We left her in her little room in Clifton, New Jersey, just before the Big Bang or world release. West Side Story From Steven Spielberg. Then an intoxicating whirlwind: Oscars, Grammys, haute couture, jewels, Dior, Tiffany, Jimmy Choo, Paris, fashion shows, Met Gala, magazine covers… Everything has changed for Rachel Zegler, a girl of Colombian origin, chosen from 30,000 applicants for the role of Maria, but in order not to change, she repeats to herself every day that she used to leaf through those magazines, dreaming and that in the subway cars, where her face now she danced in her favorite musicals imagining Broadway. In his future – live action “Snow White” with Gal Gadot and a prequel The Hunger Games. Very soon, on March 16, yours will be released in cinemas New film, Shazam! Fury of the godsdirected by David F. Sandberg, where she plays the goddess Anthea, the third daughter of Atlas, who, along with her older sisters Hespera/Helen Mirren and Calypso/Lucy Liu, challenges Billy Batson/Shazam, the DC comic book superhero.

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A year has passed…

Busy (laughs).

What superpower would you like? What makes her angry?

Small people who need to communicate their small thoughts to the world, who get lost in the rubbish because they are probably too afraid to face important things. I would like to scream Shazam! in those moments, maybe it worked.

Who are his heroes?

My mom who chose to raise me and my sister, my dad who worked for the same construction company every day of his life since he was 18 so we didn’t miss anything and helped build the New York skyline I’m so proud when I walk around the city. Finally my boyfriend (Josh Andres Rivera): we met on the set West Side Story (it was Chino) and we filmed together again in The Hunger Games. He keeps me grounded and I love him madly.

What’s up with the green screen and action scenes?

I learned so much about modern cinema. Spielberg is a master, charming and wonderful, but he has a very traditional way of working, it was nice and rewarding to switch to a film full of special effects and CGI after this experience (computer images), tricks and actions. My Anthea is good, always looking for the best in people, but she is also the youngest of three sisters and believes in loyalty to the family, she will do anything for them for the greater good. We laugh a lot, it was fun.

Who are his sisters in real life?

Meanwhile, I have a real Jacqueline, who is two years older than me, and I am ready for anything for her. I also feel like a sister in the friendships and new relationships that I make along the way, for example with Ilsa Mason, whom I met on set. West Side StoryWe gave each other so much strength and together we conquered insecurities. Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu also became “sisters” in life. It is not often possible to spend twelve hours a day with such a group of women, it was a blessing. I am very selective in my friendships precisely because it is vital to surround myself with women that I trust, who support me and know how to cheer me up.

What advice did Helen Mirren give you?

We had a good conversation about how the media has been unkind to her in the past. She told me not to listen to what they write, that the most important thing is to know yourself, that no one can tell you who you are, only you can do it, with your actions more than with your words. She was kind and full of grace, she has an amazing humility, she is an icon to us, but she just feels like an ordinary woman who walks into a store to buy a pair of jeans. And not everyone knows how funny she is.

What is it like to be a star?

A few years ago, I naively wondered what celebrities were thinking when they opened their eyes in the morning and imagined something like, “Hey, wait a minute, I’m Jennifer Lawrence.” Nothing like this. I still hate mornings, but I feel a constant, huge gratitude for all the good things that happen, even for the clothes and jewelry I wear, for the new relationships this job gives me, for the people I can’t wait to meet. again hairdressers such as Clayton Hawkins and David Von Cannon, makeup artists such as Vincent Oquendo, Allan Avendano and Nina Park. If we fail to fulfill our obligations, it will be a huge disappointment: “Yes, Zoe Kravitz will also have to make up, I understand” … (laughing). One of the happiest moments was seeing my face on the cover El America, which I have always read. I couldn’t believe that this was really my life. I love fashion, as a child I was torn between a stylist and an astronaut.

What did he buy with his first earnings?

A pair of Dior sunglasses and a Tiffany bracelet for my sister. I took my mom with me to Paris Fashion Week, my dad to the Us Open, I try to ruin them as much as possible.

What is his superpower?

Faith in the goodness of people, in the best of intentions, sometimes it is not, but it helps me to believe in it. And then, sustainability. It’s not easy being a young woman in such an environment, but the cocktail of confidence and resilience has been a winner so far.

What helps you not get lost?

I surround myself with good people, but above all with psychotherapy. We cannot expect others to always understand, the analyst gives me the tools to navigate as calmly as possible and accept the fact that there may not always be a reason to feel a certain way. And then I’m good at finding new goals to achieve, little goals that make me wish there was another day. I’m not one of those who stand and suffer.

Do you have a ritual to start the day?

Yes, I choose a playlist from the thousands that I have. This music influences the mood of my days. The song that gives me energy Hunger Florence + Machine. I used to always put her in the dressing room on set Shazam! and it gave a good mood not only to me, but also to Helen and Lucy.

A surreal moment from senior year?

When I performed at the Grammys to honor Stephen Sondheim and meet one of my idols, Lady Gaga. He threatened me: “If you go out like this, and tomorrow I will see you on daily mail My breasts piss me off.” My dress was torn and she helped me fix it with a hairpin. A moment of complete sisterhood. Holding her hands and looking into her eyes and telling her how much she meant to me when I was young really evoked my emotions, a classic pinch moment. She is a goddess, Aphrodite in the flesh.