Rachel Zegler to Star in New Broadway Production of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo + Juliet” This Fall

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Rachel Zegler has landed a star-crossed starring role…

The 22-year-old half-Colombian American Golden Globe-winning actress will star opposite Kit Connor in the new Broadway production of William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet this fall.

Directed by Tony Award winner Sam Gold, the production will feature music by Grammy winner Jack Antonoff and movement by Tony winner Sonya Tayeh.

The production should not be confused with yet another high-profile revival of the star-crossed lovers = the West End production of Romeo & Juliet starring Tom Holland and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, which also is eyeing a Broadway staging. Jamie Lloyd directs that one.

The Gold fall production will mark the Broadway debuts of Connor, Zegler and Antonoff, who in February won his third consecutive Grammy Award for Producer of the Year.

More information including theatre, dates, design team and additional casting will be announced at a later date.

“With the presidential election coming up in November, I felt like making a show this fall that celebrates youth and hope, and unleashes the anger young people feel about the world they are inheriting,” said Gold.

Tickets will go on sale to the public in May.

Official synopsis: “The youth are fucked. Left to their own devices in their parents’ world of violent ends, an impulsive pair of star-crossed lovers hurtle towards their inescapable fate. The intoxicating high of passion quickly descends into a brutal chaos that can only end one way.”

Zegler earned a Golden Globe for her performance in West Side Story.

Ice Spice Earns Two People’s Choice Awards

Posted on February 19, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Ice Spice is the people’s choice… twice!

The 24-year-old half-Dominican American rap sensation claimed the first two People’s Choice Awards trophies of her career at Sunday’s awards show.

Ice Spice claimed the New artist of the year award, as well as the Collaboration song of the year award alongside Nicki Minaj and Aqua for “Barbie World.”

Pedro Pascal picked up the first People’s Choice Award of his career for Male TV star of the year for his starring role in HBO’s The Last of Us.

Jenna Ortega was named Drama movie star of the year, earning her a first-ever People’s Choice Award.

America Ferrera earned the Movie performance of the year award for her acclaimed work in Barbie.

Rachel Zegler picked up her first People’s Choice award, for Action movie star of the year, for her starring role in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.

Selena Gomez picked up her fifth People’s Choice, and her third for starring in Only Murders in the Building, for Female TV star of the year.

Bad Bunny earned his second People Choice Award, this time for Male Latin artist of the year, while Shakira was named Female Latin artist of the year

Actor and author Simu Liu hosted the show, which aired live on Sunday, February 18) on NBC, Peacock and E! from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif.

The 2024 People’s Choice Awards show were produced by Den of Thieves. Jesse Ignjatovic, Evan Prager and Barb Bialkowski executive produced.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

Music

Male artist of the year: Jung Kook
Female artist of the year: Taylor Swift
Male country artist of the year: Jelly Roll
Female country artist of the year: Lainey Wilson
Male Latin artist of the year: Bad Bunny
Female Latin artist of the year: Shakira
Pop artist of the year: Taylor Swift
Hip-hop artist of the year: Nicki Minaj
R&B artist of the year: Beyoncé
New artist of the year: Ice Spice
Group/duo of the year: Stray Kids
Song of the year: Olivia Rodrigo, “Vampire”
Album of the year: Olivia Rodrigo, Guts
Collaboration song of the year: Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice with Aqua, “Barbie World”
Concert tour of the year: Taylor Swift, The Eras Tour

Movies

Movie of the year: Barbie
Action movie of the year: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
Comedy movie of the year: Barbie
Drama movie of the year:Oppenheimer
Male movie star of the year: Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Female movie star of the year: Margot Robbie, Barbie
Action movie star of the year: Rachel Zegler, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
Comedy movie star of the year: Jennifer Lawrence, No Hard Feelings
Drama movie star of the year: Jenna Ortega, Scream VI
Movie performance of the year: America Ferrera, Barbie

Show of the year:Grey’s Anatomy
Comedy show of the year: Only Murders in the Building
Drama show of the year: The Last of Us
Sci-fi/fantasy show of the year: Loki
Reality show of the year: The Kardashians
Competition show of the year: The Voice
Bingeworthy show of the year: The Summer I Turned Pretty
Male TV star of the year: Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us
Female TV star of the year: Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building
Comedy TV star of the year: Jeremy Allen White, The Bear
Drama TV star of the year: Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show
TV performance of the year: Billie Eilish, Swarm
Reality TV star of the year: Khloé Kardashian, The Kardashians
Competition contestant of the year: Ariana Madix, Dancing With the Stars
Daytime talk show of the year:The Kelly Clarkson Show
Nighttime talk show of the year:The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Host of the year: Jimmy Fallon, That’s My Jam

Pop Culture

Social celebrity of the year: Taylor Swift
Comedy act of the year: Chris Rock, Selective Outrage
Athlete of the year: Travis Kelce

Rachel Zegler’s “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” Wins U.S. Box Office Crown in Debut Weekend

Posted on November 19, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Rachel Zegler is enjoying box office gold…

The 22-year-old half-Colombian American Golden Globe-winning starlet’s The Hunger Games” prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes emerged victorious in a busy box office weekend.

