No Oscars invite for Rachel Zegler? Original ‘West Side Story’ star won’t have it

Jets and Sharks rivalry apart, Russ Tamblyn — who performed Riff within the 1961 model of “West Aspect Story” — agrees that Rachel Zegler deserves a ticket to the Academy Awards.

After Zegler, who performed feminine lead María within the 2021 adaptation of the musical, revealed over the weekend that she will not be invited to the Oscars this 12 months, Tamblyn gave the movie academy a chunk of his thoughts by way of Twitter.

In “West Aspect Story,” Riff leads a New York Metropolis gang of white males referred to as the Jets, who often rumble with Puerto Rican rival gang the Sharks, led by María’s older brother, Bernardo. However Monday, the unique Riff was Group María all the best way.

“@TheAcademy As a voting member and the unique Riff, let me say: it’s your obligation to search out Rachel a seat on the Oscars,” Tamblyn, 87, tweeted in response to a Los Angeles Occasions report on Zegler’s Oscar plans.

“She STARS in #Westsidestory which is nominated throughout the board. After they say illustration issues, that is what which means. Please do proper by her.”

It’s price noting that the movie academy offers every film studio with a greatest image nominee a sure variety of tickets to the Oscars, which the studio can assign nonetheless it needs.

Particular person nominees and presenters get their very own tickets to the present. Zegler, 20, will not be presenting, nor did she obtain a solo nomination for her big-screen debut as María.

Steven Spielberg’s “West Aspect Story” — which is nominated for seven awards together with greatest image — was distributed by Disney’s twentieth Century Studios. Disney has not responded to a number of requests for remark from The Occasions.

“Idk y’all i’ve tried all of it however it doesn’t appear to be taking place,” Zegler wrote Sunday on Instagram. “I’ll root for west facet story from my sofa and be pleased with the work we so tirelessly did 3 years in the past.

“I hope some final minute miracle happens and that i can have fun our movie in particular person however hey, that’s the way it goes typically, i assume. thanks for all of the shock and outrage — i’m dissatisfied, too. however that’s okay. so pleased with our film.”

Tamblyn is way from the one leisure luminary in Zegler’s nook. On Sunday, “One Day at a Time” co-creator Gloria Calderón Kellett lamented the snub throughout a “uncommon time that Latine individuals have a film nominated for an OSCAR.”

And “Rutherford Falls” co-creator Sierra Teller Ornelas tweeted, “This will likely seem to be a small papas factor, however all we hear is ‘you people haven’t any stars to construct initiatives round’. S— like that is how we try this!”

On Monday, “Scrubs” actor Judy Reyes and “Ugly Betty” actor Ana Ortiz referred to as the dearth of an invite for Zegler “BS” and “total bulls—,” respectively.

When requested Sunday by a fan about Zegler’s scenario, Ariana DeBose — who’s favored to win the supporting actress Oscar for her acclaimed flip as Anita in “West Aspect Story” — tweeted that she simply turned conscious of the dialog however didn’t remark additional.

See extra reactions to Zegler’s Instagram remarks under.