Rachel Zegler, the 24-year-old star of West Side Story, has ignited speculation that her romance with Evita backing dancer Nathan Louis-Fernand is over after sharing a cryptic message about independence on social media.
Cryptic Clues on Instagram
The actress, who has been linked to Louis-Fernand since last summer, posted a carousel of images to mark the start of 2026. However, two pictures in particular raised eyebrows about her current relationship status. One was a screenshot of a Google search for the phrase 'How to fumble a baddie'. The other was a peculiar drawing by artist Ben Lenovitz depicting a woman smoking a cigarette while walking a dog, captioned with the words, 'I'll never get a boyfriend.'
The post, which she captioned simply 'hello twenty-twenty-six', also featured photos of Zegler posing in a backless green dress and spending time with her dog. The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Zegler for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Evidence of a Breakup Mounts
Further fuelling the split rumours, a selfie Zegler posted with Louis-Fernand in July, which appeared to make their relationship Instagram-official, seems to have been removed from her account. While the original post from July remains, the specific photo of the couple together is no longer included.
Additionally, Zegler is not following Louis-Fernand on Instagram, though he still follows her account. The pair had been publicly affectionate since rumours of their romance first emerged in July 2024. They are believed to have met during rehearsals for Jamie Lloyd’s stage adaptation of Evita, which began in April, where Zegler plays the lead role of Eva Perón.
From Magic Mike to the West End
Louis-Fernand, who previously worked as a stripper in the Magic Mike Live show in London, bonded with Zegler over a shared love of musical theatre. Described as close to his family and preferring yoga to late-night partying, he was seen as a supportive partner. Zegler, who is staying in London for the Evita production, had even referred to him as 'the darling man' in a social media post from a countryside trip last July.
This new romance had emerged roughly eight months after unconfirmed rumours swirled that Zegler had split from her boyfriend of three years, Josh Andrés Rivera. The latest social media activity suggests that, for now, the actress is declaring her independence once more.
