Rachel Zegler Biography

One of Hollywood's brightest young stars, Rachel Zegler was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, to Gina and Craig Zegler. Her mother is of Colombian descent while her father is of Polish descent. She has an older sister named Jacklyn.

Rachel says her mother chose her name because of Jennifer Aniston's character on the hit television show Friends.

Rachel grew up with a love for acting, particularly theater. At the age of four, she saw her first Broadway show, Beauty and the Beast. That experience is what kick-started her love for theater, and by the age of 12 she booked her first acting role as Shprintze in Fiddler on the Roof.

As she entered high school in 2016, Rachel continued to perform on stage. Throughout her four years, she participated in the school play every year as a major character. The roles included Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street, and Fiona in Shrek the Musical.

At the age of 16, Rachel responded to an open audition for the lead role of Maria in Steven Spielberg's rendition of West Side Story (2021). After an audition process that lasted a year, Rachel was the choice of over 30,000 applicants. Rachel asked Steven if she was still allowed to do her high school play.

Her role of Maria thrust Rachel into stardom. Her performance was met with high praise and acclaim. In 2022, she was nominated for a Critics Choice Award for Best Young Actor/Actress. She then won Best Actress from the National Board of Review and won Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes, the youngest winner of that category.

Since then, Rachel has appeared in several high-profile projects. She booked the role of Anthea in Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) and the lead role of Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023).

Rachel has filmed the title role in the live-action version of Snow White (2025). Rachel has said this version of the character will modernize her for today's audience but keep true to the core of the 1937 animated classic.

In September 2024, Rachel returned to the stage for her Broadway debut. She is starring as Juliet alongside Kit Connor as Romeo in a musical adaptation of William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Performances are set to run from September 26, 2024, to February 16, 2025. ~Ryan Donahue