Rachel Zegler revealed that she decided to join the DCEU with Shazam! Fury of the Gods because she was having trouble booking other roles.

Actress Rachel Zegler made her debut in Steven Spielberg’s Academy Award-winning film West Side Story. She later starred in the DCEU film Shazam! Fury of the Gods before appearing in a prequel to the Hunger Games franchise. Zegler recently made her Broadway debut and will appear in a live-action adaptation of the classic animated film Snow White.

Rachel Zegler made her debut with West Side Story (Credit: 20th Century Studio).

In an interview, Zegler spoke about joining the DC Comics franchise and revealed why she accepted the part of Anthea in Shazam 2. Ahead of the film’s premiere, Zegler spoke about her role in the Shazam! sequel and explained how the pandemic factored into her decision to join the franchise. Here is what she had to say about joining DC.

Rachel Zegler Revealed the Reason She Accepted Shazam! Fury of the Gods Role

Actress Rachel Zegler played the role of the Greek Goddess Anthea in the DCEU film Shazam! Fury of the Gods. While attending the red carpet event for the film’s premiere in 2023, Zegler spoke about joining the superhero franchise and was rather blunt about the reasoning.

Rachel Zegler played Anthea in Shazam 2 (Credit: Warner Bros).

Speaking to a correspondent from The Hollywood Reporter, Zegler revealed that it was difficult to book a role amid the pandemic while her debut film West Side Story hadn’t been released.

I needed a job. I’m being so serious.

Zegler made the above statement, explaining that she accepted the role because she desperately needed a job.

At the same time, Zegler revealed that she had seen the first installment and loved it. As a result, she was excited when she was approached for the role and did not mind going through multiple rounds of auditions before securing the role. However, the film was panned by critics and emerged as a box office failure.

Rachel Zegler Reacted to the Social Media Backlash About Her Snow White Casting

During an interview with Variety, Zegler reacted to the online backlash she faced for admitting that she only joined the Shazam! sequel because she needed the money. Zegler stated that she tried to look at the vitriol with a sense of humor.

Rachel Zegler’s Snow White casting recieved online backlash (Credit: Disney).

At the same time, the actress was also asked about the backlash over her casting as Snow White in the upcoming live-action adaptation of the source material. While the character is described as having skin as white as snow, Zegler’s casting was controversial primarily because of her Colombian heritage.

One of the core points in our film for any young woman or young person is remembering how strong you actually are.

Zegler stated the above, explaining that her version of Snow White is based on a different version, whose name comes from her surviving a snowfall as a baby.

However, Zegler admitted that the online backlash and hate made her upset. The actress added that she believed Snow White was more than just a one-dimensional character searching for love and had other goals, which she hopes to capture with her performance in the upcoming movie.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is streaming on Max.