Rachel Zegler Invited to Present at Oscars 2022 (Report)

Days after saying she couldn’t score tickets to the 2022 Academy Awards, it looks like “West Side Story” star Rachel Zegler is going after all!

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Zegler has now been invited as a presenter for the Oscars.

The outlet notes that Rachel is currently in London shooting the live-action adaptation of “Snow White,” but she could still make the show if her filming scheduled is rearranged.

“West Side Story” has seven Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture.

A few days ago, Zegler revealed that she wasn’t invited to attend when a fan told her that he “can't wait to see what you'll be wearing on Oscar night.” She responded, “idk y'all i have tried it all but it doesn't seem to be happening :') i will root for west side story from my couch and be proud of the work we so tirelessly did 3 years ago."

Addressing the surprising oversight, she said she hopes "some last minute miracle occurs and i can celebrate our film in person but hey, that's how it goes sometimes, i guess."

Thanking commenters for "all the shock and outrage," she admitted she is "disappointed, too. but that's okay. so proud of our movie."

Could COVID be to blame? The Academy has not released names of all attendees yet, but a tighter list is expected due to the ongoing pandemic

Zegler hasn’t commented on the invite yet, but she did show her appreciation for all the love and support. She tweeted on Sunday, “my goodness, folks!! appreciate all the support, i really really do. we live in such unprecedented times, and a lot of work behind the scenes goes into making movie magic happen. that goes for film productions (like the one I am so lucky to be currently shooting in london) and awards shows alike. let’s all just respect the process and i’ll get off my phone.”

The Oscars telecast is already weathering controversy over the decision to exclude from the main live telecast a large number of categories, including Best Film Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Sound, Best Documentary Short Subject, Best Animated Short and Best Live-Action Short.

Oscars producer Will Packer told The Los Angeles Times of his plans, "I think there’s a lot of misinformation out there because it’s much more clickable and it’s a better talking point to say, 'These categories are being thrown off the air.' It makes good dinner conversation at the Soho House. But that’s just not the reality."

Though they won't be seen on the main show, those categories will be presented in an hourlong telecast before the ceremonies — one that Packer says will have dedicated hosts.

Best Actress nominee Jessica Chastain, star of “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” recently noted that she’s willing to skip the red carpet to show her support for the makeup category. During a podcast, she said, “I will absolutely be present when the makeup category is being called, and if that means I’m not doing press on the red carpet or ABC or whatever it is, then so be it.”

She stressed, “The most important thing for me is to honor the incredible artisans who work in our industry. So much attention is on the actors. We’re like the face, in some ways, because you go to a movie and you see us. A lot of people don’t understand how beyond an actor a performance is. Look at this incredible makeup team. ‘Tammy Faye’ goes through three decades.”