Rachel Zegler recalled the feeling of 'having a bunch of white executives have you prove your identity to them' during her 'West Side Story' casting

“There’s confusion because I don’t have a single ounce of Latin in my name,” Zegler said. “When I was in the running for María in ‘West Side Story,’ they kept calling to ask if I was legit. I remember thinking, ‘Do you want me to bring my abuelita in?’ I will. I’ll bring her into the studio if you want to meet her.”

Rachel Zegler said an interview with Allure magazine that white studio executives repeatedly questioned her during the casting process for Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” which served as her acting breakthrough in Hollywood.