♪ Memory, she is smiling alone ♪
- Hi, my name is Rachel Zegler,
and I'm gonna play a game of Song Association with Elle
but musical edition.
I'll be given a word and I will have 10 seconds
to either sing or rap that word in a song.
Even though I am an actor
and being on the spot is quite literally my job,
I get very nervous and my palms start to sweat.
So we're gonna have to check at the end of the video
just how sweaty my palms get.
But before we get started,
make sure to catch "West Side Story"
now streaming on Disney Plus,
and "Shazam 2: Fury of the Gods"
which is set to release in theaters December 16th, 2022.
(upbeat music) (Rachel rip-trilling)
I'm aware, I look like the blowfish when I do it.
Season.
Oh, okay.
♪ Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade ♪
♪ They have their seasons so do we ♪
♪ If you happen to remember ♪
♪ Stop and think of me ♪
Jazz.
♪ Come on babe, why don't we paint the town ♪
♪ And all that jazz I'm gonna rouge my knees ♪
♪ And roll my stockings down ♪
It's "All That Jazz" from "Chicago."
Moon.
♪ The moon ♪
♪ First time I heard your voice ♪
♪ Moonlight bursting to the room ♪
That is "No One Else" by Dave Malloy,
the "Natasha, Pierre; the Great Comment of 1812,"
which deserved a longer life on Broadway.
Bake.
♪ Mama it's amazing what baking can do ♪
I don't know if that counts,
'cause I said baking and not bake.
Does that count?
I don't know.
Pretty.
Oh boy.
♪ I feel pretty. ♪
♪ Oh, so pretty. ♪
♪ I feel pretty and witty and bright ♪
♪ And I pity ♪
♪ Any girl who is isn't me tonight ♪
From the very obvious "West Side Story.
"I feel pretty" means so much to me
because I played Maria for the first time
when I was 16 years old on stage,
and that song was such a beautiful celebration
of femininity and beauty.
When I got cast as Maria
in Stevens Spielberg's "West Side Story,"
there was a huge debate as to whether
or not it would actually make it into the film,
because both Stephen Sondheim and Steven Spielberg
both didn't really see how it fit in narratively.
But luckily, Jeanine Tesori and Tony Kushner, my two heroes,
my knights in shining armor
really fought for it to be in the film,
because it was the last moment we really see Maria happy
and her blissful ignorance to what's really going on
in her life.
And, you know, it's right before
the real downfall of the show.
It's just one of my favorite memories
was doing that song on set with everybody.
Bruce Springsteen came to set that day to visit
and see me sing, and I was too nervous to go up and say hi.
Room.
♪ I wanna be in the room where it happens ♪
♪ The room where it happens ♪
♪ I wanna be in the room where it happens ♪
From "Hamilton," which I also just saw
on stage here on the West End.
I could admittedly never afford tickets
to see it on Broadway.
And when I moved here I actually had a friend in the cast,
and they took me to see it,
which was really, really wonderful.
Dream.
♪ I dreamed a dream and time gone by ♪
♪ When hope was high and life worth living. ♪
I just saw it on the West End literally yesterday.
That's "I dreamed a dream" from Les Mis,
which was my first ever favorite musical.
My first experience with musical theater was "Sweeney Todd."
I heard Michael Cerveris singing "Epiphany"
on the radio one day and just became obsessed.
But my mom used to play
the original Broadway cast album of Les Mis
when she cleaned the house or went on snow days.
So my first real visceral musical theater memory
was "One Day More" with Colm Wilkinson and Terence Mann,
and Frances Ruffelle, and the whole original Broadway cast.
So it's always been a huge part of my life.
I played Cosette when I was 15 years old on stage,
and it's just one of my favorite shows.
Enough.
I guess "The Greatest Showman," right?
♪ All the shine of a thousand spotlights ♪
♪ All stars we steal from the night sky ♪
♪ Will never be enough ♪
Written and composed by my good friends,
Benj Pasek, Justin Paul.
Tonight.
Geez.♪ Tonight ♪
♪ Tonight ♪
♪ It all began tonight ♪
♪ I saw you and the world went away ♪
From "West Side Story."
If I could put that whole experience with "West Side Story"
into one word, it would be riveting,
'cause it was a really wild ride.
It's a very hard transition.
I was very lucky to be guided by Steven Spielberg
in that regard, and he really ushered me towards the light.
And I really do say this so often
when it comes to young actors,
you usher them towards the light and it will follow them.
There were ups and downs,
and it was a complete rollercoaster,
but I think I came out a better person because of it,
and I'm so grateful for the world
that "West Side Story" opened up for me.
Memory.
♪ Midnight ♪
♪ Not a sound from the pavement ♪
♪ Has the moon lost her memory ♪
♪ She is smiling alone. ♪
"Cats."
What more can I say but "Cats."
Wizard.
♪ When I meet The wizard ♪
♪ Once I prove my worth ♪
♪ And then I meet the wizard ♪
♪ What I have waited for since, since birth ♪
"Wicked."
I can't wait to see Cynthia Erivo do it on the big screen.
So excited.
America.
I mean, I know the obvious one.
♪ I like to be in America ♪
♪ Okay, buy me in America ♪ ♪ Everything free in America ♪
♪ For a small fee in America ♪
I really liked being a part of the Quintet,
because that was how we warmed up every morning
and how we all became in ensemble, every morning.
The whole cast, you know, the Shark boys, the Jet boys,
and all of the principal cast that's singing that song,
we all kind of would get together in the morning
around the the piano with Jeanine Tesori,
and that was how we warmed up.
And I really cherished those those early morning high notes.
Goodbye.
♪ Goodbye love ♪
♪ Came to say goodbye love ♪
♪ Goodbye ♪
From "Rent," which is so super underrated song,
it's my favorite song from "Rent."
And I think it's super underrated.
Propose.
♪ He'll propose on one knee ♪
♪ And our prenupt will be binding ♪
♪ It won't be long, now I guarantee ♪
"I know It's Today" from "Shrek The Musical,"
which was the last musical I did on stage.
Actually to this day, it was the last show I've ever done.
I think that was three years ago.
I played for Fiona my senior year of high school,
and it was the last musical I ever did.
We closed that show, and the next day
I jumped into rehearsals for "West Side Story",
which is actually three years ago this week, which is crazy.
Obviously it was a whirlwind experience
and I'm so grateful for it,
but I finished my high school diploma
from a dance rehearsal studio,
but I didn't go to my prom and all that stuff
'cause I was working and I was really dedicated
to making sure that I did a good job
and I didn't want any distractions.
So I look back on that time, and there isn't regret,
I don't regret anything.
I wouldn't do anything differently.
But I certainly had a different graduation experience
than most high school seniors did and do.
Parade.
♪ Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade ♪
"Funny Girl," which everyone should go see the revival
starring Beanie Feldstein and Ramin Karimloo
on Broadway right now,
'cause Lord knows I wish I could be there
to see it for myself.
I think I did really, really well.
And I think this is,
like my prize is bragging rights.
I really do feel like I can go on the street and brag
and people will be like, "Whoa, look out for that girl.
"She did well in Song Association with Elle
"musical edition."
Thanks so much for watching me play
Song Association with Elle, musical edition.
If you can catch "West Side Story"
on Disney Plus streaming now,
and you can watch more videos like this
by subscribing down below.