Rachel Zegler 'Was Not Expecting' Backlash Over Initial Oscars Snub (Exclusive)

Rachel Zegler 'Was Not Expecting' Backlash Over Her Lack of an O…

Hilary Duff Calls Posing Nude a Combination of Terrifying and Fr…

Tim McGraw & Faith Hill on Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford Joinin…

Watch Angelyne in Rare Interviews About Her Iconic L.A. Billboar…

David Oyelowo on Joining the 'Yellowstone' Universe With Bass Re…

Johnny Depp Not Dating His Attorney Camille Vasquez (Source)

How Jada Pinkett Smith and 'Red Table Talk' Addressed Will Smith…

Kaley Cuoco on Her Process of Battling 'Tumultuous' Drama On and…

‘Real World Homecoming: New Orleans’ Melissa & Danny Reveal How …

Joe Jonas Recalls His First Big Live Performance Ahead of 'Becom…

'The Kardashians': Kim Reveals the Khloe-Themed Joked She Cut Fr…

‘Outer Range’ Sneak Peek: Watch Noah Reid Sing ‘Angel of the Mor…

BIBI on Her History-Making Coachella Performance (Exclusive)

Watch Johnny Depp's Testimony Claiming He Was Dropped From 'Pira…

Rob Kardashian Wants Daughter Dream to Feel ‘Secure and Safe’ Am…

Zendaya and Tom Holland Show PDA in Boston

Ashley Graham Shows Off 'New Tummy' Months After Giving Birth

Megan Fox Details 'Blood-Drinking Ceremonies' With Machine Gun K…

Lil Jon on Why He Started Doing Home Renovations With New HGTV S…
Rachel Zegler had no idea fans would run to her defense as quickly and as boisterously as they did after quietly revealing that she initially had not been invited to the 94th Academy Awards. And, naturally, she was shocked at the outpouring of support that ultimately led to an invitation.
The 20-year-old West Side Story star spoke with ET's Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner while walking the red carpet and said she wasn't expecting the Academy to swiftly spring into action.
"People were upset and I was not expecting it so it’s very wonderful to be here," she said. "I’m really thankful to the Academy for asking me to present and everyone at Snow White who was able to just let me get on a plane."
So, why the omission and who corrected it? Zegler has no clue!
"I’ll be honest, I don’t know and I don’t wanna know," she said. "I kind of just let it all -- the chips go where they did because I was really overwhelmed with the response to it because it was a comment I made on my own Instagram post. You don’t really expect that to make the news the next day -- and it was just a statement -- but we're here, we're happy, we're really thankful."
When she took the Oscars stage to present the award for Best Visual Effects alongside Euphoria star Jacob Elordi, Zegler quipped, “I never thought I would be here…six days ago. Dreams do come true. Pretty fast, in fact.”
It was just last week when when Zegler took to Instagram and posted a picture of her evening gown. A fan commented they couldn't wait until they saw her outfit at the Oscars, and that's when Zegler replied in the comments section.
"I'm not invited, so sweatpants and my boyfriend's flannel," the budding actress revealed.
The revelation drew outrage, especially considering that the Steven Spielberg-directed film is up for several awards, including Best Picture. The backlash was so intense, Zegler took to social media and implored fans to "respect the process."
ET has since learned that each film nominated for Best Picture gets an allotted number of tickets for the film, and it's the studio that disperses the tickets.
Zegler had been in London shooting Mark Webb's live-action Snow White for Disney.
Stay tuned to ETonline.com for complete Oscars coverage, including this year's winners.
RELATED CONTENT:
Oscars 2022: The Complete Winners List (Live Updating)
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith Make Grand Entrance at 2022 Oscars
Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons On Oscars Date Night
Serena and Venus Williams Slay at 2022 Oscars
Oscars Hosts Regina Hall, Amy Schumer & Wanda Sykes Step Out in Style
Zendaya Is Glitz and Glamour as She Makes Surprise Oscars Arrival
Kristen Stewart Is Red Carpet Royalty in Chanel Shorts at the Oscars
Jessica Chastain Says Sparkly Oscars Dress 'Felt Like Me' (Exclusive)