UPDATED (14 March 2025):
Rachel Zegler has been confirmed as starring as Eva Peron in EVITA at the London Palladium, making her West End debut.
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STAGE SPY: Another month, another major rumour about who is set to star in Jamie Lloyd’s new(ish) production of EVITA at the London Palladium this summer.
There has been immense excitement and anticipation surrounding this major West End revival of Evita, largely fuelled by speculation about its casting.
Performances don’t start until 14 June at the Palladium, although rehearsals are starting soon and a casting announcement is believed to be imminent.
Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose (Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story) was originally tipped to be crying for Argentina in the lead role, but scheduling conflicts meant the BAFTA, Oscar and Golden Globe-winning actor had to bow out of talks with Jamie Lloyd and producer Michael Harrison to star in the show.
Rumours are now swirling around theatreland that another West Side Story alum, Golden Globe winner Rachel Zegler, may be lined up to take the lead.
Zegler was recently starring on Broadway alongside our very own Kit Connor (Heartstopper) in Sam Gold’s production of Romeo + Juliet at Circle in the Square in New York.
Zegler, like DeBose, would be a perfect choice given that there’s every expectation that the show will transfer to Broadway once it has completed its London run, following in the footsteps of Jamie Lloyd’s other Lloyd Webber production, Sunset Boulevard starring Nicole Scherzinger.
Rachel’s other movies include Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes, and the title role in Disney’s major live-action remake of Snow White, with original songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (The Greatest Showman The New Musical). Also coming up is disaster comedy Y2K, and Netflix’s animated musical film Spellbound, with music and lyrics by Alan Menken (Disney’s Hercules) and Glenn Slater (Clueless The Musical).
Rachel also has a following on YouTube, and performs on social media, including a past rendition of “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina”.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s epic musical Evita will play the London Palladium from 14 June to 6 September 2025.
The show is produced by Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals and The Jamie Lloyd Company with The Really Useful Group. Fabian Alois will choreograph, with musical supervision by Alan Williams, and design by Lloyd’s longtime collaborator Soutra Gilmour.
The production was first revealed back in October, in an interview with Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Jamie Lloyd’s current production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard starring Nicole Scherzinger has proved hugely successful, both last year in the West End at the Savoy Theatre, and currently on Broadway at the St James Theatre, where the show opened to mostly rave reviews. It was announced last week that the show is extending its run again, for a final time, and will finish up on Broadway on 13 July 2025.
Jamie Lloyd’s current production of Much Ado About Nothing starring Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane has also proved to be a critical smash-hit.
Evita is playing at the London Palladium from 14 June to 6 September 2025.
Casting for the show is to be confirmed.
Book tickets to EVITA at the London Palladium
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