Rachel Zegler wins audience vote at The Stage Debut Awards 2025

Rachel Zegler has won the Best West End Debut Performer award at The Stage Debut Awards in association with Netflix for her turn in Jamie Lloyd’s revival of Evita. 

This was the only category decided by a public vote ahead of the ceremony, held on September 28 in London. 

Zegler was crowned the winner for her performance as Eva Perón in Lloyd’s staging of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, which ran at the London Palladium this summer. 

The actor told The Stage: "I feel really honoured. I share this award with everyone else in the category. 

"It’s so hard to dip your toe into a brand new role. I moved countries to do this. It was really terrifying. So to be received so well, not only by the people of London but also stage folks here, has been amazing."

The shortlist for the category included Zegler’s Evita co-star Diego Andres Rodriguez, Shifters stars Heather Agyepong and Tosin Cole, Emma Flynn for Clueless the Musical, Georgie Buckland for The Devil Wears Prada, Kat Ronney for Titanique and Samuel Brewer for Oedipus at Wyndham’s Theatre. 

Other winners at the ceremony included Hilson Agbangbe for his turn in Wonder Boy at Bristol Old Vic, who won Best Performer in a Play jointly with Lucy Karczewski for Stereophonic. 

Best Writer was also won jointly this year, with Milly Sweeney for Water Colour at Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Byre Theatre picking up the award alongside Ava Pickett for 1536 at London’s Almeida Theatre.  

Fellow first-time playwright Mark Rosenblatt was also honoured for his Olivier award-winning Roald Dahl drama Giant, winning the Best Creative West End Debut. 

Why Am I So Single?’s Leesa Tulley, Fangirls composer, lyricist and writer Yve Blake and set and costume designer for The Passenger and Personal Values Hannah Schmidt complete this year’s line-up of winners. 

The Stage editor Alistair Smith said: "This year’s winners range from Hollywood star Rachel Zegler making her West End debut to our most regionally and internationally diverse line-up yet, with productions from Scotland, Wales and Bristol recognised alongside talent from Australia. 

"It’s a vivid reminder of the extraordinary breadth of artists making their debuts on UK stages - and a clear sign that the future of the sector is in safe hands."