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Google PlayWest Side Story may be nominated for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars, but one of the film’s stars might be watching the ceremony from home.
Rachel Zegler, who played Maria in the Steven Spielberg-directed movie, took to Instagram on Saturday to let fans know that while she’s excited for the show, she wasn’t invited to attend.
After a fan told Zegler in the comments of a recent post that they “can’t wait to see what you’ll be wearing on Oscar night,” she jokingly hit back with “sweatpants and my boyfriend’s flannel,” confirming that she was “not invited.”
“Idk y’all i have tried it all but it doesn’t seem to be happening :’),” Zegler continued. “I will root for west side story from my couch and be proud of the work we so tirelessly did 3 years ago.”
Outside of the Best Picture category, West Side Story earned six other nominations, including Best Director and Best Supporting actress for Ariana DeBose. Zegler herself is not nominated for an individual award, but still earned a Golden Globe for her performance.
As she told her fans very candidly, she hopes a “last minute miracle occurs and i can celebrate our film in person but hey, that’s how it goes sometimes, I guess,” later thanking them for their shared “shock and outrage.”
“I’m disappointed, too. but that’s okay. so proud of our movie,” Zegler wrote. She later took to Twitter to respond to the outpouring of support she received for not being invited.
The film itself also stars Ansel Elgort, who in 2020 was alleged to have sexually assaulted someone in 2014 when she was 17 and he was 20. Elgort has denied the allegations, and Zegler addressed them in a recent Hollywood Reporter cover story.
“We made a movie two and a half years ago, and a lot has gone on in the world since then,” Zegler said. “A lot has changed very publicly, and privately as well. There’s been a lot of awakening. You just hope that the people involved are OK, that they are asked in a respectful manner, and that they are given the opportunity to answer for themselves.”
The Academy Awards take place on March 27 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
