Rachel Zegler: The Rising Star of Hollywood

But who is Rachel Zegler and how did she achieve such success at such a young age? In this blog post, we will explore her biography, career, achievements, personal life and future projects.

Early Life and Education

Rachel Anne Zegler was born on May 3, 2001 in Hackensack, New Jersey to parents Gina and Craig Zegler. She has an older sister named Jacqueline. Her mother is of Colombian descent and her father is of Polish descent. She was named after Rachel Green, a fictional character from the TV show Friends.

Zegler grew up in Clifton, New Jersey, where she attended St. Philip the Apostle Preparatory School and then Immaculate Conception High School, a Catholic all-girls college-preparatory school. She graduated from high school on June 2, 2019.

Zegler was interested in music and acting from a young age. She started singing when she was two years old and learned to play piano, guitar and ukulele. She also participated in several musicals while attending school, such as Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, 42nd Street and Shrek The Musical. She received Metro Award nominations for her performances in all four shows.

Career Breakthrough

Zegler’s career breakthrough came when she auditioned for the role of Maria in Steven Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story, a classic musical based on Romeo and Juliet. In January 2018, Spielberg posted an open casting call via Twitter, looking for actors who could sing and dance. Zegler, then 16 years old, responded to the tweets with videos of herself singing “Tonight” and “I Feel Pretty”, songs from the original musical. She had performed the role of Maria at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in 2017.

Zegler was selected from over 30,000 applicants for the role of Maria, marking her film debut. She starred opposite Ansel Elgort as Tony, a member of a rival gang who falls in love with Maria. The film was released in December 2021 and received critical acclaim and commercial success. It was praised for its cinematography, choreography, music and performances, especially Zegler’s.

Zegler won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for her portrayal of Maria, making her the first actress of Colombian descent and the youngest actress to win in that category at 20 years old. She also received a Critics’ Choice Movie Award nomination for Best Young Performer.

Other Projects

Zegler’s success in West Side Story opened up many opportunities for her in Hollywood. She was cast as Anthea in Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023), a sequel to the 2019 superhero film Shazam!, starring Zachary Levi as the titular character. Zegler plays one of the new gods who help Shazam fight against evil forces.

Zegler also landed the coveted role of Snow White in a live-action remake of the 1937 animated Disney film, which is scheduled to be released in 2024. She will star alongside Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, who tries to kill Snow White out of jealousy. Zegler will sing some of the iconic songs from the original film, such as “Whistle While You Work” and “Someday My Prince Will Come”.

In addition to these films, Zegler is set to play Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023), a prequel to the popular dystopian franchise based on Suzanne Collins’ novels. She will also voice Princess Ellian in Spellbound (2024), an animated musical fantasy film produced by Skydance Animation.

Zegler is also a singer and songwriter who has a YouTube channel where she posts covers of various songs. She has gained over 12 million views on her cover of “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, from the film A Star Is Born (2018). She also has a SoundCloud account where she uploads her original songs.

Personal Life and Trivia

Zegler is currently dating Joshua Bassett, an American actor and singer who is known for his role as Ricky Bowen in the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. The couple confirmed their relationship in August 2021, after months of speculation and rumors.

Zegler is a fan of Harry Potter, Star Wars, Marvel and Disney. She also loves animals and has a dog named Monty. She is fluent in English and Spanish and can speak some French. She is a supporter of various social causes, such as Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+ rights, mental health awareness and environmental protection.

Some of Zegler’s trivia facts are:

• She was a wedding singer and sang at Catholic Masses and funerals in her hometown.
• She auditioned for the role of Jasmine in the live-action remake of Aladdin (2019), but did not get it.
• She has a tattoo of a rose on her left wrist and a tattoo of a star on her right ankle.
• She is allergic to cats and strawberries.
• She has met some of her idols, such as Lady Gaga, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Platt and Zendaya.

Conclusion

Rachel Zegler is one of the most promising and talented stars of Hollywood. She has impressed audiences and critics alike with her roles in West Side Story, Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Snow White. She is also a talented singer and songwriter who has a large fan base on social media. She is a role model for young people who aspire to pursue their dreams and passions. She is definitely someone to watch out for in the future.