Actress · United States
Rachel Zegler
**Rachel Zegler (born 2001)** is an American actress and singer known for her performances in musical and dramatic films and stage productions. She gained international recognition with her film debut as María in Steven Spielberg’s *West Side Story* (2021), a role that earned her the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. She later appeared in *Shazam! Fury of the Gods*, *The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes*, *Y2K*, and *Snow White*. She has also performed on Broadway and in London’s West End.
Wikimedia CommonsBiography
Rachel Anne Zegler was born on May 3, 2001, in Hackensack, New Jersey, United States. She grew up in New Jersey and developed an interest in musical theatre and singing at a young age. Before becoming a professional screen actress, she performed in school and regional theatre productions and gained attention online for her singing performances.
Zegler's major breakthrough came when she was selected from a large open casting process to play María in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story (2021). The role marked her feature-film debut and brought her international recognition. Her performance earned her the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, making her one of the youngest recipients in that category.
Following West Side Story, Zegler expanded into major studio productions. In 2023, she played Anthea in Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. In the latter film, she performed songs as part of the character and sang the vocals live during filming.
Zegler also became involved in animation and musical projects. She provided the voice of Princess Ellian in the animated film Spellbound (2024). She appeared as Juliet in the Broadway production of Romeo + Juliet in 2024, marking her Broadway debut.
In 2025, Zegler starred as Snow White in Disney's live-action musical adaptation Snow White, opposite Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. The role placed her at the center of one of Disney's best-known modern film adaptations.
Zegler has also pursued stage work internationally. She made her West End debut as Eva Perón in the musical Evita in London in 2025. Her career has therefore developed across film, animation, Broadway, and West End theatre, with singing remaining an important part of many of her performances.
Through her work in West Side Story, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Snow White, and major stage productions, Rachel Zegler has established herself as a performer working across both screen and musical theatre.
Did you know?
**Did you know?** Rachel Zegler was selected for the role of María in *West Side Story* after an open casting process that attracted around **30,000 audition submissions**. The role became her feature-film debut and earned her a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
