Rachel Zegler

Rachel Zegler is an American actress and singer who gained widespread recognition for her breakout role as María in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of West Side Story. Born on May 3, 2001, in Hackensack, New Jersey, Zegler was selected from over 30,000 applicants to portray the iconic character. Her performance earned her the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, making her the youngest and first Latina actress to win in that category .

Following her success in West Side Story, Zegler expanded her filmography with roles in Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023), The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023), and Disney's live-action Snow White (2025). In addition to her film career, she made her Broadway debut in 2024 as Juliet in Romeo + Juliet and starred as Eva Perón in the 2025 West End revival of Evita at the London Palladium .

Zegler is known for her candidness and advocacy for representation in the entertainment industry. She has expressed the importance of seeing diverse identities onscreen, stating, “That's so important for the next generation to see themselves onscreen and know that they, too, can dance and express their Latin joy” . Additionally, she has emphasized the significance of personal identity, remarking, “You know, the thing about my identity is that it's my own. And this is the way that I navigate through the world, and nobody knows my day-to-day struggle” .