While the original movie has cemented its status as a classic over the years, it’s also come under fire for casting white actors in roles as Puerto Rican characters. This time around, Spielberg sought to prioritize representation. “We just wanted for this movie to get it right in the way that we wanted every single person who plays a Puerto Rican to be from the Latinx community, and that was a mandate from the get-go,” the prolific director has noted. With a fresh spin on the story, it’s safe to say a new generation of stars-in-the-making are about to dance and sing their way into audiences’ hearts. Here’s everything to know about the cast of West Side Story then (in the 1961 original) and now.
Who plays Maria in the cast of the 1961 and 2021 West Side Story?
Hollywood icon Natalie Wood played leading lady Maria in the 1961 movie, but the character’s vocals were provided by Marni Nixon. In the 2021 remake, 20-year-old actress Rachel Zegler takes on the role. While Wood had appeared in several films before West Side Story—including 1955’s Rebel Without a Cause opposite James Dean—Zegler is a Hollywood newcomer who landed the role after responding to an open casting call on Twitter. The Spielberg-directed musical will be her debut feature film, although she’s also set to star in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which will be released in 2023; she’s also got the titular role lined up in an upcoming live-action version of Disney’s Snow White. “She’s not the ingénue you remember,” Zegler told ABC of her reimagined portrayal of Maria. (The new West Side Story’s script was written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner.) “She has a lot more agency and she’s very strong and it’s very important for Latinas to see that onscreen.”
Who plays Tony in the cast of the 1961 and 2021 West Side Story?
Tony, the other half of West Side Story’s star-crossed couple, was played by Richard Beymer in the original film. The actor, also known for starring in the television series Twin Peaks, was nominated for two Golden Globes for his role as Tony: Best Actor and Most Promising Newcomer. Just as Beymar scored several roles before West Side Story, including playing Peter in 1959’s The Diary of Anne Frank, the new Tony, Ansel Elgort, is already well on his way to becoming a household name. The 27-year-old son of famed photographer Arthur Elgort has several blockbusters under his belt, including leading roles in Baby Driver and The Fault in Our Stars. He’s also a musician on the side, releasing EDM tracks under the name Ansølo.
Who plays Anita in the cast of the 1961 and 2021 West Side Story?
Rita Moreno played the original Anita, with singing dubbed by vocalist Betty Ward. Moreno won the Academy Award for Best Supporting actress in 1962 for her role in the movie musical, making her the first—and still the only—Latina to achieve the honor. Now 89, the EGOT winner returned to play the role of Valentina in the remake, meeting new Anita star Ariana DeBose on set. She told Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush on TODAY that there was “something bittersweet” about the moment, adding of DeBose, “That she’s Afro-Latina, I think is really meaningful.” Debose, who starred in Prom and was part of Hamilton original Broadway cast, also discussed the full-circle moment of meeting Moreno, teasing on Good Morning America that the Hollywood legend gave her a note about one of the sequences—but leaving it up to viewers to guess which one. “I want to start a game… I want people to go in and see if they can guess what they think the note was,” she said. “Because we are inherently different Anitas—they are different women—but there are certain characteristics that are very much the same, and I’m just very curious.”
Who plays Bernardo in the cast of the 1961 and 2021 West Side Story?
George Chakiris won both a Golden Globe and Academy Award for his role as Bernardo, Maria’s brother and the leader of the Sharks gang. This time around, the role will be played by David Alvarez. The Canadian actor is no stranger to the stage, having played the titular role in Billy Elliot the Musical on Broadway. He won a Tony Award for the performance when he was just 15, making him one of the coveted award’s youngest recipients.
Who plays Doc in the cast of the 1961 and 2021 West Side Story?
Ned Glass played Doc, one of the film’s few adult characters, in the original version.In the new film, however, Doc’s role will look a little different. In addition to giving offscreen advice to Ariana DeBose, Rita Moreno doles out advice onscreen in a role written specifically for her: Doc’s widow, Valentina. While she initially was ready to reject the role, saying she was afraid a cameo would be a “distraction,” she accepted once Spielberg explained that Kushner had written the part just for her. Just as Doc served as a mentor to the teens, Valentina gives love advice to Tony in the candy shop where the Jets hang out.
Who plays Riff in the cast of the 1961 and 2021 West Side Story?
When you’re a Jet, you’re a Jet all the way! Russ Tamblyn played the role of Riff, the leader of the Jets, in the original West Side Story. (Yep: Amber Tamblyn’s dad!) In the 2021 remake, Mike Faist, who also starred on Broadway in Dear Evan Hansen, takes on the role. In addition to attending the new movie’s premiere, Tamblyn visited the set of the film, telling Yahoo, “I asked [Faist], ‘Are you doing some acrobatics too?’ He said, ‘No,’ and I thought to myself, ‘Well, I’m ahead of you on that!’”
Who plays Officer Krupke in the cast of the 1961 and 2021 West Side Story?
In the original, William Bramley plays the police officer patrolling the streets of the West Side. Brian d’Arcy James, whose Broadway work has earned him three Tony nominations over the years (and who also played Debra Messing’s husband on Smash), will take on the character in the modern remake.
Who plays Lieutenant Schrank in the cast of the 1961 and 2021 West Side Story?
Krupke’s superior Lieutenant Schrank was played by Simon Oakland in the 1961 version, and Corey Stoll (known for his roles in House of Cards and Girls, among others) plays the character this time around. Next, Steven Spielberg Reveals His Favorite Holiday Films
