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Rachel Zegler had to exit stage left on Thursday.
The actress, 24, who isΒ starring in βEvitaβ at the London PalladiumΒ on the West End, abruptly left the evening performance due to illness.
According to People, Zeglerβs departure was announced during intermission.
The βSnow Whiteβ starβs understudy,Β Bella Brown, took over during the second act, opening the scene with the famous tune, βDonβt Cry for Me Argentina.βΒ
Despite the switch-up, the audience was pleased with Brownβs performance. They gave the young star a nearly five-minute standing ovation.
Brown and the rest of the cast also took 10 bows.
βToday really showed just how important swings and covers are within this industry,β the actress wrote on her Instagram Stories. βThey are pillars of a show!! A proud day to be atΒ βEvita.’β
Brown added in a follow-up post, βWhat a lucky audience getting to see both me and MY ANGEL REG ZEG!!βΒ
The Post reached out to Zeglerβs rep for comment.
Zegler is starring as the former first lady of ArgentinaΒ in the musical, which debuted in 1978. The show was written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
On Thursday, Zegler performed during the matinee before leaving in the middle of the night run. It is unclear if she will return to the stage on Friday.
The singer is set to star in βEvitaβ through Sept. 6. The production began its run in June.
At the time of the showβs opening, Zegler took to Instagram to gush over the opportunity.
βI couldnβt be luckier,βΒ she shared in a lengthy message. βI have such a deep love for everyone who has touched this production. I never thought I would get to live my dream this way. Surrounded by the most amazing people. I feel so held.β
In March, Zegler noted that starring in Jamie Lloydβs production of βEvitaβ had always been a dream.
ββEvitaβΒ has been such an important musical to me since I was a little girl, when my dad and I would sing βDonβt Cry for Me Argentinaβ together on my back patio,β she toldΒ Deadline. βThe opportunity to bring Jamie Lloydβs singular, visionary ideas to life onstage is an honor unlike any other. The stage has always felt like home to me, and I canβt wait to make my West End debut in such great company.β
But after opening night, Zegler sparked criticism from some critics.
In the production, she performs βDonβt Cry For Me Argentinaβ from a balcony overlooking the street outside the venue.Β
Paying audience members are forced to watchΒ a livestream βΒ of the showβs biggest song β on a screen from their seats.
βIβm excited to see her, but not sure how I feel about paying that much to watch the most iconic moment on a screen,β one viewer penned on X.
Another social media user called the move βa bit of a rip offβ and blamed production.
βSorry, are you saying Iβve paid that much for 2 tickets and sheβs singing the biggest number outside at people who havenβt paid?β a third person chimed in.
Not everyone was upset by the strategic move, however. Some pointed out that it benefits those who could not afford to see a West End show.Β
βAbsolutely stunning idea and a beautiful symbol β while the rich sit inside the theatre watching from the screen, Evita is outside on the balcony of the theatre addressing all those who canβt afford to go to the theatre and/or are living on the streets of London,β one follower gushed on X. βThe whole idea of staging the song this way is truly incredible. Emotional. It says a lot, and I am here for it!β
Zegler has also found love behind the scenes.
Earlier this month, the βSpellboundβ actress was spotted kissing backup dancer Nathan Louis-Fernand at Hyde Park.
On July 6, the couple attended a Sabrina Carpenter concert and were pictured holding hands.
The professional dancer previously performed inΒ βMagic Mike Liveβ in London, gushing about the experience inΒ a May Instagram post.
βWhen I was Mike a.k.a. Miguel,β Louis-Fernand captioned the clip from his time in the show.
Zegler commented, βYou posting this in your birthday is such jokes,β to which he replied, β@rachelzeglerΒ they just happened to fall on the same day π€·πΎββοΈ a happy accident if you will ππ.β
The βWest Side Storyβ vet previously dated her βHunger Gamesβ co-star Josh AndrΓ©s Rivera. The exes quietly split βlate last year,βΒ according to Us Weekly.
Zeglerβs latest role, meanwhile, comes on the heels of a controversial year. She received widespread backlash while promoting Disneyβs live-action film βSnow White.β
Zegler, who played the title character,Β went on a rant against those whoΒ voted for Donald TrumpΒ in the 2024 election. She also described the original 1937 movie as βdated.β
Disney producer Marc Plattβs son,Β Jonah Platt, would go on to slam Zegler for being βimmature.β
Additionally, she and her co-star Gal Gadot allegedly butted heads over their differences regarding the Israel-Palestinian war in Gaza.
The film flopped at the box office and had an estimated loss of $115 million.