In a revelation that’s sending waves through Hollywood and the music world alike, Cuban-American icon Gloria Estefan has confirmed that Rachel Zegler, the breakout star whose voice and spirit have captivated stages from Broadway to the big screen, will portray her in an upcoming biopic. The announcement, shared during a candid interview with The Sun on October 17, 2025, marks a pivotal moment for a project that’s simmered on Sony Pictures’ back burner for years. Titled On Your Feet, the film – inspired by Estefan’s Tony-nominated 2015 Broadway jukebox musical of the same name – promises to chronicle the singer’s meteoric rise from Miami’s vibrant immigrant enclaves to global superstardom, all while weaving in the personal triumphs and trials that defined her unbreakable spirit. At 68, Estefan, with her trademark warmth and unyielding optimism, gushed about Zegler: “She’s lovely. I think she’s awesome, I think she’s incredible. I know she’s killed it in Evita.” Though the project awaits full greenlight approval, the pairing feels like destiny – a fusion of two generations of Latinx trailblazers, each channeling resilience through song and story.

Estefan’s life reads like a script tailor-made for the silver screen: a tale of exile, reinvention, and rhythmic rebellion that propelled Latin music into the American mainstream. Born Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo on September 1, 1957, in Havana, Cuba, her early years were steeped in the island’s rich cultural tapestry – her father, José Manuel Fajardo, a military policeman under Fulgencio Batista, introduced her to the soul-stirring sounds of Celia Cruz and Benny Moré, while her mother, Gloria Fajardo, instilled a fierce work ethic amid growing political unrest. The Cuban Revolution upended their world in 1960; at just two years old, Gloria fled with her family to Miami’s Little Havana, a bustling diaspora hub where Spanish lullabies mingled with the hum of American dreams. The transition was jarring – her father, imprisoned briefly as a political prisoner, returned a changed man, suffering from multiple sclerosis that confined him to a wheelchair and sparked young Gloria’s passion for caregiving. She balanced high school honors classes with violin lessons and a part-time job at a Howard Johnson’s, her voice emerging as a beacon during family gatherings where she’d croon boleros to lift spirits.

It was at the University of Miami in 1975 that fate conga-lined into her path. There, she met Emilio Estefan Jr., a budding bandleader with a flair for fusion, whose Miami Latin Boys were blending mambo with disco beats. Their romance ignited onstage – Gloria joined as a backup singer, her powerhouse vocals turning heads and turning the group into Miami Sound Machine. By 1978, they wed in a simple ceremony, merging their talents into a partnership that would redefine Latin pop. The band’s early albums, like 1980’s ¡Por Tu Amor, simmered in the underground, but it was 1984’s crossover smash “Dr. Beat” that cracked the U.S. charts, its infectious synth hooks paving the way for Gloria’s solo ascent. The duo’s alchemy peaked with 1985’s Primitive Love, spawning hits like “Conga” – a pulsating anthem born from a late-night jam session in Emilio’s garage – that fused Afro-Cuban rhythms with synth-pop gloss, earning them a Grammy nomination and opening doors to stadium tours.

Yet, glory’s rhythm came with rough edges. Gloria’s ascent wasn’t without shadows: the cultural tightrope of assimilating while honoring her roots, the pressure of being the “face” of a band dominated by men, and the relentless scrutiny of a music industry that exoticized Latin artists. Her 1989 car accident on a snowy Pennsylvania turnpike – a tour bus collision that shattered her vertebrae and left her paralyzed from the waist down – tested her mettle like nothing else. Doctors warned she’d never walk again, let alone perform, but Gloria’s mantra of “get on your feet” propelled her through grueling physical therapy. Just 10 months later, she stunned the world at the 1991 American Music Awards, striding onstage to belt “Coming Out of the Dark,” her triumphant return that soared to No. 1 and clinched a Grammy. That resilience, forged in pain and perseverance, became the heartbeat of her career – from the empowering balladry of Mi Tierra (1993), a love letter to Cuba that won Album of the Year at the Latin Grammys, to her forays into acting with roles in Music of the Heart (1999) alongside Meryl Streep.

Enter Rachel Zegler, the 24-year-old phenom whose trajectory mirrors Gloria’s in its blend of raw talent and unapologetic heritage. Of Colombian and Polish descent, Zegler burst onto the scene in 2021 as María in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story remake, her crystalline soprano and fiery vulnerability earning a Golden Globe and catapulting her from New Jersey high school stages to Hollywood’s A-list. A viral YouTube cover of “Shallow” from A Star Is Born had already caught Spielberg’s eye, but it was her bilingual poise – channeling Rita Moreno’s legacy while infusing fresh Latinx fire – that sealed the deal. Zegler’s follow-ups showcased her range: the wide-eyed wonder of Anthea in Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023), the ethereal romance of Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023), and now, her stage triumph as Eva Perón in the West End’s Evita revival, where her rendition of “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” drew standing ovations and whispers of Tony contention. Despite recent tempests – backlash over her Snow White comments that some blamed for the film’s box-office stumbles – Zegler’s star refuses to dim, her vocal prowess and emotional depth making her a natural heir to Estefan’s throne.