The Lionsgate film, which brings audiences back to the dystopia of Panem for the first time in nearly a decade, collected $44 million from 3,776 North American theaters and $98 million globally in its first weekend of release.

While initial ticket sales didn’t recapture the spark of the original franchise, which propelled Jennifer Lawrence to global stardom and inspired three sequels, they were enough to win the weekend over three fellow newcomers, Universal and DreamWorks Animation’s threequel Trolls Band Together, Sony’s gory thriller Thanksgiving and director Taika Waititi’s sports comedy Next Goal Wins.

Although The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes opened significantly lower than its predecessors — each of the four Hunger Games installments launched to at least $100 million at the domestic box office — analysts believe the film is well positioned in its theatrical run. It cost $100 million to produce, more than the first Hunger Games but substantially less than the three sequels (with the final 2015 adventure costing $160 million).

“This is a very good opening for an action-adventure prequel,” says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. “On average, prequels start with approximately half of the previous film’s opening, and this weekend’s figure is close to that.”

Zegler and The Gilded Age actor Tom Blyth star in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, based on the 2020 novel by author Suzanne Collins. It’s a standalone film in the $3 billion Hunger Games franchise, which takes place six decades before Katniss Everdeen bravely volunteered as tribute.

The story centers on a young Coriolanus Snow, who later becomes the tyrannical president of the dystopian Panem, as well as District 12 tribute, Lucy Gray Baird, whom he mentors in the 10th annual Hunger Games. Reviews have been mixed, with 60% on Rotten Tomatoes and a “B+” CinemaScore. Audiences were mostly young women; 65% were female and 73% were between the ages of 18-34.

It likely benefitted from a late-breaking boost in publicity (SAG-AFTRA granted the film an interim agreement days before the strike ended on November 9), which allowed the cast — including Viola Davis, Peter Dinklage and Euphoria star Hunter Schafer — the opportunity to promote the film before it arrived in theaters.

Disney Releases First Look Photo of Rachel Zegler in Live-Action “Snow White” Film

Posted on October 27, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Rachel Zegler is the fairest of them all…

Disney has released a first look photo of its live-action Snow White film, starring the 22-year-old half-Colombian American Golden Globe-winning actress and singer.

The film’s release date has been pushed back a year to March 21, 2025, amidst the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.

Zegler portrays the title character in the new take on Disney’s 1937 animated classic, a work foundational to the studio’s empire that was itself based on a 19th century fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm.

The story follows a princess who is rescued by seven dwarf miners who make Snow White part of their household after she’s exiled into a dangerous forest by her wicked stepmother.

The new still from Disney’s Snow White features Zegler’s princess opposite dwarves Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy and Sneezy.

Marc Webb directed from a script by Barbie‘s Greta Gerwig and Erin Cressida Wilson, with Marc Platt producing.

Gal Gadot plays the Evil Queen, with Tony Award winner Andrew Burnap portraying a new male lead character.

Original songs for the film were penned by the Oscar-winning La La Land duo of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Rachel Zegler Sings “The Hanging Tree” for “Hunger Games” Prequel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”

Posted on October 22, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Rachel Zegler is putting in the songbird in the upcoming Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

The 22-year-old half-Colombian American Golden Globe-winning actress & singer’s vocals ring through on “The Hanging Tree,” the first song to be released as part of the upcoming film.

The orchestral title, released via Geffen Records, first appeared as the second single from the soundtrack for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 in 2014. Jennifer Lawrence, who played Katniss Everdeen, offered her vocals for the track that was originally written by Suzanne Collins and composed by Howard, Jeremiah Fraites and Wesley Schultz from the band the Lumineers.

Audiences will witness the song’s origin in the upcoming film when Lucy Gray Baird (Zegler) sings it for the first time. “The Hanging Tree” is then passed down through generations, leading up to its appearance in “Mockingjay.”

Based on Collins’ prequel novel of the same name, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth), who strives to uplift his family’s legacy in a post-war Capitol. In the midst of his efforts, he is tasked with mentoring District 12’s tribute and Panem’s favorite, Lucy (Zegler). Coriolanus works with Lucy to keep her alive in the Hunger Games, as he begins to wobble between the concepts of good and evil.

Among the credits, The Hunger Games franchise director Francis Lawrence returns for the prequel film. Michael Lesslie wrote the screenplay, and Collins, Tim Palen and Jim Miller executive produce alongside producers Brad Simpson, Nina Jacobson and Lawrence.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”premieres in theaters on November 17.

