Who Is Rachel Zegler? 5 Things to Know About West Side Story’s Breakout Star

Credit: Niko Tavernise

Who Is Rachel Zegler? 5 Things to Know About West Side Story's Breakout Star

Ready for her close-up! Rachel Zegler was just 16 when she scored the role of a lifetime as Maria in Steven Spielberg's upcoming adaptation of West Side Story — and her performance is already generating plenty of buzz. The New Jersey native was one of the thousands of hopeful applicants to respond to an open casting call via Twitter in January 2018. Having previously portrayed the musical's starring role in a local production, Zegler was familiar with the ins and outs of the soundtrack and was ultimately chosen to carry on the late Natalie Wood's legacy six decades after the original movie premiered. Though she's new to the industry, the importance of this moment isn't lost on Zegler. "[This movie is] a beautiful display of Latin joy and the way that young Latin girls deserve to see themselves — dancing around in pretty dresses and singing about loving themselves," she told Vogue in November 2020. "It's something that's mattered so much to me, being Latina, singing 'I Feel Pretty' and meaning it. I hope that young people everywhere will know that their features are gorgeous and their culture is beautiful. I think that's what it's meant to my family." Zegler joins Hollywood heartthrob Ansel Elgort (Tony, originated by Richard Beymer), Ariana DeBose (Anita, originated by Rita Moreno) and David Alvarez (Bernardo, originated by George Chakiris) in the 2021 adaptation. Representation was crucial for Spielberg who told Vanity Fair in March 2020 that more than half of the film's Puerto Rican characters are portrayed by Latinx actors. "They brought an authenticity," he told the outlet. "They brought themselves, and everything they believe and everything about them—they brought that to the work. And there was so much interaction between the cast wanting to be able to commit to the Puerto Rican experience. They all represent, I think, a diversity, both within the Puerto Rican, Nuyorican community as well as the broader Latinx community. And they took that seriously." The film's release was significantly delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but fans are still eager to see Zegler step into the starring role. The first teaser aired during the 93rd annual Academy Awards in April 2021 — and even the budding Hollywood star couldn't contain her excitement. "Is it bizarre to think that today — Saturday, April 24 — is my last day feeling like a normal human being?" she joked in a vlog documenting the anticipation to the trailer's debut. "I'm trying to call as many castmates as possible because I feel like I'm gonna be a mess [when it drops]." Keep scrolling to learn more about the breakout star of West Side Story, in theaters December 2021: [podcast_block]

Credit: Niko Tavernise

1. 'West Side Story' Is Her 1st Major Movie Role

In January 2018, Spielberg sent out an open call notice on social media for his upcoming adaptation of the classic 1957 musical. Among 30,000 applicants was then-16-year-old Zegler, who sent clips of herself auditioning with "Tonight" and "I Feel Pretty" from the show's soundtrack — and the rest is history.

Credit: Courtesy of Rachel Zegler/Instagram

2. Her High School Theater Performances Earned Award Nominations

Before going Hollywood, Zegler was the star of her high school theater program in New Jersey, where she had starring roles in their performances of Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, 42nd Street and Shrek the Musical. With each of the shows, she received nominations for the Metropolitan High School Theater Awards — a.k.a. the Metros.

Credit: Courtesy of Rachel Zegler/Instagram

3. She's the 2nd Colombian American Cast in a DC Comics Project

West Side Story still hasn't hit theaters yet, but Zegler is already catching casting directors' eyes. In February 2021, it was confirmed that she would be joining Zachary Levi in Shazam: Fury of the Gods, the sequel to the 2019 superhero film, making her the second actor of Colombian American heritage to appear in the DC Comics universe.

Credit: Courtesy of Rachel Zegler/Instagram

4. She Scored 11 Million Views on Her 'Shallow' Cover

In December 2018, the then-high school student poked fun at people who suspected she'd "use autotune" in her singing videos. To clap back, Zegler filmed herself singing Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born duet in an empty theater — and the clip continues to rake in views. 

Credit: Niko Tavernise

5. She Deferred From College to Film 'West Side Story'

"I remember sending an email to the head of admissions at Montclair State University saying, 'I know this sounds like a lie, but this is what happened, and this is why I can't attend,'" Zegler teased during a November 2020 conversation with Vogue.