Rachel Zegler Is Reimagining Fame

IT'S A FAN'S WORLDRachel Zegler Is Reimagining FameOn the cusp of big movie buzz (thanks to West Side Story) with a casting tale worthy of old Hollywood, Rachel Zegler explains why it's still important to be starstruck. November 18, 2021actress rachel zegler in a satin dress with gloves posing near a silver beamCamera Ready. Jason Wu dress. Manolo Blahnik pumps. Stylist’s own gloves. To create
a similar makeup look: Diorshow On Stage Liner in Matte White, Diorshow Mono Couleur Couture in Beige Mitzah, and Rouge Dior in Culte by Dior.Photographed by Grace Rivera

Rachel Zegler is almost famous. Days away — if things go to plan — from worldwide stardom, red carpet best-dressed lists, and inevitable Oscar buzz. But today she is just a Jersey girl, Zooming from her childhood home, wearing a New York Yankees baseball cap. "I got it when the new stadium opened," she says, pulling off the beaten-up hat and shaking out her chestnut waves. "My dad’s company built that stadium, so we were there. It's my biggest flex as somebody from the Northern Hemisphere."

How's this for a flex: In 2018, Steven Spielberg held an open casting call for his remake of West Side Story. Zegler — then a 17-year-old high school student — submitted a video of her singing "Tonight" and "Me Siento Hermosa" and won the lead female role over more than 30,000 applicants from around the world. On December 10, when the beloved musical hits movie theaters for the first time since 1961, Zegler will deliver Leonard Bernstein's sublime melodies as María, the hopeless-romantic heroine based on Shakespeare's Juliet, following in the footsteps of screen legend Natalie Wood. Not bad for a first gig. (But for the time being, Zegler is still boasting about the prized dirt she keeps in her kitchen from a Concourse, Bronx, construction site.)

For the past year, Zegler has existed in a kind of celebrity limbo state. West Side Story filmed while she was still in high school, but the release was delayed a year because of the pandemic. In the meantime, she's acted in a superhero sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and won the lead in Disney's upcoming live-action Snow White. Her outsize résumé eclipses her name recognition. For now, at least.

rachel zegler sitting in a theater seat with a bedazzled nude dress faux bob and red lipstickStars in Her Eyes. Dior bodysuit. Ottolinger earrings. To create a similar makeup look: Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner Pencil in Midnight Blue, Exhibitionist Lid Paint Cream Eyeshadow in Sorry Sweetie, and Exhibitionist Lipstick in Hot by CoverGirl. These pages: Fashion stylist, Britt McCamey. Hair: Clara Leonard. Makeup: Sil Bruinsma. Location: Abrons Arts Center in New York City.Photographed by Grace Rivera

"I don't think there's a way to prepare for [the West Side Story premiere] properly," she says. "I never imagined any of this happening in my life. So my prep is reminding myself who I once was, and that was a girl singing show tunes in her bedroom, hoping that people would subscribe to her YouTube channel. And I haven't forgotten her ever since."

"I used to doomscroll. Now I view it as I've got a movie to make. I don't need Twitter"

Zegler is from a generation that is redefining celebrity. When asked about the stars of her youth, she name-checks Jenna Marbles (a vlogger who went viral with the video "How to Avoid Talking to People You Don't Want to Talk To") and Colleen Ballinger (a comedian who burst onto the YouTube scene portraying an untalented woman who believes she's destined for fame). "I was consuming the original content in real time and that is something I wear as a badge of honor in my life," she says. 

Perhaps these are not the high-brow references you expect from a Spielberg ingenue, but Zegler isn't embarrassed by her YouTube habits — or, really, by anything at all. "I think more celebrities could work on establishing themselves as human beings, first and foremost," she says. "Being excited about things, about your job opportunities, when you meet someone you admire. Don't try to play it cool because we know you're not playing it cool in your head when you meet Bruce Springsteen. I was not cool. So it's okay to be a fan. I think that's the reason we all got here in the first place, because we loved a movie and now we're in the movies. So still be that kid who loved the movie. I, for one, will be tweeting about Star Wars well into my 70s."

