artistic context behind the look and reduced the performance to short viral clips designed for ridicule.

The actress later addressed the evening on Instagram, writing that she had felt 'so beautiful' at the event while admitting high-profile appearances remained 'nerve-racking'. Zegler thanked designer Prabal Gurung and her creative team for helping her feel confident during the gala.

The actress has frequently attracted intense online scrutiny in recent years, particularly following debate surrounding Disney's live-action Snow White remake. Comments she made during promotional interviews about updating aspects of the original animated film generated significant backlash online and contributed to wider social media arguments surrounding the project.

As a result, many of Zegler's public appearances now generate unusually strong online reactions, particularly on platforms where short clips and edited moments can rapidly spread without additional explanation.

For now, debate surrounding Zegler's appearance continues across social media, where reactions remain split between criticism, humour and defence of the artistic concept behind the look.