How Rachel Zegler Became Lucy Gray Baird in 'The Hunger Games' 🕊🐍 | Teen Vogue

"There's a line that Lucy Gray says: 'I don't sing when I'm told, I sing when I have something to say.' We get to make our voices heard in a way that's meaningful, then you've done your job as a person." Rachel Zegler grew up watching Katniss Everdeen in 'The Hunger Games' trilogy, but it all came full circle when she got the call offering for her to play the role of Lucy Gray Baird in 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.' Rachel breaks down her entire process for the film, from going to Poland to shoot the movie, taking on dialect lessons, the unique costumes she got to wear and so much more.
THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES is now available on Premium Video on Demand from Lionsgate®, just in time for the holidays.
Director: Madison Coffey
Director of Photography: Jack Belisle
Talent: Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth, Josh Andres Rivera
Producer: Madison Coffey
Line Producer: Romeeka Powell
Associate Producer: Rafael Vasquez
Production Manager: Kayla Rodriguez
Production Coordinator: Tanía Jones
Talent Booker: Meredith Judkins
Cam Op: Chloe Ramos
Gaffer: David Djaco
Audio Engineer: Sean Paulsen
PA: Griffin Garnett
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[@maddielj300]

i love how she always shouts out the names of the crew she works with in interviews and social media. you don't see that often, it's nice to know some actors appreciate the teams that make it all happen!

[@minoalymeg]

when she mentioned her driver's name 🥺

[@Woeismyhoe]

yet her haters still call her dislikable ugh when will people grow up, she’s such a gem

[@sleepyunikittythecreator99]

​@@WoeismyhoeEXACTLY 💯

[@samantharuiz643]

The way she speaks is so insane, like she put so much intention to every word she says. Rachel Zegler is everything

[@harlemw651]

I noticed that, too. I think she’s trying to be more careful because of all the backlash she was getting.

[@ElenainMovieland]

That’s well done media training 😅

[@HaileytheEquestriann]

@@harlemw651honestly the backlash over the Snow White interview was really unnecessary. And it went on (is still going on) for way too long. 😪

[@jalishiaellis]

@@HaileytheEquestriannit’s honestly scary how far people went over a fictional princess

[@HaileytheEquestriann]

@@jalishiaellis literally

[@Mr.Marvel4957]

I think the character of Lucy Gray is going to live within me for the rest of my life. There are so many beautiful layers to her and Rachel portrayed them so amazingly in the film. 🕊️♥️🐍

[@Sam-0827]

I agree with you❤ she's a very intriguing character and she'll stay with me for a long time

[@_rat_5758]

I agree so much

[@samanthasookchan418]

rachel did so well in her role, very iconic and memorable!

[@LillPopp]

The fact that she and Tom did a chemistry read over zoom where she sang and it made him cry .....i mean talk about an instant connection. I know she is an actress, so is Tom and she is in a relationship, but the real - life chemistry with Tom is something you don't see every day.

[@londonalyse7407]

I love how she embodied the character. She did an amazing job with this role.

[@lifeofnikkisstudios217]

but with Snow White.....

[@lilac3266]

@@lifeofnikkisstudios217 nobody gaf about Snow White this is about miss Lucy Gray Baird

[@whatwhatwhatttttt]

@@lifeofnikkisstudios217shooting for SNOW WHITE?? loser behavior. get a life

[@La-PetitMort]

​@@lifeofnikkisstudios217Grow up

[@clark1938]

​@@lifeofnikkisstudios217no one cares, bro. That was taken way outta line and context in the first place

[@JennaStreich]

i could listen to this woman talk about this role forever. she literally brings tears to my eyes with how passionate and how much she cares about lucy gray

[@earthtonikka]

she is so articulate, it’s insane! as a long-time fan of the original Hunger Games books, it’s only normal to have high hopes for this film too. and she embodied Lucy Gray so well, it’s like she came straight out of the pages.

