Rewrite The Stars

This song of forbidden love was written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul for the P.T. Barnum musical biopic The Greatest Showman. Pasek and Paul's previous works include the music for the movie La La Land, the Broadway musicals James and the Giant Peach and Dear Evan Hansen and the NBC TV series Smash.

The song is a duet between Zac Efron (playing a rich white playwright called Phillip Carlyle who becomes P.T. Barnum's partner) and Zendaya (who portrays Anne Wheeler, a poor black acrobat and trapeze artist). The pair are in love, but after Phillip's parents insult Anne's lowly status, she runs away. Philip chases after Anne, trying to convince her that they can "rewrite the stars" and change their destiny. What if we rewrite the stars? Say you were made to be mine Nothing could keep us apart You'd be the one I was meant to find Anne is less optimistic, believing there are too many barriers to having a relationship with someone of another color in racist 19th century America. You think it's easy You think I don't want to run to you But there are mountains And there are doors that we can't walk through Anne declares that though they love each other, no one can rewrite the stars, and sadly there is no hope for their relationship.

Speaking in an on-set interview Zendeya said: "There's always the factor of them not being able to be together because of, literally, the color of their skin. You know, at the time that was a hundred and twenty percent not allowed, and it was in fact very dangerous."