Home ›› 12 Dec 2021 ›› Show Biz
It is every aspiring actor’s dream: hand-picked by Steven Spielberg from 30,000 contenders for a starring role that launches her into Hollywood’s A-list and Oscars contention.
But Rachel Zegler insists the process of her casting as Maria in the new film adaptation of ‘West Side Story,’ which hit US theaters on Friday, was anything but straightforward.
“It didn’t feel like a fairy tale when it was happening. I was actually very stressed out!” Zegler, who was 16 when she submitted a video of herself singing “I Feel Pretty,” told AFP.
Zegler, a New Jersey native, went through “eight or nine” rounds of auditions over nearly a year.
“I left every single round thinking if I don’t get it, I can’t wait to see this movie, and I’ve had today and I’ve met these cool people, and maybe they’ll keep me in mind for the next thing. “I had the greatest time -- and then I got to actually make the movie,” Zegler added.
Zegler, now 20, is being tipped as a contender for best actress at the Oscars held in March, with the film’s campaign blitz launching her into the public eye.
“It’s the most jarring, overwhelming experience,” said Zegler, adding that “she doesn’t know how to feel” about becoming a celebrity.
“Being known is fun, being known is cool too,” she said.
Spielberg’s decision to remake a beloved 1961 film which won 10 Oscars -- the most ever for a musical -- drew criticism from many fans who felt it could not be improved upon.
Reviews have been glowing, however, with Zegler and Ariana DeBose -- who plays the fiery Anita -- drawing particular praise.
