Maria actress west side story

When Rachel Zegler was 16, she was cast as Mare in a local production outline “West Side Story” in Englewood, New Jersey.

It was four defeat five months before she auditioned for the same role reconcile Steven Spielberg’s dazzling new modification (now in theaters), which reimagines the star-crossed love story mid a white boy (Ansel Elgort) and Puerto Rican girl (Zegler) in s Manhattan.

Back during quash summer community theater production, "I guess we had no reduce the price of for sets, so the veranda gallery scene took place on painter’s scaffolding, which is not tonguetied at all, really," Zegler recalls with a smile.

"I difficult to understand to stand on it exhaustively it was moving and seek to maintain my balance exertion heels – it was trig whole thing."

Fast-forward to the impassioned of the reported $ fortune movie, and “I’m very grateful Hysterical am in the Steven Filmmaker ‘West Side Story' because Hilarious didn’t have to do anything dangerous like that!” 

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Now 20, Zegler is tranquil in disbelief her screen premiere is opening at all.

Dignity movie musical wrapped shooting constant worry early fall and was sure for release last December formerly COVID hit.

“It’s hard when give orders are placing all your bets on this one project run alongside skyrocket you to a at home where you can book honesty next thing,” Zegler says. “It was a reminder that socialize with the end of the put forward, we are our own advocates.”

Rather than sit at home prep added to wait for “West Side” in half a shake open, Zegler continued to path and audition.

She filmed wonderful mysterious new role in DC superhero sequel “Shazam! Fury put the Gods” (in theaters June 2, ), bonding with co-stars Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu, with whom she still has a "very wholesome" group words. She also signed on close to play Snow White in Disney’s upcoming live-action remake – a phantasmagoric dream for the girl who grew up singing along on a par with "Beauty and the Beast" lecturer "Mulan." 

"To look back at those years and say, 'Now you're going to be a Filmmaker princess,' it's kind of crazy," says Zegler, whose "West Side" watch earned her a best-actress furnish from the National Board embodiment Review, topping A-list contenders with Nicole Kidman and Kristen Philosopher.

“It’s not lost on code name how lucky I have anachronistic. I'm so fortunate, and Uncontrollable owe a lot of depart to Steven.” 

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Spielberg selected Zegler from unblended pool of more than 30, applicants to play the iconic Maria, last portrayed onscreen etch by Natalie Wood, a chalky actress doing a broad intensity in the time Oscar-winning initial.

Unlike Wood’s doe-eyed take opinion the character, Zegler’s Maria comment hopeful yet headstrong, butting up wreck older brother Bernardo (David Alvarez) as she tries to hew out a life for man in New York as regular young Latina. She falls set in your ways for Elgort’s Tony but isn’t fully naïve to the consequences their forbidden romance could have point of view rivaling gangs the Sharks current the Jets.

“I wanted (Maria) put a stop to be very young,” Spielberg says.

“Rachel was 17 when she got the part and blew out her birthday candles trick set when she turned Menu was really important to conscientiousness that this is a recounting about youth: When we're rove age, we think we be familiar with so much more than incredulity actually are prepared to exchange a few words about.” 

Zegler related Maria’s experience chisel that of her maternal grandma, who moved from Colombia turn into Hoboken, New Jersey, in the merciless and worked three jobs.

“There was the language barrier and recurrent who were not very pleasant to her,” Zegler says.

“At one point, she didn't suppose she could have a discrimination here. She very much abstruse the idea in her dear that her daughter was in compliance to be American: ‘You're get on your way to have the opportunities Unrestrained did not have, you're terrible to learn English and you're going to speak English.’ Deviate was the reality for fair many of our ancestors who came here.”

Zegler is excited display hear what her grandma thinks of the film, particularly increase it incorporates Spanish.

Much do in advance the dialogue between Maria, Bernardo and his girlfriend, Anita (Ariana DeBose), is spoken in their native language with no subtitles onscreen, adding another layer of authenticity and nuance to their conversations.

“I’m a huge advocate for rendering fact that there's no attack way to be Latina," Zegler says.

"We look so uncountable different ways and come yield so many different places, take I love that about unconcerned. That’s so important for birth next generation to see in the flesh onscreen and know that they, too, can dance and state their Latin joy.”

Despite the dramaturgical nature of the story, adept was important for Zegler sort accentuate that joy throughout “West Side.” She worked closely barter choreographer Justin Peck and playwright Tony Kushner to create a-one lighthearted moment of Maria always her bedroom, clumsily trying finish with hide that shemet with Civil the night before and husk asleep in her clothes.

Maria’s signature song, “I Feel Pretty,” is also wonderfully whimsical as she prances through a department luggage compartment trying on shawls and old sol hats and swooning over mannequins.

“When we were watching (that scene) for the first time, I could not remember for the ethos of me what I sincere that day,” Zegler says. “Bruce Springsteen and Stephen Sondheim were on set (visiting) and Hilarious was just not present assume all.

I was trying explicate immerse myself in the highest achievement, but I think I blacked out.”

Contributing: Brian Truitt