Learn about the history of leading ladies in 'Evita' up to current star Rachel Zegler

From Elaine Paige and Patti LuPone through to the West End's new Eva Perón, get to know the musical theatre actresses who have inhabited this mighty role.

The big talking point in London theatre right now is a dramatic moment in Jamie Lloyd’s production of musical Evita. When Rachel Zegler, as Eva Perón, takes to the balcony and addresses her people with the famous anthem “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”, she does so not inside the London Palladium, but on the actual theatre balcony, singing to people in the street.

It’s a typically audacious move from Lloyd, who has proved to be an exciting reinterpreter of classic work (including another Andrew Lloyd Webber show, Sunset Boulevard), and an exciting way for new West End star Zegler to put her stamp on this iconic role. She is an Eva for 2025.

She also joins a sisterhood of incredible musical theatre actresses who have sunk their teeth into this meaty part – a real-life figure who is a saint to some, a villain to others, but always remains a fascination. Ahead of Evita’s official opening, get to know some of the amazing women who have played Eva Perón.

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Julie Covington (1976)

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, having had great success with their concept album for Jesus Christ Superstar, adopted the same tactic for their new show about the wife of Argentina’s president Juan Perón, who rose from poverty to become her nation’s revered First Lady.

Julie Covington, whose previous work included the original London production of Godspell and TV drama Rock Follies, was the very first actress to play Eva on the concept album, alongside Colm Wilkinson as Che, Paul Jones as Perón, and Barbara Dickson as Perón’s mistress. Covington’s version of “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” topped the UK charts.

Elaine Paige (1978)

Covington decided not to continue in the role when Evita had its West End premiere, opening the door for the relatively unknown Elaine Paige. It was a career-making role for Paige, who had been considering giving up on theatre altogether before Evita changed everything. She became a household name and won the best actress Olivier; the show also won for Best New Musical.

Paige played Eva for almost two years at London’s Prince Edward Theatre, starring with David Essex, Joss Ackland and Siobhán McCarthy, and directed by Hal Prince. Her alternate, Marti Webb, later succeeded Paige in the role.

Patti LuPone (1979)

For the Broadway transfer of Evita, Patti LuPone became the new Eva, with another musical theatre great, Mandy Patinkin, becoming her Che. The show was a massive hit in New York as well and LuPone was praised for her feisty performance. She later said she had a blast acting it, but that she had struggled with the vocal demands.

However, the fight paid off: LuPone won the Tony Award for Leading Actress, among the show’s impressive awards haul. It also won Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Book, Featured Actor for Patinkin, Best Direction, and Best Lighting Design.

Madonna (1996)

It took years for Evita to make the leap from stage to screen, but in 1996 British director Alan Parker finally succeeded with his ambitious movie. For his leading lady, he selected another icon: pop star and burgeoning actress Madonna. She fully committed to the project, travelling to Buenos Aires to meet people who had known Eva, and later declared: “This is the role I was born to play.”

She premiered a new song written by Lloyd Webber and Rice specially for the movie, “You Must Love Me”, which won an Academy Award. Madonna won a Golden Globe for Best Actress – Comedy or Musical, and her co-star Antonio Banderas, who played Che, was also nominated.

Elena Roger (2006)

Evita returned to London in a major West End revival at the Adelphi Theatre in 2006, directed by Michael Grandage. Argentinian actress Elena Roger was spotted performing in Buenos Aires by one of Lloyd Webber’s team and made a thrilling London debut in the title role: The Times called her “a revelation”.

Philip Quast appeared alongside her as Perón and Matt Rawle played Che. “You Must Love Me” was added to the stage show, so Roger was the first to sing it in the West End. She and Quast for both nominated for their performances at the Olivier Awards, and Roger then reprised the role on Broadway.

Madalena Alberto (2014)

Evita hit the road in 2013-14, embarking on a major UK tour led by Portuguese actress Madalena Alberto as Eva and Wet Wet Wet’s Marti Webb as Che. The production finished its run with a stint in the West End, at the Dominion Theatre, directed by Bob Thompson.

Once again Eva Perón provided an incredible showcase for an emerging actress: Alberto received strong reviews for her vivid performance, and she later reprised the role for the 2017-18 UK and world tour, playing everywhere from Manchester and Glasgow to Dubai, Italy and Luxembourg.

Emma Hatton (2017)

Eva Perón is a mammoth role, so it definitely helps to have experience in another similarly demanding show. That was the case for British actress Emma Hatton, who starred as Elphaba in the West End production of Wicked before she tackled the lead in Evita.

Like Alberto, Hatton played Eva on tour before bringing it into the West End for a further acclaimed London stint. Evita played at London’s Phoenix Theatre, with Hatton joined by Gian Marco Schiaretti as Che, Jeremy Secomb as Perón, and Sarah O’Connor as the Mistress.

Samantha Pauly (2019)

Jamie Lloyd’s electrifying version of Evita was first seen at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in 2019. His radically stripped-back reimagining featured bleachers, hand-held microphones and contemporary costumes, plus striking choreography by Fabian Aloise.

Lloyd’s very modern, youthful, spitfire of an Eva was inhabited by American actress Samantha Pauly, who went on to star in Six and The Great Gatsby on Broadway. The well-received production won the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical, and the show was also nominated for two Olivier Awards.

Rachel Zegler (2025)

Lloyd has reunited with his creative team for the hugely anticipated West End revival of Evita. You can expect to see much of his distinctive Regent’s Park staging re-created in this new London run, alongside fresh ideas and a major new star as Eva: Rachel Zegler.

Zegler shot to fame when Steven Spielberg chose her to play Maria in his West Side Story movie in 2021 (she won a Golden Globe for her performance), and she went on to star in films The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and Snow White, plus Romeo + Juliet on Broadway. Now she’s back on stage in London’s hottest summer show.

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Main photo credit: Evita in rehearsal (Photo by Marc Brenner)