[@iluvcorbin123]

she's soooo thoughtful and smart and the way she means every word she says almost made me cry

[@nyugore6681]

I love Rachel so much, I'm so glad she played Lucy Gray

[@erikdaniels0n]

Watching this and reading the instagram story post she made announcing it, you can tell how deeply she loves Lucy Grey and how much of an honor it was for her to get to bring her to life, and I think that’s beautiful

[@may.h1]

was so blown away by rachel’s performance in the film. the believability and authenticity of her performance makes so much sense now bc not only is she unbelievably talented but she clearly adores and understands lucy gray so much

[@victoriat7961]

oh wow i didn’t even think about how emotional rachel would get during sejanus’ death scene… ik she said josh was like “i’m fine it’s not real” but it can’t be easy seeing something so brutal imo

[@violetception]

i love rachel's intentionality. i've been a fan since her posting musical theater covers on youtube days, and it's been amazing to see what she's achieved in so little time. with her talent and drive there's little she can't accomplish in the future.

[@danibevitt]

rachel is the best. she cares so much about her character and it shows

[@hun-yn5tt]

unlike..

[@gdesiree29]

Lucy gray >>>>>> Snow white ​@@hun-yn5tt

[@benjaminharris8407]

@gdesiree29 it’s giving misogynistic

[@gdesiree29]

@@benjaminharris8407 how ? A a character that is better than another is misogynistic? Stfu. If it was two males u wouldn't be saying that.

[@helenn7738]

​@@benjaminharris8407dude your comment is so stupid😭

[@ferni0307]

i just love her, hopefully one day people will truly see her, not through the eyes of edited interviews on tiktok or comments that distort her words. just see what a beautiful soul she is.

[@lilac3266]

exactly so many have said so much worse and got little to no repercussions. The internet owe her a HUGE apology

[@wolfgirl9462]

People really need to stop watching and reading things on TikTok and other fake gossip/rumours about her. I get that people weren’t happy about how she commented on the Snow White original, but that doesn’t mean they should hate her straight away. They don’t even know her. There is more to her then those comments that people have been talking her, and in this interview, I can tell that she is genuine, and kind and she has passion for her job and her performance in The ballad of songbirds and snakes was phenomenal. I really do hope that one day people will open their eyes and see who she really is.

[@skeptical7025]

Her portrayal of Lucy gray has won me over. She’s a great actress who genuinely cares about the character she portrayed.

[@F4keFelipx]

I love all the positive Rachel comments 🙏🏾 finally getting her recognition

[@TonganHorsey]

Her acting in hunger games was actually insane, she portrays that character so well

[@ceciliagundrum9704]

This interview is making me tear up bc Rachel is so real. I love her

[@ellebassa9288]

She's wildly talented

[@emilycaltania7375]

she’s so articulate and deliberate with her words. rachel is so beautiful inside and out and her gratitude is most definitely shown. need internet misogynists to back off!!!

[@atp8108]

And people want to say this woman is selfish and spoiled and ungrateful and blah blah blah. Their minds are diluted. She’s nothing but kind, grateful, and passionate about her job.

[@J_ae]

They're just adult children throwing temper tantrums. No use paying attention to them🥱

[@ban1o]

@@J_aegrown adults angry over a disney Princess cartoon 😂

[@judigemini178]

I have no idea what they’re even mad about...people are so ridiculous & infantile these days

[@kaveenasingsandcosplays3441]

​@@ban1oexactly. They're angry over a princess/movie that ain't all that. Before that, hardly anyone mentioned snow white, and now everyone is such a snow white fan all of a sudden😂😂

[@ZekeorSomething]

Stop defending guys. She deserves the hate she’s getting for playing Snow White

[@taylor_1944]

She is so incredible and intentional. So admirable at such a young age as well. So much love for her and this movie

[@saraholiver6236]

This is hands down the best book to movie conversion for a LONG time. I worried they would skip the details like so much of Harry Potter and stuff but the fidelity to original material was about as close as it gets. Loved the way Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth brought Lucy and Coriolanus together.

