Rachel Zegler Reveals All On That 'Overwhelming But Moving' Balcony Moment - And Evita's Star-Studded Opening

Elle

a day ago

It's rare for a West End theatre production to garner so much attention and excitement before opening night, yet that is exactly what Rachel Zegler has managed to do as she steps into the shoes of Eva Perón in director Jamie Lloyd's daring take on the beloved musical, Evita.
Over the last two weeks of preview shows, Zegler has stepped out on to the balcony of The London Palladium, the musical's new home, mid-performance to perform a powerful rendition of 'Don't Cry For Me, Argentina'. 'I don't think any of us expected it to garner as much attention as it did,' the 24-year-old actor reflects to ELLE UK, the morning after Evita's opening night.
'People have been camping out for hours before I go on and it's humbling, beautiful and fits in the story very well.' Starring as Perón, Zegler has received rave reviews for her passionate, high-voltage performance which follows the life of the Argentine political leader Juan Perón, and his second wife.
The dynamic show, set to Andrew Lloyd Webber's soaring score, dominated social media during its preview period and has now officially opened its doors to London audiences. Pedro Pascal, Sarah Paulson and Keanu Reeves were among the high-profile guests at the Palladium on opening night to see Zegler belt out beloved ballads like 'Rainbow High' and 'A New Argentina'.
'Sarah texted me last week asking for the link to get tickets. I had no idea she meant last night,' Zegler exclaims. 'Then, our ensemble member Harrison Wilde asked me backstage, "Rachel, is Pedro here?" and I said he probably would have told me. Then, during 'Rainbow High', I saw Pedro stand up. I was like, "Dad, you're embarrassing me!"' she jokes. 'No, he was so sweet. Keanu Reeves was there, too. I was freaking out!'
For the occasion, Zegler wore a SS25 beige tulle Haute Couture Dior ballgown adorned with bejewelled bows, designed by the house's recently departed creative director, Maria Grazia Chiuri. On her look, Zegler worked closely with her long-time stylist Sarah Tooley to pay a visual tribute to her character's legacy. 'It was so evident to Sarah and I that Dior had to be a part of the night because of the lyrics of 'Rainbow High' being "Christian Dior me from my head to my toes",' she shares.
'Christian Dior was such an influence on Eva's fashion in real life, so we wanted to pay homage and have classic elements as well as the modern, diva and Madonna-esque version of Eva. That's why this design was so perfect.' Having worked with her since the start of Zegler's acting career, Tooley is a stylist she truly trusts. 'She knows my taste, but she also knows my body and what I'll feel comfortable in. That's a testament to the friendship and trust [we've] built,' Zegler reflects.
Her look was finished with fine jewellery from London-based brands Ananya and David Morris, a fresh, glossy make-up look and her signature soft waves on the hair, styled by Valeria Ferreira and Dayaruci respectively. 'I want to look like myself as much as possible, so I can be myself in a professional sphere where a lot of pressure is on,' Zegler says of her glam approach.
The opening night of Evita followed two weeks of preview shows, in which the production is tweaked nightly before it officially opens. 'That is both exhilarating and exhausting for an ensemble group of people, so it was such a wonderful experience to lock it and get the response we've had so far,' Zegler reflects. Still, one thing has remained consistent – the unprecedented reaction to the electric moment she leaves the stage and heads to the the theatre's balcony for the musical's most beloved number.
'It's brilliant,' Zegler says of the scene. 'The second Jamie said that's what he was trying to get permission from Westminster Council to do, I said "We need to do anything to make that possibility real." But, as simple as it may seem, it's a huge production as there are a lot of technology and hard work involved to show the theatre inside the Palladium.' Zegler shares that audiences inside applaud nightly when they see the amount of people waiting outside as it's 'such a ridiculously impressive thing to pull off.'
'When we first performed it, it was just me in a robe and my wig to figure out the lighting and sound for the show. The odd person would stop and take a picture, but the next day, it was 100 people, then 20o and it would double in size. It's overwhelming but really moving.'
As for the critics, Zegler states there's deeper meaning behind the spectacle. 'It's a testament to the fact that this show is based on history,' Zegler continues. 'Eva was a real person and there is no world in which she would want to impress people who could afford to see a show at a theatre. She wanted to bring her message to the streets and to the people. Jamie integrates the modern ingenuity of theatre by respecting the source material in such a way that serves such a beautiful purpose.'
It's clear playing this role means a lot to Zegler. 'It's a dream come true. I haven't been on stage in a musical since high school [for Shrek The Musical, famously] and I missed it so much... When you get to live your dream, you don't take any second for granted and I'm not, I'm soaking in every second."
Since arriving in London, she's been spending her days off resting and dog-walking through London parks. As for her perfect day out in the Big Smoke? 'I'd probably start my day with a scone from Gail's, with some clotted cream and strawberry jam. Then, walking around Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, I used to live nearby when I was shooting Snow White. I would honestly just be such a foodie – sitting somewhere with small plates, snacks or even a Sunday roast.'
Evita is playing at The London Palladium until 6th September.
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Furvah Shah is Acting Entertainment Booker for ELLE, Harper's Bazaar, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Red and Prima. She secures interviews with your favourite celebrities and covers everything from TV and films to music and books. Furvah has previously written for The Independent, BBC, Refinery29 and Amaliah and she is super passionate about highlighting diverse talent and projects, having interviewed the likes of Jenna Ortega, Charithra Chandran, Ambika Mod and more. She graduated with a First in BA Media and Communications from Goldsmiths University and is an NCTJ-qualified journalist. In her free time, you can find her at an arts or culture event, eating Middle Eastern or Asian food, searching for modest fashion inspiration on Pinterest or cuddling with her cat. You can follow Furvah on X, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.