Rachel Zegler to star as Evita in Jamie Lloyd revival

Rachel Zegler has been cast as Eva Perón in Jamie Lloyd’s revival of Evita at the London Palladium this summer. 

The performance will mark the actor’s West End debut following her breakout role as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s film revival of West Side Story.

She has since starred in Romeo + Juliet on Broadway opposite Kit Connor, with film credits including The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Disney’s live action remake of Snow White, premiering in the US later this month. 

Zegler said: "Evita has been such an important musical to me since I was a little girl, when my dad and I would sing Don’t Cry for Me Argentina together on my back patio. 

"The opportunity to bring Jamie Lloyd’s singular, visionary ideas to life onstage is an honour unlike any other. 

"The stage has always felt like home to me, and I can’t wait to make my West End debut in such great company."

Lloyd’s reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical is to run at the London Palladium on July 1 to September 6, with previews from June 14 and a press night held on June 27.

It sees the director return to Evita having directed it for the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in 2019, and also return to Lloyd Webber’s material following his award-winning revival of Sunset Boulevard.

Featuring lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Lloyd Webber, Evita’s score includes Don’t Cry For Me Argentina and You Must Love Me, following the story of Eva Perón as she journeys from poverty to power.

Its revival is produced by Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals and Jamie Lloyd for The Jamie Lloyd Company by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Ltd. Full cast and creatives are still to be announced.