Rachel Zegler hails balcony performance in Evita as ‘amazing’ and ‘innovative’

American actress Rachel Zegler has hailed her balcony performance in musical Evita as “amazing” and “innovative”.

Zegler, 24, made her West End debut in Sir Tim Rice and Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s production last year, which drew large outdoor crowds while she sang its most popular number from an outside balcony.

Speaking on BBC One’s The Claudia Winkleman Show, the award-winning actress has praised the unique performance which earned her high critical acclaim.

Zegler said: “I thought it was the most amazing, innovative thing that’s ever happened.

“There were more people at closing night outside, than there were sat inside… it went all the way down to the Ikea.”

The performance took place at the London Palladium, which is a street away from the furniture retailer’s shop on Oxford Street.

The production starred Zegler as Argentine politician Eva Peron, following her rise from actress to First Lady as she climbs the ranks to become a powerful, influential figure.

Zegler recently picked up a gong at the WhatsOnStage awards for her performance in the show, which also landed her a prize at the Stage Debut Awards.

The star went on to say that during her stint in Evita, she broke the record for the longest-standing ovation in the West End.

Comedian Joanne McNally, who was among the guests on Winkleman’s talk show, quipped: “I too played the London Palladium and broke a record … it was for wine sold.

“Maybe they wanted to stand for me too Rachel, but they couldn’t because they were too pissed.”

Zegler wore a sleek, black strapless zip-up dress which she accessorised with a gold choker and simple make-up.

The singer and actress first made her name as Maria in the 2021 remake of West Side Story, before taking on the role of Snow White in the Disney live action remake of its popular 1930s animated film Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs.

However when Zegler, who is from a Colombian background, was cast as a character described as having a complexion “as white as snow”, there was a backlash on social media.

She has since gone on to star in a string of films including the prequel film for the popular Hunger Games franchise, titled The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes, and has also had multiple stage roles.

The Claudia Winkleman Show will air on March 20 at 10.40pm on BBC One and iPlayer.