That Shazam! Anger of the gods is in theaters, Rachel Zegler is explain why she took on the role of Anthea in the DC movie. No, it doesn’t stem from a passion for superhero storytelling or because the role was just such a perfect fit for her, but for the same reason, many of us do the less glamorous parts of our jobs: For a salary.
“I needed a job. I’m so serious,” says Zegler on it Shazam Red carpet.
“The reality is we are in the middle of a pandemic and I wasn’t working and I couldn’t get a job for the life of me because West Side Story hadn’t come out yet,” she says The Hollywood Reporter. “It was really hard to book work for me.”
Are probably a similar logic that leads many high profile actors to do a stint within the industrial superhero complex. In an industry increasingly prioritizing non-franchise projects, landing a role in a movie of this nature these days feels more like “paying your dues” or a quick cash grab that allows actors to pursue less economic but more meaningful projects. Take Oscar Isaac, who appeared right after he appeared in Marvel’s Moon Knight (2022), has since led a stage production of The Sign in the Window by Sidney Brustein at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
As Marvel and DC both continue to produce countless projects each year, it’s no surprise that the productions have almost turned into a revolving door of one-off appearances from esteemed actors. The lucky few manage to get in, get paid, and get out without a lengthy contract that binds them to other projects for years to come. With the state of DC, there’s no telling if Zegler will return for another movie, but it looks like she had fun making this one, even though it came from a more financially desperate place.
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“I loved the first movie, and the fact that they even wanted me to call back and then read a camera and then everything in between, I’m so lucky to have gotten this job,” says Zegler. “I have made some of my best friends in this job. I absolutely love this movie too, so I’m excited.
Finally as actors now regularly forget their involvement in MCU and DC projects, it’s nice to hear a little more honesty about how they end up in these roles, rather than waxing poetic about a character like Shazam.