Rachel Zegler’s 10 favourite movies of the 21st century
Rachel Zegler might now be known for belting out show tunes after her leading roles in West Side Story and Evita, but alongside her Broadway interests, the actor also has a keen eye for the medium of moving images. After recently collaborating with one of the biggest studios in the world at just the age of 24, Zegler is surely on her way to new cinematic heights, with roles in the new Hunger Games series and as one of the most infamous Disney princesses of all time marking her as one of the industry’s biggest rising stars.
But while she has described the likes of Sweeney Todd as one of her musicals, the actor had a bigger selection of choices for her top films of all time.
At the top of her list, Zegler included a film that seems most fitting to her current creative ventures, even if it tells the story of her worst on-stage nightmare. Birdman or (the unexpected virtue of ignorance) is one of the most anxiety-inducing films of the 21st century, following a fading actor as he prepares for his Broadway debut, with nearly everything going wrong. It’s surely a scenario that Zegler is in no rush to replicate herself, and perhaps acts as a cautionary tale for everyone with careers on the stage.
Zegler also listed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Inside Llewyn Davis. The musical biopic is one that will particularly speak to musicians, and the Michael Gondry picture to anyone who has ever had a broken heart. She also added Finding Nemo, another film that can mend just about any bad mood or negative spell, with a nostalgic quality that soothes the soul.
Next up was Invisible Life, a lesser-known story from Brazilian filmmaker Karim Aïnouz, charting the lives of two sisters and how they encourage each other to follow their dreams. One of the sisters is pursuing a career as a professional pianist, a story that speaks to anyone who has ever had a dream. Zegler also listed Lincoln, perhaps another iteration of the ‘people who have a dream’ genre, as it follows the later life and ambitions of Abraham Lincoln, with Daniel Day-Lewis giving a staggering performance as the president and his last few months in office.
After causing a huge amount of buzz at the Oscars, and being a cause that Zegler has been especially vocal about, the actor included No Other Land on her list, the Academy Award-winning documentary about life in Palestine and an alliance that develops between a Palestinian activist and an Israeli journalist. It’s an incredibly vital and urgent story, something that deserves a bigger spotlight after one of the filmmakers, Hamdan Ballal, was attacked and detained by Israeli forces for his work on the film.
Moonlight was another film that made the cut, with the stunning Barry Jenkins picture being one of the most breathtaking feats of modern filmmaking. The film marked the beginning of something very special for A24, with the film being their highest-grossing picture at the time of its release, something that was only topped by the success of Everything Everywhere All At Once. It’s gorgeously shot, insightful and incredibly moving, charting a Black man’s journey of self-discovery and acceptance in Miami as he comes to terms with his sexuality.
And lastly, and perhaps unsurprisingly, Zegler included Scott Pilgrim vs The World and West Side Story on her list. After starring in the modern adaptation of the musical herself, and something that launched her career, it makes sense that Zegler is a huge fan of the original film. Edgar Wright’s comic-book style film is a modern masterpiece and true reflection of his talents, whether it be his unique comedic style or fast-paced editing.
Rachel Zegler’s 10 favourite films
- Birdman or the unexpected virtue of ignorance (Alejandro González Iñnáritu, 2014)
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michael Gondry, 2004)
- Finding Nemo (Andrew Stanton, 2003)
- Inside Llewlyn Davis (Coen Brothers, 2013)
- Invisible Life (Karim Aïnouz, 2019)
- Lincoln (Steven Spielberg, 2012)
- Moonlight (Barry Jenkins, 2017)
- No Other Land (Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra), 2024)
- Scott Pilgrim Vs the World (Edgar Wright, 2010)
- West Side Story (Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise, 1961)