This unguarded honesty is what Zegler refers to as "handing people your kryptonite." She does it regularly on social media, where she's been known to engage with critics or drop a tweet about racial violence or police brutality. "You're handing people your personality and sometimes your innermost thoughts, which isn't always the wisest," she says. "And I've learned from that in the past; they'll use it against you." So how does she deal with trolls? "The ball ends up in your court, how you deal with it, and that will judge how the rest of your day goes. I used to let Twitter ruin my day. I would just doomscroll for hours and see all of these terrible things people were saying. [But now] I view it as I've got a movie to make. I don't need Twitter today."

rachel zegler posing in a mirror with baby blue eyeshadow and pink lipstickTake Two. To create a similar makeup look: Eye shadow in Mint Condition and Amplified Lipstick in Girl About Town by MAC. Miracle Gel polish in Poppy Patch by Sally Hansen.Photographed by Grace Rivera

At this point in the interview, I can't help but wonder if Zegler is better suited to play West Side's feisty and assertive Anita, a character made famous by Rita Moreno, who dispenses older-sister advice to the lovesick and naive María. I mention a Tweet from the writer Carina del Valle Schorske (@FluentMundo): "Always Anita, never Maria." Zegler laughs, but then turns serious: "I feel a lot of portrayals of María in the past, and this probably comes from the Shakespearean text as well, [are] just a very submissive child. And she's not; she's growing up. She wants to explore New York. She wants to live her own life."

In addition to the repositioning of María's character, Zegler is beyond proud to be part of a West Side Story production that isn't rife with Latino stereotypes. The 1961 film has been heavily criticized for casting non-Latino actors in brownface makeup, unchecked xenophobia, and not conveying anything remotely accurate about the Puerto Rican culture. "I think a lot of us were aware of the fact that we were part of something very huge in that regard," says Zegler. "This was the first time onscreen that all of the Sharks were played by actual Latinos."

The Colombian American actor has little patience for stereotypes. "I remember people teasing me about being related to El Chapo," Zegler says. "When I took driving lessons before I got my permit...I sped up because I was nervous and my driving instructor said, 'Oh, my God, are you the Colombian drug cartel?' That's terrible. [Growing up] I was incredibly aware of not only how much I loved being Colombian, but how much a lot of people had misconceptions about us in the States. I've been working to call it out as much as I can."

It’s clear that those personal struggles readily translate to her chosen career: "When you're talking about the perception of the culture in Hollywood, it's not much different, unfortunately," she says. "A lot of people just associate us with shows like Narcos, which is why it was so lovely this year to see movies like [West Side Story] that celebrate the culture, or In the Heights, where I saw the Colombian flag in a movie for the first time without it being related to drugs," she says. "It's really big for Latinos this year in movies." And Rachel Zegler is here for every damn bit of it.

actor rachel zegler posing in a long sleeve orange gown with a faux bobThe New Black. Opposite page: Marc Jacobs dress. We Love Colors tights. Jimmy Choo pumps. Simone Rocha earrings. Breanna Colvin ring. To create a similar makeup look: Hardwired Eyeshadow in Lunar, Blush in Torrid, Afterglow Lip Shine in La Chamade by Nars.Photographed by Grace RiveraJust asking….

Favorite Disney princess? "Belle, because I thought I looked most like her with the long brown hair and brown eyes. And also she loved to read, and she wore a big yellow dress, and yellow is my favorite color."

What's on your car playlist? "I love Glen Hansard. He's a folk musician. I listen to a lot of Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift. And show tunes. 'At the Ballet' from A Chorus Line — that's my go-to, singing-in-the-car song.... 'Daddy always thought that he married beneath him.' People who drive by me probably think I'm having a mental breakdown."

When do you feel most beautiful? "Right after I take off my makeup."

Most memorable haircut? "I grew up with the classic Latina bowl cut that my parents gave me, which I will never forgive them for. I looked like Dora the Explorer."

Favorite podcast? "My friend Kurtis Connor has one called Very Really Good. I love Kurtis's podcast so much. I'm pretty sure he roasted my Met gala look in his last podcast. Great criticism, buddy."

Favorite Romeo and Juliet adaptation? "I'm partial to 2021's West Side Story, but I do really enjoy Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet. I saw Claire Danes at the Met Gala and I almost had a heart attack. It's beautifully done, and it's young Leo. What more could you ask for?"

Do you believe in love at first sight? "I do, but I also believe in being realistic about it as well. You got to get to know them. Come on, María and Tony! Get it together, guys."

Best advice from Steven Spielberg? "He's in my phone as 'Creative Sponsor.' I can call for advice whenever I need it. He gave me a lot of advice the second I got the part. It started with, 'Just don't read what people have to say.'"

Red carpet beauty inspiration? "We all want to look like Selena. I trust makeup artists. My favorite person to work with is Nina Park. She knows my face so well."

Fashion stylist, Britt McCamey. 

Hair: Clara Leonard. 

Makeup: Sil Bruinsma.

This story was shot at the Abrons Art Center, a home for contemporary interdisciplinary arts in Manhattan’s Lower East Side neighborhood. It originated as the Neighborhood Playhouse in 1915 and today showcases dance, theater, visual art, and more.

This story originally appeared in the December/January 2021/2022 issue of Allure. Learn how to subscribe here. 

Read more stories about celebrities' relationship with beauty:

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Originally posted on: https://www.allure.com/story/rachel-zegler-maria-west-side-story-interview