2 Jun – "West Side Story" star Rachel Zegler is set to star in the upcoming "Hunger Games" prequel, "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes". According to Deadline, the actress will be playing one of the leads as Lucy Gray Baird, joining Tom Blyth, who is playing the young Coriolanus Snow - a character that was originally played by Donald Sutherland in the original movies. The prequel, "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes", is based on Suzanne Collin's 2020 YA novel, and will revolve around the tyrannical President of Panem as an 18-year-old.
The book also introduces the character of Lucy Gray, which will be pivotal in Coriolanus's life, when he is assigned to mentor her as tribute from the impoverished District 12. Said director Francis Lawrence, "Like everybody, I first saw Rachel Zegler in West Side Story, and like everybody, I knew I was watching a star who would command the screen for a generation. Lucy Gray is a perfect match for her as an actress: the character is bold, independent, and defiant, but also vulnerable, emotional, and loving. Rachel will make this character unforgettable." Zegler has been getting more and more attention since making her debut in the said musical. She is soon to be seen in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods", and is currently filming Disney's "Snow White", in which she is playing the titular character.