Rachel Zegler Beats Keanu Reeves, Jason Momoa and More to People’s Choice Action Movie Star Award

The People’s Choice Awards threw up a surprise with this year’s recipient of the Action Movie Star of the Year award. Despite the category being packed with several big names from the world of action movies, such as Tom Cruise, Keanu Reeves, and Jason Momoa, they all ended up losing out to Rachel Zegler for her role in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

Zegler’s victory, which also saw off her costar Viola Davis, Chris Pratt, Gal Gadot, and Brie Larson, is particularly notable as it underscores the way the People’s Choice Awards selects its winners, where fans directly influence the outcome through their votes. This means that the awards may not always go to the expected recipient, but does give a very strong indication of which actors, shows and movies have particularly resonated with audiences in the past year. Accepting her award, Zegler said:

“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. 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.

That being said, so many people made this movie. I just want to thank Francis Lawrence, our director… Nina Jacobson, our producer. My A-camera operator, Dave Thompson, because everything that I did in heels, he did a couple steps behind me attached to a gigantic camera. I want to thank Tom Blythe, who is the best scene partner. I want to thank Josh Rivera who’s the best life partner, and my mom, my dad, and my sister, and Suzanne Collins for writing this character.”

Rachel Zegler Has Her Biggest Movie Challenge to Come

As well as winning one award, Zegler was also nominated for Female Movie Star of the Year, something that, sitting alongside her win, amplifies her impact on the film industry in 2023. While the award unsurprisingly went to Margot Robbie for Barbie, the nomination itself is a strong indicator that there is a lot more in the way of awards and accolades awaiting the actress in the future.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes has not only been a significant chapter in Zegler’s career but also a testament to the enduring appeal of The Hunger Games franchise, which continues to deliver even beyond the original four-movie trilogy. Whether there is more to come from the saga is yet to be revealed, but for Zegler, there is plenty more on the horizon.