Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler Say Going Viral Is a Double-Edged Sword

Underneath the busy streets of New York City, two of Hollywood’s youngest and most sought-after actors are on their dinner break at their Broadway home, Circle in the Square Theatre. Emmy winner Kit Connor and Golden Globe winner Rachel Zegler, currently making their Broadway debut as the title tragic lovers in Sam Gold’s reimagined production of Romeo and Juliet, cuddle together in Zegler’s dressing room. Zegler rests her head on Connor’s shoulder, and as the pair get comfortable, they resonate an ease with one another that you’d only expect to see from lifelong friends. However, the two stars only met earlier this year and didn’t know each other before signing onto the production.

“I will say,” Connor begins, “one of the biggest honors of my career has been getting to come in every day and see this girl, who was literally born for this…for these stages. She was born for Broadway!” Zegler is caught off guard by the compliment. Her doe-like eyes widen, and she jerks her head to look at Connor as he continues. “It is pretty special to be able to come in and see her get to live out her dream.” Zegler is instantly overcome by emotion by Connor’s statements, puts her hand over her heart, and begins to tear up. She quickly grabs a tissue and stares up at the ceiling to fight back tears.

“I'm so caught off guard by that,” Zegler says as her voice chokes up. She laughs while composing herself and nudges her shoulder into Connor’s. “That was so sweet. What the heck?!” Connor bashfully smiles and Zegler wipes away a tear. “I cannot think of anything in this life that I've ever wanted more, and so the expectation versus reality just goes out the window.” She reveals a smile that grows across her face as she continues. “But also, I had no doubt in my mind that Kit was just the perfect choice to bring this character to life that so many people think they know. But he breathes new life into it eight times a week.”

Connor crosses his arms and grins at the compliment. He adds that even though both actors are no strangers to portraying lovelorn characters (Connor rose to fame in Netflix’s Heartstopper while Zegler played Maria in the 2021 West Side Story film), this Romeo and Juliet is more than just two teenagers in love. “The love aspect is obviously an incredibly important part of this show,” he explains. “And yet, I think it's often just seen as just some kind of romance, or not really acknowledged to be the tragedy that it is. I find that out of all Shakespeare's tragedies, it's probably the one that moves me the most by the end of it.”

Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler Heather Gershonowitz

“I think [our production] really incorporates the idea that teenagers are getting older as time goes on. They’re losing their childhood earlier than the ones before them,” Zegler says. “So, it's an exploration of youth in that way. I think it examines what we pass down to the next generation, especially in terms of hatred that goes unwarranted and unprompted. And how we move forward in generational trauma.”

During that exploration, Connor reveals that he’s made a discovery that surprised him during rehearsals. “Something that I found is that the real anchor to the play is the balcony scene,” he says. “It’s where the audience really falls in love with these two characters and wants them to end up together. And I actually find it the easiest to play.” Connor adds that through the iconic scene, he has discovered what is at the core of his Romeo. “He's this young guy who's incredibly excited that a girl fancies him and he's just besotted with her and would do anything for her. Would do anything to be as close as possible with her,” Connor explains. “He believes that he would climb up to the heavens to get to her. He believes that. And that is the soul of my Romeo.”

Zegler echoes that the same scene has helped unlock her portrayal of Juliet, a character that is a little similar to another role she’s played in the past. “My career has been defined by revivals, reboots, and reimaginations,” she says laughing. “But I do think this Juliet is different.”

“The first you really get to hear her speak, at least in our version, is in that balcony scene. She says, ‘Deny thy father and refuse thy name. What's in a name?’” Zegler goes on to explain that Juliet, though young, has a brain that often can’t seem to keep up with her mouth. But it is that same mind that wills her to start deconstructing the language that had been given to her and to find her own voice. “Then in Act Two, in her deep, emotional opening is the word ‘banished.’ And the mistrust of the word banished, how it's worse than death. So what has really rooted me in playing Juliet is that distrust of language and her youth. They’re her superpower, rather than what makes her weaker.”

Their discoveries, while private during the rehearsal process, have been quite public during the Broadway show's preview performances. Romeo and Juliet's month-long preview process, like any production, allows actors and the creative team the opportunity the make changes to the show while having an audience to garner feedback before it is frozen for the official run. However Connor and Zegler admit that the show's previews felt much more public, due to audiences filming portions and posting online. Many of the clips going viral, including the aforementioned balcony scene—which sees Connor doing a minute-long dead hang from a floating platform that Zegler is resting on, then doing a pull up and holding it for a full five seconds in order to kiss Zegler—to cheers from the crowd.

"I think it's like a really nice thing that the internet has taken some of these things and felt excited about it," Connor says. "But I will say that that one of the beauties of theatre—especially doing a play like this, where a lot of the audience already knows what's going to happen at the end—is that our job is to try and stay two steps ahead of the audience. We're trying to keep the audience on their toes, keep them surprised, and keep them interested. And it does make it just a little bit harder when those steps have been shared online."

"Yes!" bursts Zegler, catching herself, as she covers her mouth laughing. "But we do love that people are excited," she says warmly.

"Absolutely!" adds Connor. "It's just a double-edged sword."

"Exactly, because beyond just wishing [the audience] could have the experience in the moment," explains Zegler, "the previews are a very experimental, vulnerable process. And to go viral is an interesting experience from an actor's point of view. Because during that time, we do have a lot of growing to do before we open. And it's funny that a lot of the Internet has already seen what we are working really hard to keep a secret and to keep in the moment as live theatre should always be."

So how does the duo keep their focus when the world (or at least the internet) is watching? Connor says that his fellow actors have been a huge help, especially in welcoming him back to the theatre (his last stage production was in 2016 in London). "[Gabby Beans] is extraordinary," he enthuses. "She's just got this insane level of calm, collected confidence that you know she knows her process. She knows how she likes to work. She knows how to get where she needs to be. She knows to trust the process. And as someone who hasn't done theatre in you know...six years, it's been wonderful to be able to see that and have someone ground you in that sense. It's like 'Okay, this person really knows what they're doing.'"

For Zegler, Gold's choice to add original music and scoring by singer, songwriter, and record producer Jack Antonoff has made the production truly unique and surprising for audiences. "I think in true to the dramaturgy of live theatre, music serves a purpose rather than just music for the sake of having music," she explains. "Jack's done a really great job at not only writing original songs, but songs that don't take you out of the play. They make you feel like it's [part of] the plot and they create a really cool over-story of a concert that's taking place. He's also scored scenes, like the fights, and it gives those moments and characters themes like in a film. The audience may not be super aware that they're associating a song with the arrival of a character, but the motif is there and Jack has really incorporated such a genius aspect of live theatre and film scoring that has come together in a really kismet and beautiful way." It also helps that Antonoff's songs allow Zegler to live another one of her dreams: to sing on a Broadway stage.

See Rachel Zegler Belt Out 'Man of the House' from Broadway's Romeo + Juliet

As the duo begins to wrap up and prepare for their evening performance, Connor adds that he hopes the production has an impact on audiences, especially younger ones, who may have previously thought Shakespeare wasn’t for them. “The theatre is of a magical place. Really, I do stand by this idea: I think good theatre, whether watched by an aspiring actor or anyone else,” he says leaning forward and lowering his voice, “makes you want to get up there and do it yourself!” Zegler nods enthusiastically as Connor continues. “And our production is fun! Well…It's not all fun, but if we can make this younger audience feel seen and inspired, then that's wonderful.”

Connor looks to Zegler who smiles back at him, rubs his arm, and adds a last thought. “More art is always a good thing. So, if we can play any part in inspiring more art that makes you think. That’s pretty awesome.”