Rachel Zegler recalls working with Steven Spielberg in 'West Side Story'
Zegler, who was studying college and working part-time as a wedding vocalist at the time, was picked from a pool of over 30,000 applications from all over the world
American actor and singer Rachel Zegler
WASHINGTON [US]: American actor and singer Rachel Zegler recalled working with legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg. She shared about getting instructions from him during the shoot of the musical romantic drama film 'West Side Story', reported People. The actress, 22, shared a throwback clip of herself in 'West Side Story' on X (formerly Twitter), joking about the instruction she received from Spielberg, 76 while shooting one particular scene in the 2021 film.
"That time it was my first day on set and Steven Spielberg said 'Whatever you do don't blink,' " she wrote, alongside footage of her in character as Maria, walking toward the camera wearing her white dance dress and red belt.
that time it was my first day on set and steven spielberg said “whatever you do don’t blink” https://t.co/alYAk7wmnk
— rachel zegler (she/her/hers) (@rachelzegler) November 25, 2023
"Imagine Janusz Kaminski putting a whole light in your face and you have to A) not blink, B) not tear up, and C) not die because it's your first day on your first movie ever," she continued in a follow-up tweet, referring to the movie's cinematographer, reported People.
"This is why I won the Golden Globe. My eyeballs of steel," she added in a third tweet. When Spielberg decided to revive the 1961 musical classic, he sent out an open casting call to find a new face to play Mara. Zegler, who was studying college and working part-time as a wedding vocalist at the time, was picked from a pool of over 30,000 applications from all over the world.
Zegler received a positive response for her powerful performance in the 2021 film, and took home a Golden Globe the following year for best actress in a comedy or musical. After her win, she posted a video on X showing a tear rolling down her face. She also wrote of the coveted career accolade, "I got cast as Maria in 'West Side Story' on 1/9/19. And I just won a Golden Globe for that same performance, on 1/9/22. Life is very strange."
Zegler's latest role as District 12 tribute Lucy Gray in 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes' (in theatres now) was another pinch-me moment.
While walking the red carpet for the film's London premiere earlier this month, she recalled seeing the original 2012 Hunger Games movie in the theatre as a kid, according to People.
"I went with my sister and my mom to see it," she told People, saying the experience is "ingrained in my memory forever."