[@S0ph.e]

I love Rachel Zegler so much. It’s strange because she reminds me so much of who I am, and at the same time she’s the type of person I wanna be. She’s so passionate over everything she does and is in complete awe of the people who she feels fortunate to have. She’s one of the most humble, sweet, charismatic people out there. I could genuinely listen to her talk for hours, and watching her in any movie never gets boring.

[@an-qo6by]

their chemistry in the movie was truly some of the best ive ever seen.

[@laurennicole851]

wow! this made me tear up. rachel is so beautiful with her talents but also with her words! she is deeply connected to lucy gray, her words feel so passionate and intentional. what a beautiful interview, love u rachel

[@zurajanaii]

it's so humbling she even mentioned her driver Yon. such a kind lady

[@ocaaaa]

they will never make me hate you rachel

[@thischickkej]

Wow she speaks so well. Had me glued to the interview the entire time.

[@Simply_Swift13]

I love how she’s wearing a snake ring so in character

[@judigemini178]

She is SO lovely, there’s something very special & mesmerizing about her...I will support anything she’s in and I hope she rises & rises ...

[@Januarymash678]

Loved her portrayal of Lucy but Lucy’s accent was the absolutely most amazing part for me since I read the book without the accent and it somehow just completed the character

[@lucyjonesx]

don’t know how people don’t like this gal

[@june3306]

Just like Suzanne Collins said once "I only write when i have something to say" when talking abt her new book The hunger games❤

[@dearvotion]

She’s so beautiful & insanely talented, not to mention so sweet!! You can really tell she’s committed to acting, She’s an actual princess irl !! I can’t wait to see her in more films 💕💕

[@hello-lz4xj]

rachel's so well spoken, she makes an amazing lucy gray

[@sammiemm9397]

Rachel and Tom's chemistry had soo much frisson...chef's mwah to them

[@livgreen9650]

She's incredible like she just is

[@anhu154]

Ugh I love her so much. She brought Lucy Gray to life in the best possible way.

[@krustomer]

Queen of everything. She's always so articulate, in love with her

[@JosephJoestar53]

14:19 - 14:53 is the exact reason I strive to make a career in the film industry and behind sets. The experience and people you meet along the way, truly a remarkable process and memory

[@jennyferg__7575]

One of my favorite interviews to date!! Well done Rachel and Teen Vogue ❤

[@kookykiddo]

I’m convinced there is not a genuine complaint about this wonderful lady. Only misogyny and jealousy I think.

[@queennnviktoria]

She is such a great actress with a lot of talent ❤ She is my favorite actress and inspiration to be honest and I can't wait to see her in upcoming films.

[@anitonoyan6282]

So so proud of her and happy to see a comment section that loves her as much as I do!!!!

[@adolfopena7358]

She's an inspiration. She reminds so much of my friend and family as they all share similar senses of humor. It's like watching someone you know succeed.

[@WillHol29]

She understands the character perfect. I’m glad She is Lucy gray and her singing is beautiful

[@J_ae]

Her voice is so calming I could listen to her for hours ❤

[@jules-he8ni]

i’ve been in love with her voice since her covers on youtube and watching west side story in theaters upon release im so excited to see where her career goes next ❤️❤️❤️

[@admihongito]

I love the way Rachel studied Lucy Gray, she puts so much enthusiasm into her character that she can play her very well, you did a great job. ilysm

[@Icycold21]

This interview was so nice :)

[@_rat_5758]

I don’t care what anyone says, she was perfect for this role ❤

[@Sherryshinepine]

Such a talented actress

[@user-friendly-b6q]

I loved the movie and I am a middle aged woman ! But I have to say I love movies, I collect them and I go to the movies once a week. My niece is 25 and she loved it too. Thank you for a.great movie !

[@destinyywlo3231]

she played Lucy Gray so well.

[@cuhleeeyuh]

I love how she remembers the names of her crew

[@bluvitae]

so so interesting, she’s an incredibly talented actress

[@chuugummy975]

this video was amazing, very intrresting to really get to hear about all the stuff that goes on in the background of film making. loved rachel as lucy gray as well, and hope to see her in many more projects 😊

[@angelicapicones2536]

I love her! I've watched TBOSAS then I watched West Side Story. She will surely be in iconic movies and win more awards. Add to it that she's so well-spoken, sweet and genuine. Electric chemistry with Tom. I know she's with Josh but you can't deny the chemistry with Tom.

