Snow White actress Rachel Zegler blasts ‘white Hollywood executives’ after having to prove her identity
They questioned her during the casting process for West Side Story.
Rachel Zegler has revealed she was repeatedly asked to prove her Latina heritage when auditioning for West Side Story.
The 23-year-old actress, who is currently promoting the live-action remake of Snow White in which she stars, shot to fame in 2021 when being cast alongside Ansel Elgort in Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the beloved 1957 musical.
Based on Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story is set in New York in the mid-1950s and follows the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds (Puerto Rican and White).
However, things are complicated why former member of the Jets – Tony – falls in love with Maria, the sister the leader of the Sharks.
The film marked Zegler’s first on-screen appearance, securing the role after responding to an open casting call on Twitter.
Although she was eventually selected from over 30,000 applicants, Rachel has now detailed how ‘white executives’ questioned her Colombian heritage during the casting process.
She starred as Maria in the 2021 adaptation of West Side Story (Picture: Niko Tavernise/ 20th Century Studios via AP)‘There’s confusion because I don’t have a single ounce of Latin in my name,’ she told Allure in a new interview.
‘When I was in the running for Maria in West Side Story, they kept calling to ask if I was legit. I remember thinking, “Do you want me to bring my abuelita (grandmother) in? I will. I’ll bring her into the studio if you want to meet her”.’
While she didn’t end up needing to go that far, Rachel found it bemusing at ‘having a bunch of white executives have you prove your identity to them’.
‘It’s an interesting experience being part of that diaspora in the current climate we live in. But I love being Colombian,’ she added.
Zegler’s mother is of Colombian descent, with her maternal grandmother immigrating from Barranquilla, Colombia, to the United States in the 1960s.
She is now starring in the live-action adaptation of Snow White (Picture: Walt Disney Co/Everett/ Shutterstock)Previous remakes of West Side Story have come under fire for casting non-Hispanic actors as Maria, including Natalie Wood.
However, the role saw Zegler met with critical acclaim, winning a Golden Globe for best actress in a musical or comedy film.
Following her break-out role in West Side Story, she was cast in the Snow White remake but was met with backlash from some who complained about the character – who has ‘skin as white as snow’ – being portrayed by a person of colour.
Despite this, early reviews of the film have been glowing with Metro describing the actress as an ‘enchanting lead’.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
