2019 was clearly a different world for many reasons, but also for the fact that Shazam! felt like such a free-wheeling revelation that it landed on our list of favorite comic-book movies from the past decade. Fast forward to the DC Universe being in a very different place with James Gunn taking over (in more ways than one) as the production house’s new chief. And so, Shazam! Fury of the Gods sits in an odd place where it’s good enough as a placeholder, but it’s not blowing over critics by any stretch of the imagination.
That reality probably makes red carpets awkward, too, but Rachel Zegler (who plays one of Atlas’ daughters, Anthea) doesn’t seem phased. In fact, she was super blunt with The Hollywood Reporter about why she took this gig: “I…. needed a job. I’m being so serious.” She wasn’t done yet after the conclusion of this soundbite.
Watch the full interview with @RachelZegler at the #ShazamMovie premiere pic.twitter.com/mjB4PschNV
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) March 16, 2023
“The reality is we’re in the middle of a pandemic,” Zegler continued. “[A]nd I was not working and I couldn’t get a job for the life of me, because West Side Story hadn’t come out yet. It was really hard to book work for me.”
That sound bite appeared within around a 2:00 minute interview that saw Zegler also discuss what it’s like to be a Taylor Swift fan. As everyone knows, Swift’s Eras tour kicks off this weekend, and Zegler would like the world to know, “I got screwed by Ticketmaster, too. Celebrities, they’re just like us.”
In other words, Ziegler’s got no dice and no tickets after the conglomerate went down during the crush of Swift ticket sales. She’s certainly not alone in her criticism of Ticketmaster, which came under fire this week from The Cure’s fans due to added fees that subsequently “sickened” lead singer Robert Smith. That’s led to Ticketmaster refunding some fees, but that’s probably not enough to quell the debate.
Nor is it enough to score Zegler any Taylor Swift tickets. However, she did clarify to The Hollywood Reporter that she is a Shazam! fan, too. “I loved the first movie, and the fact that they even wanted me to come in for a callback and then a camera read and then everything in between, I’m so lucky that I got this job,” she revealed. “I made some of my best friends on this job. I just absolutely adore this movie, too, so I’m excited.”
Watch the full interview with @RachelZegler at the #ShazamMovie premiere pic.twitter.com/mjB4PschNV
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) March 16, 2023
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)