- Rachel Zegler's first breakout role was as Maria in the film adaptation of West Side Story.
- She made her Broadway debut in 2024, starring as Juliet in Romeo + Juliet at the Circle in the Square Theatre.
- Zegler made her West End debut playing Eva Perón in Evita in 2025, and will be transferring to Broadway with the show in 2027.
From her breakout role in West Side Story to starring in major productions on stage and screen, Rachel Zegler has quickly made her mark as a rising talent.
Let’s take a look back at the stage productions and movie musicals that have shaped her career so far.
2021: West Side Story, Film Adaptation
Zegler began her career in quite an unconventional way. In January 2018, director Steven Spielberg posted an open casting call on social media for a new film adaptation of West Side Story. At 16 years old, Zegler responded with videos of herself singing iconic hits, “Tonight” and “I Feel Pretty,” taking the internet by storm.
Out of more than 30,000 applicants, Zegler was selected for the role of Maria, making her film debut. West Side Story was then released in December 2021, earning praise from critics and audiences alike. For this performance, she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and received a Critics’ Choice Movie Award nomination for Best Young Performer.
2023: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
In 2023, Zegler starred as Lucy Gray Baird in the Hunger Games prequel, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. The film follows Coriolanus Snow, portrayed by Tom Blyth, who makes his Broadway debut in A Few Good Men this fall, before he becomes the extremist president of Panem. He is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray, a tribute from District 12, who charms the audience with her musical talents during the 10th Annual Hunger Games.
2024: Romeo + Juliet, Circle in the Square Theatre
In 2024, Zegler made her Broadway debut in Romeo + Juliet alongside Heartstopper star, Kit Connor. Directed by Sam Gold with music by Jack Antonoff, this adaptation of William Shakespeare’s classic brought a contemporary and campy energy to the notable tragedy. This production ran from September 26, 2024 through February 16, 2025 at the Circle in the Square Theatre.
2025: Snow White
Stepping back onto the big screen, Zegler starred in Disney’s live-action film adaptation of Snow White in 2025, appearing alongside Broadway favorites Andrew Barth Feldman, George Salazar, and Tituss Burgess. Taking on the iconic role, Zegler brought her fresh perspective to the beloved Disney princess. Becoming the most-watched film on Disney+ when it premiered on the platform, this reimagining introduced the classic story to a new generation of audiences.
2025: Evita, The London Palladium
Zegler then made her West End debut portraying Eva Perón in Jamie Lloyd’s production of Evita in the summer of 2025, garnering widespread praise from critics and audiences. In this role, Zegler was awarded the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
With previews beginning in February 2027, Evita will transfer to the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway, with Zegler reprising her role.
