It shouldn't be controversial to say that Rachel Zegler is among the most gifted, promising actors in our industry. Her film debut — Steven Spielberg's breathlessly dynamic "West Side Story" — has already showcased Zegler's potential for nuanced performance, with her rendition of Maria embodying the beating heart of the film. Playing such a beloved, iconic role was a challenge in itself, but Zegler holds her own as the tender-hearted yet headstrong female lead, both naive and hopeful in her perception of the world.
It is no surprise that Zegler ended up winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for playing Maria, being the first actor of Colombian descent to achieve this remarkable feat. Zegler's other prominent roles, including Anthea in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" and Lucy Gray Baird in "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes," also highlight her intrinsic charm.
This is especially true for "Songbirds & Snakes," as Lucy Gray is a particularly complex character to nail. After all, the titular songbird is a charismatic, brave young girl who is thrust into a violent arena for the sake of spectacle (and whose quiet bravery ends up defining the troubled history of District 12 and Panem at large). Zegler plays Lucy Gray with a sense of simmering indignation, which she channels into the spirited vocal performances that define the character in unforgettable ways.
Then came Disney's live-action "Snow White," which ended up becoming a critical and commercial failure due primarily to its bland script, which doesn't quite add anything of value to the mythos of the original fairy tale. This creative misfire is something that we've seen happen all the time, but in a baffling turn of events, all the blame was pinned on Zegler in a storm of backlash and social media outrage. Zegler had to contend with vile racism and misogyny even before the film was released and has remained at the nexus of targeted harassment campaigns ever since.
She aboslutely deserves better, so let's look ahead to what the future has in store for her.
