Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Rachel Zegler Claims 'White Executives' Questioned Her Latina Heritage During 'West Side Story' Casting

Rachel Zegler
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/GettyImages

The actor told Allure magazine about her shock when "white executives" wanted proof that her Latina heritage was "legit" during the casting process for Steven Spielberg's remake of West Side Story.

Actor Rachel Zegler claimed that skeptical producers questioned her Latina heritage during the casting process for the 2021 West Side Story remake directed by Steven Spielberg.

In the remake of the classic 1961 film adaptation, Zegler starred opposite Ansel Elgort as the star-crossed lovers, Maria and Tony.


Before the casting was made official, Zegler recalled how "White executives" asked her to prove that her Latina background was "legit" to be portraying the Puerto Rican lead character.

The 23-year-old Colombian American actor told Allure magazine:

“There’s confusion because I don’t have a single ounce of Latin in my name."
“When I was in the running for María in ‘West Side Story,’ they kept calling to ask if I was legit."

She continued:

"I remember thinking, ‘Do you want me to bring my abuelita in?’ I will. I’ll bring her into the studio if you want to meet her.”

Zegler added:

“Having a bunch of white executives have you prove your identity to them … it’s an interesting experience being part of that diaspora in the current climate we live in."
"But I love being Colombian.”

And the internet loved her for being real.

People weighed in on the skepticism she faced about her heritage.



Her ethnic background was the subject of another controversy when she was cast as the titular lead in the live-action remake of Disney's Snow White, currently in theaters.

Traditionally, Snow White was depicted in the Brothers Grimm fairy tale as a fair-skinned German princess, as did Disney's original 1937 animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Because of this, Zegler's casting in the role sparked racist backlash, despite the live-action version explaining that this Snow White was born in the middle of a blizzard, hence the moniker, Snow White.



The actor explained she was cast for her singing talent, not necessarily for looking the part.

“The reality is, I was given a chance because I could sing,” Zegler said.

“My only prayer for the future of diversity and inclusion is that we invest in and nurture talent no matter what they look like.”

Zegler also told the magazine that it was important for younger generations to see her in the newly adapted version of Snow White.

“To realize there’s nothing wrong with choosing to do what’s right and that it doesn’t have to be with anger or a clenched fist," she said.

“Anger can be a powerful emotion, but it doesn’t bring the brightest future ... Snow White chooses kindness and still makes change.”

“Power takes many forms. I hope we’ll see a new dawn of kindness and acceptance in the next couple of years. And people don’t see the need to use hate to cause further division," she added.

More from Entertainment

Donald Trump
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Fox News Just Listed Off Trump's 'Accomplishments' So Far—And They're Completely Bananas

As shown during coverage of a cabinet meeting when members spent time telling the President how great he is, MAGA Republican President Donald Trump's biggest priority is Donald Trump's image and ego.

Also caught on video was Trump telling a Fox News correspondent to make sure the network praised his cabinet meeting.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Donald Trump and Terry Moran
ABC News

Trump Bizarrely Clashes With Reporter Over Photoshopped 'Tattoo' On Abrego Garcia's Knuckles

President Donald Trump sparked criticism after claiming during an interview with ABC News’ Terry Moran that an edited photo depicting tattoos of wrongly-deported Maryland father Kilmar Abrego Garcia showed that he has an alleged connection to the MS-13 gang.

Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who arrived in the U.S. in 2012, was labeled a threat in 2019 due to an alleged connection to MS-13. He spent months in detention before an immigration judge found he had a credible fear of persecution—not from MS-13, but from a rival group, Barrio 18, which he said had been extorting his family.

Keep ReadingShow less
Karoline Leavitt; Jeff Bezos
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images; Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Leavitt Lashes Out At Amazon Over 'Hostile' Plan To Display Added Tariff Costs For Products On Website

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt lashed out at Amazon over news that the commerce giant planned to display increased "import charges" on items on their Amazon Haul website, essentially showing to customers the extra money they'd have to shell out as a result of President Donald Trump's tariffs.

Trump has escalated a growing trade war by imposing tariffs of up to 145% on Chinese imports, prompting China to retaliate with its own 125% tariffs on American goods. Additionally, the U.S. has slapped a 10% tax on imports from most other countries, while temporarily suspending higher rates for several nations for 90 days.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Canadian voter
CNN

Canadian Voter's Epic Take On Trump In Viral Interview Clip Has The Internet Cheering

A Canadian woman has gone viral following her NSFW interview with CNN in which she explained that her decision of whom to support for prime minister In Monday's election was based primarily on who could "take care of" President Donald Trump, who had threatened Canadian sovereignty amid an ongoing trade war.

In the end, Canadian voters returned the Liberal Party to power for a fourth consecutive term, although Prime Minister Mark Carney will lead a minority government, according to projections from CNN’s broadcast partner CBC.

Keep ReadingShow less
man and woman with cardboard boxes on their heads with faces drawn on them
julio andres rosario ortiz on Unsplash

People Describe The Most Unhinged Things They've Seen Someone Do In Public

One person's "most unhinged thing they've ever seen" is another person's everyday occurrence. It's all about perspective.

If you live 24/7 in an insane environment, unhinged starts to seem completely normal.

Keep ReadingShow less