Lionsgate Releases New Trailer for Rachel Zegler’s Hunger Games Prequel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”

Posted on September 20, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Rachel Zegler is fighting for her life…

Lionsgate has unveiled a new trailer for its The Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which teases the 22-year-old half-Colombian American Golden Globe-winning actress/singer’s fight for survival in the arena.

The West Side Story actress stars as Lucy Gray Baird, the female District 12 tribute to the 10th Hunger Games, in the new film based on the books by Suzanne Collins, which launches in theaters November 17th.

Starring alongside Zegler is Tom Blyth, who portrays Coriolanus Snow, Baird’s mentor in this game of survival who finds himself torn between his duties to the Capitol and Head Gamemaker Dr. Volumnia Gaul (Viola Davis) and burgeoning feelings for his mentee.

It’s the annual reaping ceremony of the 10th annual games, set 64 years before the first film. Lucy represents impoverished District 12 and 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is her unwilling — at first — mentor. He’s much more conflicted in his views in this film, decades before he becomes Panem’s tyrannical president. “There have been some changes this year,” he is told. “Your role is to turn these children into spectacles, not survivors.”

But after Lucy commands all Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy’s race against time to survive ultimately will reveal who is a songbird and who is a snake.

Like the previous films, themes here are freedom and tyranny, good and evil, how both can co-exist and why people chose one over the other. “There is natural goodness built into all a us. We can step across that line into evil — or not,” says Lucy. Panem is full of cranes and construction — rebuilding a decade after a brutal civil war.

The prequel in the $3 billion-grossing global franchise will hit theaters around the world on November 17. Hunger Games franchise sequel producer Francis Lawrence directed and also will produce with the series producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson.

Rachel Zegler In Talks to Star in Paddington Threequel “Paddington In Peru”

Posted on June 24, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Rachel Zegler is padding(ton) her resume with a new project…

The 22-year-old half-Colombian American Golden Globe-winning actress/singer is in talks to star in the long-awaited movie threequel Paddington In Peru.

The West Side Story star is among a list of cast newcomers that includes Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas and Emily Mortimer.

The quartet will join series favorites Ben Whishaw and Hugh Bonneville, who are set to return.

Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin and Imelda Staunton are also in talks with Studiocanal and producer David Heyman to return for the film, which will film in the UK, Peru, and Colombia with principal photography set for July 24.

Colman will play The Reverend Mother, described as a blithe and sunny guitar-playing nun who runs the Home for Retired Bears. Banderas plays Hunter Cabot, a dashing and intrepid riverboat captain who offers to help the Brown family on their Peruvian adventure. His daughter, Gina Cabot, will be played by Rachel Zegler. Mortimer joins the Brown family as Mrs. Brown, replacing Sally Hawkins, who portrayed the character in Paddington and Paddington 2.

It has been six years since the second film in the hit franchise. Paddington in Peru sees the bear embark on a new adventure that will take him from Windsor Gardens to Peru.

The story will follow Paddington as he returns to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown Family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey through the Amazon rainforest and up to the mountain peaks of Peru.

Studiocanal is fully backing the movie and will release Paddington in Peru in the UK, France, Germany, Benelux, Australia/New Zealand, and Poland. Sony Pictures holds rights for the rest of the world, excluding Russia, China, and Japan.

Dougal Wilson is directing from a story by Paddington 1 & 2 collaborators Paul King, Simon Farnaby and Mark Burton with the screenplay by Burton, Jon Foster, and James Lamont.

The threequel is being produced by Heyman and Rosie Alison with Rob Silva as co-producer.

The two previous films scored more than $500M between them at the box office and both were BAFTA-nominated.

“I am absolutely delighted to be working with such a wonderful cast on the next installment of the Paddington story,” Wilson said. “I was already an enormous fan of our returning actors, but for them to be joined by Olivia, Antonio, Emily, and Rachel is beyond thrilling.”

Lionsgate Releases Trailer for Rachel Zegler’s “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”

Posted on April 28, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Rachel Zegler is satiating the world’s hunger for more details about the Hunger Games prequel.

Lionsgate has released the trailer for its prequel film The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, starring the 21-year-old Colombian Golden Globe-winning actress and singer.

It’s a first look at tribute Lucy Gray Baird (Zegler) and Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth), with Peter Dinklage as the vindictive Casca Highbottom, Dean of the Academy, creator of the Hunger Games. Viola Davis is Head Gamemaker Volumnia Gaul.

“There have been some changes this year,” he is told. “Your role is to turn these children into spectacles, not survivors.”

The prequel in the $3 billion-grossing global franchise will hit theaters around the world on November 17.

Hunger Games franchise sequel producer Francis Lawrence directed and also will produce with the series producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson. Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins, Tim Palen and Jim Miller are executive producers.

