I Didn’t See Steven Spielberg Becoming An EGOT Coming, But Rachel Zegler And Jennifer Hudson Are Tickled Pink

I’ll be honest, Steven Spielberg becoming an EGOT winner is not something I ever had on my Hollywood bingo card. Not because he isn’t deserving. I mean, the man has been hitting it out of the park and making hit films for more than fifty years. Obviously he is deserving, yet I was still rather surprised. But here we are, the director has officially joined the rare EGOT club, and a few famous names are celebrating the moment.

The reaction across the industry has been nothing but celebratory, with actors, musicians, and Broadway veterans clearly delighted to see Spielberg finally complete the EGOT. One of the most enthusiastic responses came from Rachel Zegler, whose career took off after she was cast as Maria in West Side Story. While the film struggled at the box office, it was critically well-received and changed Zegler’s life overnight, and she’s never been shy about how much working with Spielberg meant to her. She marked the moment by sharing a photo of the two on her Instagram Stories, alongside a simple, heartfelt message:

The Snow White actress has spoken before about how formative that experience was for her as an artist, so the Minority Report director’s EGOT win clearly feels personal for her. There’s something fitting about it, too. West Side Story may not have been one of the influential filmmaker’s biggest commercial hits, but it played a defining role in launching the next phase of his creative legacy through performers like Zegler.

Another voice celebrating the milestone is Jennifer Hudson, who understands just how rare that achievement is. Hudson hit a major career milestone in 2022, joining the EGOT club, which makes her reaction especially meaningful. Speaking with PEOPLE, she didn’t hide her excitement about welcoming the ET creator into that exclusive group:

When red carpet hosts jokingly asked Hudson if she had any advice for the newly minted EGOT winner, she leaned into the moment with a perfectly self-aware response. She added:

Spielberg’s path to EGOT status is genuinely unique. His Tony Award came from producing A Strange Loop, while his Emmy wins span multiple formats. He earned his Oscars in 1994 and 1999 for Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan, respectively. The final piece fell into place with a Grammy for Music by John Williams, the documentary he produced honoring his longtime collaborator. At 79, Spielberg completed the rare awards sweep not by chasing trophies, but by continuing to tell stories and uplift the artists he’s worked with for decades.

That’s why the industry response feels so warm. For actors, musicians, and theater artists who grew up on Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, and Schindler’s List, the Hollywood staple’s work was influential and foundational. Many of them wouldn’t be doing what they do without his films lighting the way.

So yes, Steven Spielberg becoming an EGOT winner caught me off guard. But watching people like Rachel Zegler, Jennifer Hudson, and others celebrate the moment makes it feel completely right.

For anyone curious to see the project that completed the sweep, Music by John Williams is now streaming for viewers with a Disney+ subscription.