Rachel Zegler has quickly become one of Hollywood’s rising stars. At just 20 years old, she made a major debut in Steven Spielberg‘s 2021 remake of West Side Story, earning critical acclaim for her portrayal of Maria and winning a Golden Globe for her breakthrough role. Now, at 23, Zegler is back in the spotlight with her portrayal of the titular character in the live-action Snow White, which was released in March 2025. However, her casting—announced well before the movie hit the big screen—and her continued outspoken support for a Free Palestine after the film’s release have sparked significant controversy.
With all the attention surrounding her, learn more about Zegler and her journey from playing Maria in West Side Story to stepping into the iconic role of Snow White.
The New Jersey native was just 17 years old when she landed the role of Maria, beating out tens of thousands of other applicants. West Side Story marked Zegler’s feature film debut.
Spielberg began casting for the role of Maria in January 2018. Wanting to keep the movie as “ethnically authentic” as possible, the open casting call requested Latinx actors. Zegler responded to the call with a video of herself singing “Tonight” and “Me Siento Hermosa” (“I Feel Pretty”). Her performances stood out from the 30,000 others, earning her the star-making role.
“I am so thrilled to be playing the iconic role of Maria alongside this amazing cast. West Side Story was the first musical I encountered with a Latina lead character,” Zegler said upon her casting, according to Variety. “As a Colombian-American, I am humbled by the opportunity to play a role that means so much to the Hispanic community.”
Zegler stars alongside Ansel Elgort, who plays Tony. The cast also includes Ariana DeBose as Anita, David Alvarez as Bernardo, Mike Faist as Riff, and Rita Moreno as Valentina.
The actress plays the title role of Snow White in Disney’s live-action adaptation of the animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. “Rachel’s extraordinary vocal abilities are just the beginning of her gifts. Her strength, intelligence and optimism will become an integral part of rediscovering the joy in this classic Disney fairytale,” director Marc Webb told Deadline.
