What Is Rachel Zegler's Net Worth?
Rachel Zegler is an American actress and singer who has a net worth of $4 million. Rachel Zegler emerged as a standout new talent with her debut in Steven Spielberg's 2021 remake of "West Side Story". She earned critical praise and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at just 20, becoming the youngest winner ever in the category. Her magnetic performance launched her career, establishing her as a compelling leading lady in both film and musical theatre.
In 2023, Zegler took on the lead role of Lucy Gray Baird in "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes", a box-office success that grossed nearly $350 million worldwide. She then starred in Netflix's animated musical "Spellbound" (released in late 2024), voicing Princess Ellian in a fantasy film scored by Alan Menken. While the film received mixed reviews, it showcased Zegler's strong vocal ability in a new medium.
In early 2025, she headlined Disney's live-action "Snow White", a modern reimagining of the classic fairy tale directed by Marc Webb. Though Zegler's performance was praised, the film sparked controversy over casting choices and her outspoken views, and it underperformed financially at the box office.
Following "Snow White", Zegler made her West End debut as Eva Perón in a summer 2025 revival of Evita at the London Palladium, earning acclaim for her stage presence and vocal strength.
Early Life and Education
Rachel Zegler was born on May 3, 2001, in Hackensack, New Jersey. She is the daughter of Craig and Gina Zegler. She is of Colombian descent on her mother's side and of Polish ancestry on her father's side. Rachel has an older sister named Jacqueline. Brought up in Clifton, New Jersey, Zegler went to St. Philip the Apostle Preparatory School. Following this, she went to Immaculate Conception High School, a Roman Catholic all-girls college-preparatory school. There, Rachel starred in a number of musical productions, including "Beauty and the Beast," "The Little Mermaid," "42nd Street," and "Shrek the Musical." She also played Cosette in "Les Misérables" and Millie in "Thoroughly Modern Millie." Zegler graduated from Immaculate Conception High School in 2019.
Career Beginnings
Zegler first came to wider attention through her YouTube channel, which she launched in the summer of 2015. On the channel, she has posted both lifestyle videos and numerous covers of popular songs. Rachel has also been prominent on Twitter, with her cover of "Shallow" from the 2018 film version of "A Star is Born" reaching more than 11 million views.
"West Side Story" Background
In early 2018, a 16-year-old Zegler responded to an open casting call on Twitter for Steven Spielberg's upcoming film adaptation of the musical "West Side Story." The year before this, she had played the lead role of Maria Vasquez in a production of "West Side Story" at the Bergen Performing Arts Center. For the casting call, Rachel sent in videos of herself singing the songs "Tonight" and "I Feel Pretty." She ultimately landed the role from a pool of more than 30,000 applicants, giving her her feature film debut.
Adapted by Tony Kushner from the hit 1957 stage musical and the subsequent 1961 film version, Spielberg's "West Side Story" came out in December 2021 after being delayed for a year due to the COVID pandemic. In the film, Zegler stars as Maria, with Ansel Elgort playing her ill-fated, star-crossed lover Tony. Other cast members include Ariana DeBose as Anita, David Alvarez as Bernardo, Mike Faist as Riff, Corey Still as Lieutenant Schrank, and Brian d'Arcy James as Officer Krupke. Additionally, Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the 1961 film version, appears in the newly created role of Valentina.

(Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)
"West Side Story" Accolades
An almost universal critical success, Spielberg's "West Side Story" earned numerous plaudits and awards, including seven Oscar nominations. Zegler herself racked up many honors, the first being Best Actress from the National Board of Review. In January 2022, she won her biggest award, the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical. With her win, Rachel became the youngest recipient of that award at 20 years of age; she also became the first actress of Colombian ancestry to win in the category.
Further Film Career
Following her breakthrough in "West Side Story", Rachel Zegler quickly attracted high-profile roles in major studio productions. Her next project was "Shazam! Fury of the Gods", the 2023 sequel to the DC Comics superhero hit "Shazam!" In the film, Zegler portrayed Anthea, one of the three daughters of the Titan Atlas, alongside Helen Mirren as Hespera and Lucy Liu as Kalypso. Her role marked a shift into blockbuster fantasy-action territory, and while the film received mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office, Zegler was praised for her charm and screen presence.
Her most widely discussed post-"West Side Story" role came when she was cast as Snow White in Disney's live-action reimagining of the 1937 animated classic. Directed by Marc Webb and featuring Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, the film sought to modernize the story with an emphasis on agency and empowerment. Production began in 2022 but faced multiple delays due to the SAG-AFTRA strike and post-production setbacks. When it was finally released in 2025, "Snow White" was met with a polarized reception. Zegler's performance drew both admiration and criticism, while the film sparked online controversy over its casting, storyline changes, and Zegler's comments in interviews. Despite the noise, she continued to defend the film's updated themes, framing the story as one of independence and growth.
Zegler followed "Snow White" with a starring role in "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" (2023), a prequel to the blockbuster franchise. She played Lucy Gray Baird, a singer and tribute from District 12 whose charisma and survival instincts set the tone for the film's emotional weight. The movie was a commercial success and gave Zegler another platform to showcase her acting and vocal talents in a major franchise.
She then voiced the lead character, Princess Ellian, in "Spellbound", a Netflix animated musical released in late 2024. Featuring original songs by Alan Menken, the film gave Zegler another chance to blend her theatrical singing with family-friendly storytelling. Though the film received a mixed critical response, her voice performance was seen as one of its strengths.
Other Endeavors
Zegler has been involved in a range of other media beyond film. In 2021, she appeared in two episodes of the improvised television talk show "The George Lucas Talk Show." The same year, Rachel participated in a virtual closed reading of the play "Newton's Cradle: A Ghost Story" and starred in the main role on the podcast "Princess of South Beach." As a singer, she has released the non-album single "Let Me Try" and the "West Side Story" single "Balcony Scene (Tonight)." Zegler also appeared in the 2020 music video for Kathryn Gallagher's song "Nostalgic for the Moment (Dance Party Edition)." Later, she provided the voice on the phone in the music video for Pomplamoose's "Sam's Idea."