Gina Rodriguez Developing Series Adaptation of Sonoro Podcast “Princess of South Beach”

Posted on March 28, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Life’s a (south) beach for Gina Rodriguez.

The 38-year-old Puerto Rican actress and Golden Globe winner is developing a series adaptation of Sonoro podcast series Princess of South Beach for Netflix.

The streamer has optioned the podcast with the former Jane The Virgin star set to executive produce the project under her I Can & I Will Productions banner alongside Sonoro, iHeart’s My Cultura Network and Jasmine Romero .

Rodriguez is not currently attached to star in the series.

Additionally, the scripted podcast series has been renewed for a second season, set to premiere this fall.

Princess of South Beach is iHeart’s My Cultura Network’s top performing title and was nominated for Best Fiction Podcast at the Ambies last year.

The second season will be released in both English and Spanish and will be marketed to audiences globally. It will feature some of the first season’s biggest stars, including X Mayo, Gina Torres, Raul Esparza and Danny Pino.

Princess of South Beach follows Maria del Carmen and Gloria, twin sisters who were separated at birth and raised in dramatically different ways — one in a convent and the other in the lap of luxury. When a freak accident kills Gloria, Maria del Carmen assumes her identity and uncovers that Gloria’s rich family isn’t as picture-perfect as they seem.

The bilingual series pays homage to beloved telenovela tropes and adds modern twists. It stars Rachel Zegler, Esparza, Torres, Pino and Sheryl Rubio.

Season 2 will see Raul and Estrella set off on a road trip to figure out the whereabouts of Estrella’s long-lost high school sweetheart, Gabby, and in turn, uncover the dark past behind Esteban Calderon.

Camila Victoriano and Joshua Weinstein will executive produce season two on behalf of Sonoro, and Gisselle Bances for iHeart’s My Cultura Network. Romero served as a writer (alongside Joanna Hausmann) and director on Season 1 and will return in both capacities in the second season.

Rachel Zegler Offers a Behind-The-Scenes Look at “Hunger Games” Prequel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”

Posted on October 23, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s opening Games for Rachel Zegler.

The 21-year-old Colombian Golden Globe-winning actress has offered a first look at the set of the Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes via her official TikTok account.

In the video posted to her account, Zegler gives viewers a tour of the set for the film, which is based on Suzanne Collins’ book of the same name.

The film stars Tom Blyth as a young Coriolanus Snow — who eventually grows up to become menacing antagonist President Snow in the original trilogy — who is chosen to mentor Zegler’s Lucy Gray Baird during the tenth Hunger Games. Francis Lawrence is set to direct.

“Hello, TikTok, I’m Rachel Zegler, and I’d like to show you the set of Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” the Snow White and West Wide Story actress says at the beginning of the video.

A montage of quick shots reveals what appears to be a schoolroom set for the Academy, the Capitol’s elite high school. In one shot, students dressed in pleated blood-red uniforms sit on circular white risers.

The footage also features Peter Dinklage, who plays Academy dean Casca Highbottom, dressed in an all-black ensemble, in addition to a clip of Blyth and Ashley Liao — who plays Clemensia Dovecote — dancing in their school uniforms.

“Let’s meet some of the cast,” Zegler says in the TikTok. “I see here, the lead of the film, Tom Blyth. Do you want to be in the video?” she asks the actor, who is sipping coffee at the exact moment she asks the question. Blyth gives the camera a mock glare, then tosses the coffee cup at the camera.

Zegler then shows viewers “Video Village,” which she explains is where the “director, producers, writers, dialect coaches, they all watch.”

“You can actually catch some of them in action right now,” she adds as the camera pans over to people sitting in chairs and zooms in on one of the producers working.

Zegler also introduces viewers to Josh Andrés Rivera, who plays Sejanus Plinth, one of Coriolanus Snow’s friends and a mentor to the District 2 male tribute. “And over here we have my least favorite person on set, Josh Rivera,” she says jokingly. Zegler and Rivera starred together in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story — Zegler played Maria, while Rivera played Chino.

“What’s going on, it’s Josh Rivera coming at you live,” Rivera says, taking off his sunglasses and squinting at the camera.

The video concludes with Zegler re-introducing herself. “I’m Rachel Zegler, and I play Lucy Gray Baird in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Thanks for joining me.”

The TikTok was shot by Reece Feldman, also known by @guywithamoviecamera, a TikTok creator with 1.1 million followers known for posting behind-the-scenes content of shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and films like Not Okay.

Cast members not featured in the behind-the-scenes footage include Hunter Schafer, who plays Coriolanus Snow’s cousin Tigris Snow, and Viola Davis, who was cast as Volumnia Gaul, the creator of the Hunger Games.

Click here to see the full TikTok video.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes premieres in theaters on Nov. 17, 2023.

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