She later deleted the pic and finally explained the real reason in March 2021, when she spoke on the Armchair Expert podcast.
“I actually look and I have a message from Rami. But it wasn’t like, ‘Hey! How are you?!’ It was straight to: ‘I would really appreciate if you take that down. I’m a really private person,'” Rachel recalled. “I was like, ‘Oh, s–t! OK.’ I get really hot and start sweating… I’m all nervous, like, ‘Oh god! What did I do?’ He was a really good friend, it’s a funny picture… you know? I don’t take myself that seriously.”
The Hart of Dixie alum went on, “I guess I should’ve found something more flattering… But I removed it and I even wrote to him a really nice message: ‘I’m so sorry. Go get the Oscar! You’re doing amazing.’ And I never hear anything back, which is fine.”
Both Rami and Rachel attended Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif. Since they were in the same grade, Rachel said they starred in the school play together.