The biopic, helmed by writer-director Lissette Feliciano – the indie darling behind the poignant Women Is Losers (2021), which chronicled Latina motherhood in ’60s San Francisco – aims to transcend the jukebox musical’s framework. While On Your Feet the stage show spotlighted Gloria and Emilio’s love story and hits like “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” and “Get On Your Feet,” the film will delve deeper into untold chapters: the Fajardo family’s clandestine escape from Cuba via a fishing boat under cover of night, Gloria’s internal battles with identity as a “token Latina” in a whitewashed industry, and the quiet activism that saw her advocate for Cuban refugees and AIDS awareness in the ’80s. Feliciano, drawing from her own Puerto Rican roots and experiences with Hollywood’s diversity deficits, envisions a narrative that’s “vibrant yet visceral,” blending high-energy concert recreations with intimate family vignettes. “Gloria’s not just a pop star; she’s a survivor who turned exile into anthems,” Feliciano shared in a recent panel at the Latinx Film Festival. Production, eyed for early 2026 in Miami and Havana stand-ins, will feature original choreography infused with salsa steps and conga lines, scored by Emilio himself to ensure authenticity.

Estefan’s endorsement carries the weight of lived legend. In her Sun chat, she recounted a Zoom call with Zegler that sealed the serendipity: “We talked for hours – about the accident, the music, the madness of fame. Her voice… it’s got that fire, that soul. And she’s got the heart to match.” Gloria, who’s long championed young Latinas through her Estefan Family Foundation scholarships, sees the casting as full-circle: a chance to pass the mic to the next generation amid a cultural renaissance fueled by Bad Bunny and Rosalía. Yet, the project isn’t without hurdles. Sony, fresh from Bob Marley: One Love‘s $300 million haul, is navigating budget talks – aiming for a $60-80 million scope that includes period-accurate ’80s aesthetics and a soundtrack blending archival footage with Zegler’s live takes. Zegler’s recent controversies, including Disney’s pointed fingers at her Snow White promo missteps, add a layer of risk, but Estefan dismisses it outright: “Talent like hers? It shines through the noise. We’ve both learned to dance in the storm.”

For Zegler, embodying Gloria is both homage and high-wire act. “Her story’s in my bones – the immigrant hustle, the joy in the struggle,” she posted on Instagram post-announcement, sharing a throwback clip of herself belting “Conga” at a family quinceañera. Fresh from Evita‘s balcony anthems, Zegler preps by immersing in Gloria’s catalog: voice lessons mimicking the husky timbre of Cuts Both Ways (1989), dialect coaching for that unmistakable Miami lilt, and dance boot camps channeling the percussive flair of Miami Sound Machine’s live shows. Co-stars are rumored to include Diego Boneta as Emilio – the Luis Miguel star whose boyish charm fits the bandleader’s visionary vibe – and Eva Longoria as Gloria’s mother, bringing maternal steel to the Fajardo matriarch. The ensemble could swell with cameos: Pitbull voicing a young Emilio protégé, or Lin-Manuel Miranda penning a custom ballad for the credits.

As Hollywood reckons with its Latinx underrepresentation – only 7% of leads in 2024 tentpoles went to Latino actors – On Your Feet arrives as a clarion call. Estefan’s journey, from refugee to Rock & Roll Hall of Famer (inducted 2019 with MSM), mirrors the diaspora’s broader arc: the fight for visibility amid border walls and ballot battles. The biopic won’t shy from this – expect scenes of Gloria’s 1990s advocacy for Elián González, her White House performances bridging Clinton and Bush eras, or her post-9/11 unity concerts that fused “Turn the Beat Around” with messages of hope. Feliciano’s lens, informed by her docuseries on Chicana history, promises nuance: Gloria’s feminism clashing with machismo in the music biz, her Catholicism wrestling with queer allyship in hits like “Reach.”

Fan frenzy has already ignited: #ZeglerAsGloria trends with fan casts and AI deepfakes of Rachel conga-ing in legwarmers, while Estefan’s X feed overflows with conga drum emojis. Critics speculate Oscar buzz for Zegler – her West Side Story win was a launchpad; this could be liftoff – and GLAAD nods for its queer-inclusive beats (Emilio’s closeted bandmates get spotlight). Sony eyes a 2027 release, timed for awards season, positioning it against biopics like Emilia Pérez in the Latin wave.

In a town that often reduces Latin stories to stereotypes, On Your Feet stands to salsa across them – a celebration of Gloria’s unyielding beat, embodied by Rachel’s radiant fire. As Estefan puts it, “Life’s a rhythm; you just gotta find yours.” With Zegler at the helm, this biopic doesn’t just tell a story; it remixes one for the ages, proving the queen’s legacy pulses eternal. Get ready to conga – Hollywood’s finally catching the fever.