It's been ten years since the first Hunger Games movie took the world and its rabid fandom by storm. The dystopian film series, based on the popular book trilogy by author Suzanne Collins, starred Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, and Josh Hutcherson, young stars who became the face of the violent and captivating series. The series tells a disturbing futuristic story about a televised killing game, eventually leading the society into war.In 2020, Suzanne Collins surprised fans by releasing a prequel to the series, a novel entitled The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes, which takes place over 60 years prior to the first Hunger Games book. Naturally, Lionsgate Film Studio announced plans to turn the prequel into a movie shortly after Collins announced the book. As far as we know, none of the original actors from the series will reprise their roles, but the storyline follows similar themes. Rachel Zegler will play Lucy Gray Baird in The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes, set to be released on November 17, 2023.
8 Who Is Rachel Zegler?
Rachel Zegler seems to be everywhere nowadays, dazzling at award shows and claiming roles in the most anticipated upcoming movies. She's a newcomer to Hollywood but acted in high school stage performances growing up in New Jersey. She's 21 years old and is featured in Forbes' 30 Under 30. She grew a following on her YouTube channel with signing videos and stories about her acting life.
7 She Recently Made Her Film Debut
Infamously, Rachel beat out over 30,000 talented young actresses to land the role of Maria in Steven Spielberg's modern adaptation of West Side Story. She responded to the open casting call she saw on Twitter and went through a rigorous process to land the role. In the musical, Rachel plays opposite Ansel Elgort as a pair of star-crossed lovers.
6 Award Season Success
Impressively, Rachel Zegler received a Golden Globe nomination for her role in West Side Story. She competed for Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical category at the 2022 ceremony, ultimately winning. The nod repeated history, since Rita Moreno won a supporting actress award at the Golden Globes for the original 1961 adaptation of West Side Story.
5 Oscar Invite Controversy
Even though the actress won at the Golden Globes, Rachel didn't initially receive an invitation to the 2022 Academy Awards. She mentioned her disappointment in a viral Instagram post which caused anger among fans of the young star. The Academy eventually invited Rachel Zegler to the show, where she shunned in a Dior gown.
4 She Presented At The Oscars With Jacob Elordi
The Academy apologized and blamed the mishap on Zegler's busy filming schedule. The actress flew in from London, where she'd been filming the new Snow White movie. Not only did Rachel attend, but she also got to present an award with Euphoria's Jacob Elordi, joking about not getting an invite to the ceremony, even though she starred in one of the year's biggest films.
3 What Else Is Rachel Zegler Set To Star In?
Before even the release of West Side Story, Rachel Zegler landed another massive role. The actress is set to star in a live-action remake of Disney's Snow White, playing the titular character. She'll make history as the first Latina actress playing a Disney princess and follows in the footsteps of other successful young actresses, Kristen Stewart and Lily Collins, in the role.
2 Who Else Will Star In The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes?
Lionsgate hasn't released much information yet about the upcoming film, but we have our young President Snow. Tom Blyth will star opposite Rachel Zegler. He's another young up-and-coming actor who had a small role in HBO's The Gilded Age series and currently stars in Epix's Billy The Kid. He's 27 years old and graduated from Juilliard after growing up in England.
1 Will This Be It For The Hunger Games Franchise?
No one expected a new Hunger Games book when author Suzanne Collins announced it in 2020. The original trilogy wrapped up nicely, concluding the war and including an epilogue that hints at the characters' more peaceful lives after the main events of the final installment. The prequel, Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, is a related story that features a different time period and different characters. Who knows, maybe there is more, but it isn't likely.