Rachel Zegler: ‘Charli XCX was in my Perón playlist!’

It’s been a meteoric year for Rachel Zegler. Out of the ashes of cinematic scandal and media criticism, Zegler rose elegantly above the noise to deliver a now iconic all-singing, all-dancing performance leading Jamie Lloyd’s revival of Evita.

With the launch of the cast recording, Zegler speaks to Rolling Stone UK at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, about her love of Queen, her admiration for the many leading ladies who have played Evita before her, and the surprising album she was listening to in her dressing room pre-show each night.

A huge congratulations on your success with Evita. The cast recording must feel like the cherry on top of the cake?

Oh my gosh! It’s really been so wonderful to come back and feeling the nostalgia of playing Evita all over again.

You’ve said before that you always wanted to play her since you were a little girl. What drew you to the role?

There’s something Shakespearean about the part. It’s like Lady M, you know. I need readers to know that we’re in a theatre, so there’s no way I’m going to say her full name! If Lady M is a titan of theatre, Evita is one of the female titans of musical theatre.She’s a Norma Desmond, a Mama Rose. And the role is incredibly demanding. How do you tell an eighteen-year story arc in a three hour show performing eight times a week? The challenge of proving I could do that was an enticing one. I think the general public saw me as the soprano ingenue of West Side Story and Snow White: I wanted to show them what I was capable of!

Do you think there are any parallels between you and her as a character? 


I think that there’s a resilience there that we both share as women in the spotlight. But the real life Eva Peron had more ambition in her pinkie finger than I do. She was ferocious. And I certainly don’t see myself marrying a politician!

The show was first performed in the 1970s, but has been a mega hit in 2025. Why do you think it so appealed at this moment in the status quo?

It’s fascinating that it became such a viral sensation. The access to the arts that the Jamie [Lloyd, the director] gave London audiences freely by staging the balcony scene so publicly certainly had something to do with it.

But more than that, I also feel like it resonates with our obsession with celebrity culture: with popstars and rockstars. Celebrities have become society’s guiding light. We look to those on the cover of Rolling Stone to tell us what to like, how to be. Evita wasn’t just a politician’s wife – she was an artist and a celebrity.

Who are the pop and rockstars who most influence you as a performer?  

I grew up with two albums in the car: Guns N Roses and Queen. I feel like my love of musical theatre was born out of listening to these theatrical voices. I loved Mercury’s vocal gymnastics – he was an Olympian of vocalists.

Musical theatre can be divisive. Why do you think this album would appeal to fans who aren’t familiar with the show?

It’s rock and roll. The original concept album was so catchy it entered the disco charts! It’s never been a fully-fledged musical theatre score – at heart it’s a rock opera. I came out onstage each night to the wailing of a guitar from the pit. And the message of that music is universal – so give it a listen!

Who were you listening to as you were getting ready for each performance?

Charli XCX‘s Brat was prominent in my Peron Playlist and was informative for what the Eva we were creating would be listening to today. The core of the album is introspection, considering who the artist is underneath and how they relate to the rest of the world outside. It’s a deep exploration of what it means to be a woman in the public eye. My Eva – dancing around in a bra and underwear – felt very Brat. Like in ‘Von Dutch’, she knows that you’re obsessed with her.

What else was on your playlist?

‘Man’s World’ by Marina. ‘Feminine Urge’ by The Last Dinner Party. ‘Paparazzi’ by Lady Gaga. ‘Busy’ by Sabrina Carpenter. ‘Famously Gunned’ by Addison Rae.

Who are some of your favourite previous Evitas?

I grew up listening to Elaine Paige’s cover of ‘Memory’ from Cats. She came to see me perform twice and it was the honour of a lifetime to share the moment with her. Donna Summer did a disco cover that I love. I grew up dancing to her and she’s a gay icon. And Sinead O’Connor’s cover – so different – was incredible! She was a revolutionary. That’s the power of the soundtrack – it transcends genre and time and space.

And of course, Madonna starred in the film…

I love that movie. It was genius casting. She was the Eva Peron of her generation – always under scrutiny from the public eye. She was a fashion icon, a film star, a pop phenomenon. She did it all! She’s in a league of her own.

Would you ever make the move to popstar yourself?

Absolutely. Although a love I would like to explore even more is songwriting. I think, in another life, I was a ghostwriter for Joni Mitchell. She’s an inspiration.

Is there a chance you will be taking the show to Broadway? Or making your own Evita movie?

I would love to do it if it happens. I have so much love for New York – it’s my home and my whole life. But any Evita project I do – stage or screen – I would have to do it with Jamie and the team. We became a family on this job.

What’s next for Rachel Zegler? It feels like the musical theatre world is at your feet…

I can’t say much about upcoming projects, but there’s so many more roles I would love to play. I’d love to take on Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard – Nicole Scherzinger was phenomenal, so wickedly funny. And how about a gender-swapped version of Les Miserables? I could be Javert – one of my very favourite villains from literature.

EVITA the album is available to stream now with the physical vinyl and CD available for pre-order.