[@MsCloudnumber9]

i screamed in joy when i saw this in my suggested videos

[@Natalia-df5iw]

Incredible and inspiring woman!! The way she spoke and what she spoke about...

[@jenskosmos]

A wonderful interview. She understands Lucy Gray so well

[@alpheusrose2997]

“my hardest day that wasn’t physically demanding” *describes having to sprint full speed while pulling on a whole human twice her size and weight in dusty conditions*

[@KrizzieCruz03]

Rachel Zegler really did an amazing job portraying Lucy Gray 🥺🥺🥺

[@connection7405]

She did a great job, but also the movie itself was done amazingly!

[@hf18455]

she's amazing! I can't wait to see more of her

[@anahiplaza7101]

I love Rachel so much and I can't wait to see her next projects ❤

[@Skippityloo]

I truly cannot understand the people that hate this woman.

[@LilacSreya]

Political agenda. They're all grifters.

[@peak_911]

For sure she is a great actress.

[@useronioncrisis]

she's so eloquent

[@myohmayaa]

this woman deserves all the love in the world

[@lin0613]

We were very lucky to have her as Lucy Gray.

[@angelchavez4584]

Rachel was the perfect choice for Lucy omgosh

[@ruby-ig4jr]

unbelievably well spoken love her

[@renplatts]

she's so articulate and thoughtful, both of which come across with her performance as lucy gray ❤

[@AlexiaBalcazar]

Rachel is the perfect cast for Lucy ❤

[@paulwnuk8323]

Rachel Zegler is so amazing and talented

[@tuyentrinh8849]

I am really fond of her voice and her earnestness❤❤

[@ralph411]

She is a wonderful person, and honestly, she aced this movie!

[@LemonThymeArt]

I loved the book, and you did phenomenal with Lucy Gray!

[@xman54ful]

I can listen her talking all day. ❤

[@squashy9100]

These comments are so sweet💗. Rachel is amazing.

[@nowahmillay]

MORE TBOSAS INTERVIEWER YESSS

[@spaceships.s]

She's so eloquent wow

[@sophsstardust]

what a beautiful interview ❤ such great insights

[@nicola.6]

Love her so much ❤ she does not deserve the amount of hate she gets

[@Salvage5681]

Fr, I saw a few people say that they just decided not to go see the movie purely because they don't like her, it's just disheartening seeing people miss out on her wonderful performance just because they're butthurt over her... not liking snow white?? Like am I missing something because I'm genuinely so confused, this is such a trivial thing to pour so much unneeded hate into.

[@cram2979]

It's hilarious how angry Zegler makes weirdo neckbeards by being successful

[@amjadm7730]

Sure buddy

[@lilac3266]

@@amjadm7730found one

[@KaylaM13]

After finishing the book and starting the movie she is perfect for this.

[@houseofmatrix6174]

Lucy Gray was best character in the movie

[@mayadoly3576]

she’s so talented and so well spoken i love her so much

[@lea2767]

loved her in the movie and love watching her talk in general she seems so genuine and kind

[@denniixv]

So proud of Rachel and everyone in TBOSAS! ❤

[@kayyr1329]

she was the PERFECT lucy gray🥲❤️

[@blairbrown4812]

"...And Why Her Mere Existence Poses a Significant Threat to Civilization as We Know It." Seriously though, you go girl, go! You have so much ahead of you...

[@TiaanBReviews]

I'm so happy she believes in this film

[@rmannayr2129]

RACHEL IS INCREDIBLE!

[@catradorasprmanager7728]

the brown contact thing Imfaoo I know she was thinking of that blue eyed dog comment as she said that

[@autsesameseason4023]

I love Rachel Zegler soooo much! She is so well spoken and such a genuine person!

[@lonelytokki.-_-.]

I really admire her