‘West Side Story’ actress Rachel Zegler might not miss out on the Oscars after all.
A few days after the star revealed that she didn’t get an invite to film’s biggest night, despite her movie being nominated for seven awards, The Hollywood Reporter claimed that the 20-year-old actress will be a presenter.
This comes after a social media storm that erupted after Zegler expressed disappointment at not being able to attend the ceremony on March 27 and saying that she would be watching from home in her PJs.
“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,” Zegler wrote on Instagram. “Thanks for all the shock and outrage — I’m disappointed, too. But that’s OK. So proud of our movie.”
Russ Tamblyn, who played Riff in the 1961 ‘West Side Story’ and is a voting member of the Academy, tweeted that it was the Academy’s “duty to find Rachel a seat at the Oscars.... When they say representation matters, this is what that means. Please do right by her.”
Meanwhile, Alec Baldwin tweeted that he would buy Zegler two tickets to the show.
Zegler plays Maria in the musical directed by Steven Spielberg. It’s nominated for seven Academy Awards, including best picture, director and supporting actress for Ariana DeBose.
AP reported that best picture nominees are allotted a certain number of tickets by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which the film’s studio then doles out as they see fit. Presenters and individual nominees get a pair of tickets. And other spots in the room go to the broadcaster, sponsors and academy members, who can enter a lottery.
It’s unclear if Zegler will indeed attend the Oscars amid the production schedule for her upcoming Snow White adaptation, which is currently being filmed in London.
— With inputs from AP
