Hollywood actress Rachel Zegler revealed in a recent interview that her Latina identity was questioned before she was cast as Maria in Steven Spielberg's film West Side Story.
Zegler, who won a Golden Globe Award for her strong performance, has so far showcased her talent in big films like The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Disney's much-anticipated Snow White live-action remake.
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Difficulties faced in the casting process
West Side Story, which released in 2021, was praised for casting the right Latino actors for its Puerto Rican characters. But Zegler revealed that the reality behind the scenes was different.
In an interview with Allure, she shared that executives repeatedly asked for proof of her Latina heritage during auditions. Born in New Jersey, Ziegler's mother is Colombian and her father is Polish-American.
"My name has no Latin insinuation, so when I was auditioning for the role of Maria, I was repeatedly asked if I was actually Latina. I was so skeptical that I joked, 'Do you want to meet my grandmother? I can bring her to the studio,'" Ziegler said.
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The struggle for representation in Hollywood
This isn't the first time an actor's ethnic identity has been questioned in Hollywood. The debate over diversity in the film industry has been going on for a long time, and Ziegler's story highlights that struggle.
In recent years, many filmmakers have been trying to ensure that their characters are played by actors from the same backgrounds. Spielberg's West Side Story was a step in this direction, but Ziegler's experience shows that the real challenge lies behind the scenes.
Proud of her identity
Despite these difficulties, Ziegler is proud of her Colombian heritage. "It's an interesting experience to be part of an immigrant community in the environment we live in today. But I'm extremely proud of my Colombian identity," she said.
Rachel Ziegler's story highlights the complexities of prejudice and representation that still exist in Hollywood. However, her success proves that real talent is eventually recognised, no matter how difficult the road.