Rachel Zegler is, without a doubt, the next big Hollywood star. With two major titles under her belt — West Side Story and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes — Zegler has already achieved more by the age of 23 than many of us might in a lifetime.
Despite the criticism from some minor online groups — well, incels — Zegler consistently proves she’s a force to be reckoned with. Her voice offers a truly ethereal experience, and her acting is nothing short of sublime. I mean, who else has their movie debut in a Steven Spielberg production at just 17 years old?
Perhaps, though, what’s drawing even more attention lately is her upcoming role as Snow White in Disney’s live-action adaptation. With this growing interest in her Disney persona, many are now curious: what is her ethnicity?
What is Rachel Zegler’s ethnicity?
Rachel Zegler is Colombian-American, born and raised in New Jersey. Her father is of Polish descent, while her mother is of Colombian descent, and in an interview with PopSugar, the actress said she identifies as a “white latina.” Zegler’s maternal grandmother immigrated from Barranquilla, Colombia, to the United States in the 1960s, and although neither Zegler nor her mother was born in Colombia, they were both raised in a Latin and Hispanic household.
Despite admitting to having a certain privilege stemming from her bicultural and biracial ancestry, Zegler frequently emphasizes the importance of Latin representation in Hollywood, especially for young girls seeking role models who look like them. “As a Colombian-American woman growing up today, strong roles like Maria mean a lot,” she shared in a heartfelt Instagram post after West Side Story hit theaters. “Bringing this character to life, a character so important to the Hispanic community, is a great honor.”