Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

'West Side Story' Star Rachel Zegler Says She Wasn't Invited To The Oscars—And Fans Are Pissed

'West Side Story' Star Rachel Zegler Says She Wasn't Invited To The Oscars—And Fans Are Pissed
Jon Kopaloff/WireImage/Getty Images

We all fell in love with a girl named Maria, so why wasn't she invited to the party?

Musical theatre buffs just died a little bit inside because of that corny lyrical reference but just breathe your way through that.


Musical metaphors—while awful—are forgivable compared to the slight actress Rachel Zegler was dealt after her game-changing turn in the role of Maria in West Side Story.

Despite being one of the stars of one of the night's most nominated films—Steven Spielberg's reimagining of West Side Story is up for a total of seven awards at the 94th Academy Awards—Rachel Zegler, who fans adored as Maria, was not invited.

Rachel confirmed the rumors of her snub to her fans quietly—not with a press statement or social media post—but by responding to a comment.

Here's a screenshot of it.

@prlatina44/Twitter

It read:

"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 three 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.”

This made zero sense to people.








As confusing as the choice not to invite Zegler is, it's not the only thing about this year's Oscars people are struggling with.

Besides adjustments for reduced capacity, the Academy Awards are making a few other changes in an attempt to "shake things up" a bit. This year's list of presenters features names like Tony Hawk and DJ Khaled—both of whom people argued were way less relevant than Rachel Zegler.

Also, this year's Oscars will feature about a third less awards presented during the live show. The awards will still be given—the winners just won't get to do the whole walk, speech, applause on live TV thing.

Instead, their wins will be taped an hour earlier and "peppered in" throughout the broadcast.

The awards that won't get that moment are mostly technical ones, which is another interesting choice given the current tensions, protests, and strikes over industry mistreatment of film crews.

Zegler expressed her gratitude to the fans rallying around her.



According to one outlet, Zegler could still go if someone gave her a guest ticket, if Disney gives one of their tickets to her or if the Academy itself gave her one.

More from Entertainment/tv-and-movies

Jennifer Garner
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images; @jennifer.garner/Instagram

Jennifer Garner Just Pitched A New Sport For The Winter Olympics—And Fans Are Into It

The Summer and Winter Olympics are already pretty great, but Jennifer Garner believes the Winter Olympics could use one more sport to make it perfect.

While passing through Central Park, Jennifer Garner came across a group of women who were sledding down a shallow hill on none other than small, silver baking sheets.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elis Lundholm
IOC via Getty Images

NBC Apologizes After Commentators Repeatedly Misgendered Trans Winter Olympic Skier

The International Olympic Committee is still trying to figure out what their position on transgender inclusion looks like and how decisions are made regarding which events athletes compete in. In the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Filipino boxer Hergie Bacyadan, a transgender man, had to compete in the women’s event because of their stage in their transition.

In the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics this year, per International Ski Federation regulations, Swedish moguls skier Elis Lundholm also has to compete in the women’s moguls event because he hasn't begun a masculinizing hormone replacement therapy regimen yet.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Jessica Tarlov and Jesse Watters
Fox News

Fox News Host Gives Jesse Watters Blunt Reality Check After Stranger Called Him A 'Fascist'

Fox News personality Jesse Watters got a brutal reality check from his colleague Jessica Tarlov when he shared a story live on The Five about his bewilderment after a stranger shouted "F.U. fascist!" at him while he was walking his dog in his neighborhood.

Watters previously lived in a Manhattan rental and currently lives in a $2.8 million mansion in Bernardsville, New Jersey—where at least one neighbor is not a fan of his.

Keep ReadingShow less
Patrick Morrisey
@ameliaknisely/X

GOP West Virginia Governor's Press Conference Goes Viral For Hilariously Awkward Typo On Sign

MAGA Republican Governor Patrick Morrisey decided to hold a press conference at the Meadowbrook Mall in Bridgeport, West Virginia, to ask voters to support state income tax cuts.

But his message was derailed by a detail no one on the governor's team, including the man himself, noticed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mark Alford; Bad Bunny
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

MAGA Rep. Blasted After Saying Republicans Are Now 'Investigating' Bad Bunny's Halftime Show

In an interview with Real America's Voice, Missouri Republican Representative Mark Alford said House Republicans are now "investigating" rapper Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show, claiming it "could be much worse than the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction" for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show, which was broadcast live on February 1, 2004, featured singers Justin Timberlake and Jackson. The show is infamous for the moment Timberlake exposed Jackson's breast for a moment.

Keep ReadingShow less