Rachel Zegler, the 25-year-old actress and singer, is preparing for a significant new chapter in her career, which includes a Broadway run as Eva Perón in the musical Evita, with previews scheduled to begin in February 2027. This theatrical engagement marks her return to the stage following her role in Disney's 2025 live-action Snow White, a project that attracted considerable attention.
Zegler addressed the controversies surrounding Snow White, which ranged from online criticism related to her Colombian heritage to debates about her interpretation of the original animated film and commentary on her political views. She shared that the experience taught her the importance of internal validation. "It's a very important thing for all women, but particularly those in this industry, to learn that you're never going to please everybody," Zegler stated. "If you are doing everything you can to be fulfilled and to do good work with good people, the rest of it is really just noise."
Reflecting on past roles, Zegler noted the criticism she faced for her breakout performance as Maria in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, where she was sometimes perceived as not fitting a particular mold. Similarly, for Snow White, she felt she was criticized for being "too much of another." Despite the turbulence, Zegler expressed gratitude for the formative impact of both films. She highlighted winning a Golden Globe at age 20 for West Side Story and stated she was proud of her performance in Snow White, describing it as a "soul-filling learning experience."
Looking ahead, Zegler has several upcoming projects, including the indie dramedy She Gets It From Me, the psychological thriller NDA, and Octet, directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. A key focus for her this year has been working with women and Latino artists. "I had one mission this year, which was to work with women and Latinos," she said. Zegler expressed enthusiasm for the opportunities these films will create, not just for herself but for the collaborators who have historically been underrepresented in the entertainment industry. "Not just for me, but for the amazing people I got to make them with, who in the past have been disenfranchised in this industry."
Zegler emphasized her refusal to be confined to a single type of role. "I love playing fully formed humans with complexities," she said. "Human beings deserve to be represented for their flaws as well as the things that make them wonderful—I kind of think they're one and the same."