West Side Story star Rachel Zegler has received an invitation to present at the 94th Academy Awards.
Following a fan outcry on social media over Zegler not receiving an invitation to the 2022 Oscars, the actor has since been invited to the ceremony as a presenter, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Zegler is currently in London filming for Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White, the filming schedule for which is reportedly being rearranged to accommodate the actor’s Oscar appearance.
Zegler recently revealed that she had not been invited to the upcoming Oscars despite West Side Story, which she stars in as Maria, being nominated in seven categories, including Best Picture. “i will root for [West Side Story] from my couch and be proud of the work we so tirelessly did 3 years ago,” Zegler said at the time. “i hope some last minute miracle occurs and i can celebrate our film in person but hey, that’s how it goes sometimes, i guess. thanks for all the shock and outrage — i’m disappointed, too. but that’s okay. so proud of our movie.”
The revelation of the supposed snub sparked outrage from fans and Zegler further addressed her comments on social media. “appreciate all the support, i really really do,” she wrote on Twitter. “we live in such unprecedented times, and a lot of work behind the scenes goes into making movie magic happen. that goes for film productions (like the one I am so lucky to be currently shooting in London) […] and awards shows alike. let’s all just respect the process and i’ll get off my phone.”
Directed by Steven Spielberg, the 2021 adaptation of the classic musical West Side Story was nominated for Oscars in seven categories, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Ariana DeBose), Best Director (Spielberg), Best Cinematography (Janusz Kaminski), Best Production Design (Adam Stockhausen and Rena DeAngelo), Best Costume Design (Paul Tazewell) and Best Sound (Tod A. Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson and Shawn Murphy).
This was the second film adaptation of the 1957 Broadway production, which was originally directed Jerome Robbins, with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a script from Arthur Laurents. The musical was first adapted into the 1961 film of the same name starring Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer. In the 2021 adaptation, Zegler starred Maria, one of the musical’s two main characters, opposite Ansel Elgort’s Tony.
Zegler is set to star as Snow White in Disney’s live-action remake of the classic animated film, as well as the upcoming DC Extended Universe sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods. West Side Story is currently streaming on Disney+ and HBO Max.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
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