In the Pics section, film critic Floortje Smit casts her eye on contemporary visual culture.
Rachel Zegler’s life is a fairy tale. When she was 16, she – like 30,000 others – responded to an open casting call from Steven Spielberg on Twitter. She filmed herself while she Tonight and I Feel Pretty sang and before she knew it she made her acting debut as Maria in the remake of West Side Story† She gained a huge worldwide fan base, won a Golden Globe and was at one prestigious film award ceremony after the other having a drink with the Hollywood elite.
At all award ceremonies? No, Zegler was not welcome at one ceremony. The most important. West Side Story may have been nominated for seven Oscars, including best picture, but the lead actress was not invited to the prom. No one would have known if a fan wasn’t through Instagram had said she was looking forward to Zegler’s outfit. “I’m not invited, so sweatpants and my friend’s flannel shirt,” the actress replied. She had tried everything, but alas. Only a last-minute miracle could save her from a dreary evening on the couch. Spielberg who, like a merciful fairy, gives up his own ticket, for example.
How is this possible? Well now: Each nominee gets two tickets to the Oscars – but Zegler himself is not nominated. Furthermore, a large proportion of the invitations are reserved for lawyers, journalists, accountants and ‘other insiders who support the Academy’. And the studios get to distribute a number depending on how many nominations they’ve landed. In other words: Zegler could have gotten a ticket from Disney, but according to the studio, apparently there are people who have more right to such a place than a 20-year-old up-and-coming talent who is actually starring in the film that all those lazy in that room at all. Curious who those are.
The fact that Zegler was not allowed to come naturally also reflects horribly at the Academy, which, with their pursuit of diversity and desperate angling for ratings, would have liked to have included the charming, young Colombian star. So a solution was devised in a hurry. After a day or so of commotion, Zegler was suddenly announced as one of the presenters from the show. So she’s still here, Sunday.
Fine, but it remains sour. Not only for Zegler, but also because the story shows once again that the Oscars may officially be a celebration of the film as an artistic achievement, but that other, commercial considerations in Hollywood are ultimately more important.