Revival of 'Evita' by Jamie Lloyd Receives Positive Reviews for Rachel Zegler's Performance

Rachel Anne Zegler, born May 3, 2001, in Hackensack, New Jersey, is an American actress and singer of Colombian and Polish descent. She gained widespread recognition with her film debut as María in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 adaptation of *West Side Story*, a role she won after responding to an open casting call among over 30,000 applicants. For this performance, Zegler received critical acclaim and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy in 2022, becoming the youngest winner in that category and the first actress of Colombian descent to do so. Raised in Clifton, New Jersey, Zegler was active in musical theater from a young age, performing lead roles in school productions such as *Beauty and the Beast*, *The Little Mermaid*, and *Les Misérables*. She graduated from Immaculate Conception High School in 2019. Following her breakout success, Zegler expanded her career into major Hollywood projects. In 2023, she portrayed Anthea in the superhero film *Shazam! Fury of the Gods* and starred as Lucy Gray Baird in *The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes*, a prequel to the popular *Hunger Games* franchise. She also voiced the lead in Netflix’s animated musical *Spellbound* and made her Broadway debut in 2024 as Juliet in *Romeo and Juliet*. In 2025, she starred as the titular character in Disney’s live-action remake of *Snow White* and debuted in London's West End as Evita. Zegler’s rising profile has earned her multiple accolades, including being named one of AP Entertainment’s Breakthrough Entertainers of 2021 and appearing on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2022. Despite facing some controversy related to her casting as Snow White and comments on the original story, she remains a prominent young talent in film and theater.

Eva Perón, born María Eva Duarte on May 7, 1919, in Los Toldos, Argentina, was a prominent political figure and the wife of President Juan Domingo Perón. She grew up in poverty as the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy landowner who abandoned her family. At age 15, she moved to Buenos Aires to pursue a career as an actress and radio personality, eventually becoming one of the country's highest-paid radio actresses[1][2][4]. Eva met Juan Perón in 1944 during a charity event and married him in 1945. When Perón became president in 1946, Eva took on a significant political role as First Lady until her death in 1952. She was a powerful and influential figure in the Peronist movement, advocating vigorously for the working class and championing women’s rights. Notably, she was instrumental in the passage of the 1947 law that granted Argentine women the right to vote and founded the Partido Peronista Femenino, a political party for women[1][3][4]. Eva Perón also created the Eva Perón Foundation, which provided extensive social welfare programs to the poor, including health care and housing, though it faced accusations of corruption. She was revered by many as the "standard-bearer of the humble" (los descamisados) but was also polarizing due to her strong political stance and influence[1][3][4]. Her untimely death from uterine cancer at age 33 on July 26, 1952, solidified her status as a cultural and political icon in Argentina. Eva’s legacy remains significant in Argentine history and politics, symbolizing both social justice for marginalized groups and the complexities of Peronism. Her life inspired various cultural works, including the famous musical *Evita*[1][4][5].

Juan Perón (October 8, 1895 – July 1, 1974) was an Argentine military officer, politician, and three-time president of Argentina, serving from 1946 to 1955 and again from 1973 until his death in 1974[1][2][4]. He remains one of the most consequential and controversial figures in Argentine and Latin American history, best known as the founder of Peronism, a political movement that blends elements of nationalism, populism, and social justice, and which continues to shape Argentine politics today[1][2]. Perón began his career in the Argentine Army, rising to prominence after participating in the 1943 military coup that overthrew the civilian government[2]. As Secretary of Labour and Social Welfare, he cultivated strong support among the urban working class by advocating for labor rights, wage increases, and social benefits[1][3]. This base proved crucial in his 1946 presidential election victory, in which he won 56% of the vote[1]. During his first two terms, Perón implemented sweeping social and economic reforms: he nationalized key industries, expanded public works, and promoted industrialization, while also restricting civil liberties and consolidating power through control of the military and state institutions[1][3]. His second wife, Eva "Evita" Perón, became a globally recognized symbol of his administration, championing women's rights and social welfare[1][4]. Perón's presidency faced mounting challenges after Evita's death in 1952, including economic stagnation, conflicts with the Catholic Church, and growing opposition from conservative and military factions[3]. A military coup in 1955 forced him into exile, first in Paraguay and later in Spain, where he lived for 18 years[3][4]. Despite his absence, Perón's influence persisted through the Peronist movement, which remained a dominant force in Argentine politics[2][4]. Legal restrictions on Peronism were lifted in the early 1970s, and Perón was reelected president in 1973, returning to Argentina amid high hopes for national reconciliation[2][4]. However, his third term was cut short by his death less than a year later, leaving his vice president and third wife, Isabel Perón, to succeed him[2][4]. Perón's legacy is deeply polarizing. Supporters credit him with empowering workers and reducing inequality, while critics highlight his authoritarian tendencies, economic mismanagement, and the long-term instability his movement engendered[1][3]. Peronism remains a major political force in Argentina, with recent leaders across the ideological spectrum claiming his mantle, underscoring his enduring relevance in the country's national discourse[2].