Rachel Zegler From The New "West Side Story" Spoke About The Importance Of Representation In Hollywood

4 years ago 6

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"Our movie is a step in the right direction."

The 1961 West Side Story movie will always hold a special place in our hearts, but it wasn't perfect by any means.

Natalie Wood as Maria embracing a man on balcony

While Natalie Wood was an enchanting Maria, she wasn't Latinx. And by now, we all know the importance of diversity in Hollywood.

Maria looking out of an open window

So, you can understand my excitement when they announced Rachel Zegler, a Latinx woman, for the role of Maria in the new West Side Story!

Rachel in the middle of a dance floor as Maria

During my recent interview with Rachel, I asked her how it feels to be part of this push for Latinx representation in Latinx roles.

Rachel poses at the film's premiere in strapless ballgown

"You know, our movie is a step in the right direction," she told me. "There's still so much work to be done when it comes to representation in Hollywood for all minorities."

The actor explained that her experience as a Latina in Hollywood was not seeing a lot of representation of herself while growing up. And if she did, many of those roles did not portray Latinx folks in a positive light.

Rachel at a red carpet event in a criss-cross halter ballgown

"And I think West Side Story does such a wonderful job at exploring the idea of Latin joy, which I don't think is always at the forefront of media that has our people in it," she continued.

"And so, I'm very blessed to be a part of something that does, and also something that tells an authentic true story about love and identity and what happens when we choose love over hate," she concluded.

Thanks for chatting with us, Rachel! You can read our full interview here.

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