Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by whitelisting our website.

West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler reveals she had NINE auditions before landing the role of Maria

West Side Story's Rachel Zegler reveals she had NINE auditions before landing the role of Maria 2

West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler reveals she had NINE auditions before landing the role of Maria and finds it ‘very hard’ seeing and hearing herself on screen


She won a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for her part in West Side Story. 

And in scenes to set to air on Friday night’s Graham Norton, Rachel Zegler reveals she had nine auditions before landing the role of Maria in Steven Spielberg’s new film adaptation.

The actress, 20, who made her feature film debut in the flick, also admits that finds it ‘very hard’ seeing and hearing herself on screen.  

Nine! On Friday night's Graham Norton, Rachel Zegler, 20, reveals she had nine auditions before landing the role of Maria in Steven Spielberg's new film adaptation of West Side Story

Nine! On Friday night’s Graham Norton, Rachel Zegler, 20, reveals she had nine auditions before landing the role of Maria in Steven Spielberg’s new film adaptation of West Side Story

Rachel tells Graham Norton of West Side Story being her first film role: ‘It’s so cool and unlike anything I could have imagined. It is definitely a baptism by fire.

‘I’ve seen the film nine times and that is enough for me as I find it very hard seeing and hearing myself on screen, but I am very proud of what we did.’

Asked about getting the part, which she describes as, ‘a fairy-tale come true,’ she reveals: ‘I manifested working on the film – I always had a picture of the original film in my locker at high school.

‘30,000 people went for the role, and I had nine auditions – no job is worth that but this one was!’ 

Real talk: The actress, who made her feature film debut in the flick, also admits that finds it 'very hard' seeing and hearing herself on screen

Real talk: The actress, who made her feature film debut in the flick, also admits that finds it ‘very hard’ seeing and hearing herself on screen

Role: Rachel stars as Maria in the film, which was directed by Steven Spielberg (Pictured performing opposite Ansel Elgort in West Side Story)

Role: Rachel stars as Maria in the film, which was directed by Steven Spielberg (Pictured performing opposite Ansel Elgort in West Side Story)

Rachel added: ‘The one thing I asked Steven Spielberg for when I got the part was to still do my senior school musical production of Shrek and he said yes!’

Earlier this month, Rachel beat out Marion Cotillard (Annette), Alana Haim (Licorice Pizza), Jennifer Lawrence (Don’t Look Up) and Emma Stone (Cruella) to win a Golden Globe award. 

Taking to Instagram following her win, Rachel shared a clip of herself with a tear rolling down her face as she mouthed: ‘What the f**k is going on?’ 

Baptism of fire! Rachel tells Graham Norton of West Side Story being her first film role: 'It's so cool and unlike anything I could have imagined. It is definitely a baptism by fire'

Baptism of fire! Rachel tells Graham Norton of West Side Story being her first film role: ‘It’s so cool and unlike anything I could have imagined. It is definitely a baptism by fire’

The film star also took to Twitter to react to her award, telling how she won the gong exactly three years after she was cast in the role of Maria.

She wrote: ‘I got cast as maría in west side story on 1/9/19. and I  just won a golden globe for that same performance, on 1/9/22. life is very strange.’ 

The Graham Norton Show, BBC One, Friday 21st January BBC One 10.35pm and available on BBC iPlayer. 

Worth it! '30,000 people went for the role, and I had nine auditions ¿ no job is worth that but this one was!' admitted Rachel

Worth it! ‘30,000 people went for the role, and I had nine auditions – no job is worth that but this one was!’ admitted Rachel

Advertisement

About The Author