Rachel Zegler Shocks Hollywood, Takes Home People’s Choice Award Over Action Legends

The 2024 People’s Choice Award winner for Action Movie Star of the Year was not one that many people anticipated.

Hollywood’s action movie heavyweights, such as Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One), Keanu Reeves (John Wick: Chapter 4), Jason Momoa (Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom), and Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), as well as Viola Davis (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), Gal Gadot (Heart of Stone), and Brie Larson (The Marvels) were all nominated in the said category.

To everyone’s surprise, however, newcomer Rachel Zegler prevailed and took home the award for her portrayal of Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.

Rachel Zegler’s Action Movie Star of the Year Win Sparks Controversy

Taking to the stage to collect her trophy, Zegler thanked the movie fans who voted for her.

“Thank you. I love movies, I love making them, and I am a fan of movies. And I am surrounded by movie fans tonight, and movie fans who voted, and I am so thankful to everyone who’s ever bought a ticket and watched something that so many people have made,” she said in her acceptance speech.

“For so long in this business, I didn’t think I fit in, but tonight, you made me feel like I don’t have to change myself to be chosen, and I appreciate you so much,” she continued.

She went on to thank director Francis Lawrence, the Hunger Games staff and crew, her on-screen partner Tom Blythe, her IRL partner Josh Rivera, and her family.

However, many movie enthusiasts weren’t exactly thrilled about Zegler’s win.

One X (former Twitter) user said, “John Wick didn’t die for this.”

“I liked the movie quite a lot, but there is no reality where she deserved that over the action work Cruise or Reeves did in their respective films the same year,” another said.

Another commented, “Keanu Reeves fell down 50 flights of stairs & kung fu’d the hell of a bunch of people & Tom Cruise rode a motorbike off a cliff and parachuted away, but whatever.”

Since the People’s Choice Awards winners are determined through fan votes, results may not always match expectations. Regardless of how huge an actor is or how good a movie is, the winners will most likely be those that have struck a chord with viewers throughout the year.

Rachel Zegler Reveals Voting for Keanu Reeves

Rachel Zegler felt compelled to respond to one of the posts where trolls and antis were venting their disappointment.

“If it makes you feel any better, I voted for keanu,” she replied, quoting the post that reads, “Keanu Reeves fell down 50 flights of steps and Tom Cruise drove a motorbike off a cliff though.”

Rachel Zegler Commands Attention in a Black Nfetted Dior Dress

Rachel Zegler radiates confidence and grace with her carefree and daring style. Sunday was no different when she walked the People’s Choice Awards 2024 red carpet in a black net dress that showed a glimpse of her flesh.

The 22-year-old actress looked stunning in the daring Dior gown that boasted a beaded net bodice with a scoop neck held in place by thin spaghetti straps. A glimpse of her bust and flat abs was visible through the sheer nude corset worn underneath the netted dress.

The same see-through net material, adorned with swinging tassels, covered the lower portion of her magnificent gown. Not only did her ankle-grazing dress showcase her toned legs, but it also highlighted her timeless black Dior pointed-toe pumps.

Rachel Zegler radiates confidence as she shows off her assets in a see-through black netted dress by Dior at the 49th Annual People’s Choice Awards held at The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Los Angeles on February 18, 2024 (Credit: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Abaca Press / INSTARimages)

The Shazam! Fury of the Gods star teamed up with her go-to stylist, Sarah Lutsky, to create her stunning evening look. She styled with a few sparkling diamond and gold pieces from Nadine Aysoy’s Catena collection, but her neck remained bare to highlight her eye-catching garment.

A set of $10,070 Illusion Heart-Shaped Double Earrings in 18k yellow gold with illusion set diamonds in the shapes of pears and hearts were among her jewelry pieces. The diamonds are pear-cut diamonds (0.73 carats), marquise-cut diamonds (0.44 carats), and princess-cut diamonds (0.20 carats).

On her red manicured fingers, she wore the $5,545 Petite Diamond Illusion Asher Ring in 18k yellow gold with an illusion cluster of 0.25ct white baguette, 0.02ct brilliant, and 0.15ct princess-cut diamonds. Completing the ensemble was the $5,545 Illusion Pear Diamond 18k Yellow Gold Ring, which included 0.30ct white marquise, 0.08ct princess, and 0.09ct pear-cut diamonds.

Rachel Zegler’s black Dior gown features a netted bodice with a nude corset underneath and a see-through tasseled skirt (Credit: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Abaca Press / INSTARimages)

Clayton Hawkins fashioned Zegler’s chocolate hair into glamorous, bouncy curls with a deep side part, while Allan Avendaño applied sultry makeup.

Avendaño highlighted Rachel’s tantalizing eyes with smokey bronze eyeshadow and defined her cheekbones with peachy blush before finishing the look with Dior Rouge Velvet Lipstick in Nude Look.

Rachel Zegler pairs her daring Dior gown with black Dior pumps, jewelry by Nadine Aysoy, a bouncy hairstyle, and sultry makeup (Credit: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Abaca Press / INSTARimages)