While the Academy Awards aren’t known for being the most open to letting new people join their “cool kids” table, there’s one dismissal that has many people scratching their heads. Rachel Zegler, who played Maria in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, is apparently not going to be walking the red carpet this year. So what’s happening with West Side Story star Rachel Zegler not invited to Oscars and staying home?
Why Is Rachel Zegler Not Invited To The Oscars?
The Academy to Rachel Zegler -____-
Apparently, no one knows because the Academy hasn’t responded to requests for comments. Zegler recently posted a picture of herself on her Instagram page and a fan commented “Can’t wait to see what you’ll be wearing on Oscar night.” Zegler responded in the thread, saying:
“i’m not invited so sweatpants and my boyfriend’s flannel. Idk y’all I have tried it all but it doesn’t seem to be happening. I will root for west side story from my couch and be proud of the work we so tirelessly did 3 years ago. 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.”
Fans were understandably outraged the West Side Story star was not going to the Oscars. One person commented “How’s the leading actress of a movie that’s up for 7 Academy Awards not invited? How does that make any sense???” Another person said, “this is so wrong.” You can see the Instagram post below:
Image by Rachel Zegler via Instagram
It’s true that Zegler wasn’t nominated for her role as Maria, but West Side Story itself is nominated for seven Academy Awards, including best picture, best director, and best supporting actress for Ariana DeBose, who plays Anita in the remake. Earlier this year, she won a Golden Globe for best actress in a musical or comedy. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “each nominee and presenter is offered a pair of tickets. Other tickets come out of allotments given to each studio, although the Academy not infrequently finds additional tickets for VIPs who wish to attend.”
Zegler isn’t letting the snub get her down though. After seeing so many people fighting for her to go to the Oscars, Zegler tweeted the following:
“My goodness, folks!! Appreciate all the support, I really really do. 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.”
Zegler is currently filming for her role as Snow White in the Snow White remake and she’s going to appear in Shazam 2 (with a possible cameo by Wonder Woman!). She’ll be the first person of color to play the princess, which is something that she’s not taking lightly. “I’m so excited to take on that part and start working on it so that I can be the person that I wanted (to see) when I was young,” she said.
If you want to see who Regina George…I mean, The Academy, deemed worthy of making an appearance, check out the broadcast.
The Oscars will be airing on Sunday, March 27, 2022, from 8 PM-11 PM ET.
What do you think is going on with West Side Story actress Rachel Zegler not going to the Oscars? Should we all boycott the show if Rachel Zegler is staying home from the Oscars? Let us know in the comments below!
Featured image via Amblin Entertainment