In the original 1961 film, Maria was played by Natalie Wood and Tony by Richard Beymer, with Rita Moreno and George Chakiris starring as Anita and Bernardo. As a Colombian-American, I am humbled by the opportunity to play a role that means so much to the Hispanic community.” “ West Side Story was the first musical I encountered with a Latina lead character. “I am so thrilled to be playing the iconic role of Maria alongside this amazing cast,” said Zegler. Zegler saw the call on Twitter and submitted a video of herself singing ‘Tonight’ and ‘Me Siento Hermosa’ (‘I Feel Pretty’). The casting call for the remake, which asked for solely Latinx actors, received 30,000 submissions. I am in awe of the sheer force of the talent of these young performers, and I believe they’ll bring a new and electrifying energy to a magnificent musical that’s more relevant than ever.” “I’m so happy that we’ve assembled a cast that reflects the astonishing depth of talent in America’s multifaceted Hispanic community. “When we began this process a year ago, we announced that we would cast the roles of Maria, Anita, Bernardo, Chino and the Sharks with Latina and Latino actors,” Spielberg said. Rachel Zegler (Maria) and Ansel Elgort (Tony) star in West Side Story 2021 remake. Read more: Who is Rachel Zegler? Meet the singer and actor playing Maria Plus, Maddie Ziegler, who is known for dancing in Sia’s music videos, will join the cast as a Jet. Moreno will also be an executive producer on the film. Rita Moreno, who won an Oscar for her performance as Anita in the original film, will appear in the remake as new character Valentina, despite previously saying she was ‘nervous’ about Spielberg’s remake.
The newcomer will make her film debut opposite Ansel Elgort ( Baby Driver), who will play Tony.Īward-winning Broadway actress Ariana DeBose has been cast as Anita and David Alvarez as Bernardo, Maria’s brother and the leader of the Sharks. Steven Spielberg has cast 20-year-old singer-songwriter Rachel Zegler as Maria. Who has been cast in the West Side Story remake? Read more: Does everyone do their own singing in Spielberg’s West Side Story remake? Here’s all you need to know about the cast, soundtrack and release date of West Side Story (2021). When former Jets member Tony falls for Maria, the sister of the leader of rival gang the Sharks, tensions rise and disaster ensues. West Side Story sets the love story of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet against a backdrop of gang culture in 1950s New York. The remake will represent Spielberg’s first musical project in his lengthy career. West Side Story, the beloved 1957 Broadway musical by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, was adapted for the screen back in 1961 – and now, a second film remake is coming out.ĭirected by Steven Spielberg ( Schindler’s List, Jaws), the 20th Century Fox release has a script adapted by Tony winner and Lincoln screenwriter, Tony Kushner. Here’s all you need to know about the 2021 movie.
‘West Side Story’, the musical film about rival gangs in New York City, has been remade by Steven Spielberg.
#West side story composer full
The full interview is in Radio Times, out now.Something’s coming. The forthcoming version of West Side Story, starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler, will be released in UK cinemas on December 10. With all of that gone, it has much more gritty authenticity.” “That was not the case in the first film, and the peculiar orange make-up that everyone had to wear was very problematic. However, she gave her stamp of approval to the new adaptation of the show, which will be released in cinemas next month directed by Steven Spielberg, saying: “ huge improvement is that the Sharks and all their relatives are actually Latinxs, mostly Puerto Ricans.
“However, many people will say that West Side Story is the great American opera.” “He spent his whole life wishing he could write the great American opera, and even at the very end of his life he was working on a new project which he thought would be that, about the Holocaust. “He did mention it from time to time, it was a frustration, but you can’t really get to complain about having a gigantic success. “He had to work all the harder to get people to focus on his other works, especially his symphonic works. Leonard Bernstein rehearsing the London Symphony Orchestra, at the Royal Festival Hall in London (PA) She told the Radio Times: “It became a sort of albatross around his neck.