Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the 60-year-old musical classic has targeted young actors, who are shaping up for awards season.
After its premiere in 1961, the original movie of West Side Story was proclaimed almost instantly as a classic, by transforming the Romeo and Juliet, with a balcony scene, in the story of Tony and Maria, notes a BBC review. Similar to the work of Shakespeare, WSS recounts the romance of two young men lovers of ethnic communities faced in a New York that falls apart.
The remake directed by Steven Spielberg, which premiered on December 9, is shaping up to be a favorite for awards season. At the gala of the Golden Globes this Sunday competes in the categories Best comedy or musical film; Best Director; Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical and Best Supporting Actress. He also stood out Ansel Elgort Y Rachel Zegler not only as the protagonists of the staging, but in what has been the role of their lives so far.
Rachel Zegler’s film debut
Rachel Zegler is a 20-year-old Colombian-American actress and singer-songwriter from New Jersey. After starring West Side Story, Rachel prepares for another stellar: Snow White, the animated film adaptation of Disney with real actors.
Although she is a newcomer to the film industry, Zegler is no stranger to the role of Mary, having first played the character at a performance by the School of Performing Arts at the Bergen Center for the Performing Arts.
Throughout his adolescence, Zegler has starred in local, regional and school productions of Millie, a modern girl, and the musicals 42nd Street Y Rent, in addition to occasionally working as a wedding singer.
Zegler was one of 30,000 role contenders for the Bernstein musical along with Ansel Elgort, like Tony. He applied for the role after seeing a casting announcement on Twitter calling for Latino and Latina actors.
“As a Colombian-American woman growing up at this time, strong roles like María are very important. Being able to bring that role to life, a role that means a lot to the Hispanic community, it is a lesson in humility, “he wrote at the time on his Instagram profile.
The controversy of Ansel Elgort
Taking on the role of an iconic character like Tony is a daunting task, especially when actors of the stature of Larry Kert (1930-1991) and Richard Beymer (1939) have taken up the role in Broadway and at the movies. But Ansel Elgort has carried that weight with pride and confidence in adapting the Steven Spielberg musical, bringing Tony to a modern audience.
In 2019, Ansel Elgort spoke about the emotional reaction he had to being cast, whose casting was announced a year earlier (via The Hollywood Reporter). The star of Under the same star (2014), Divergent (2014) and Baby: the crime apprentice (2017), was the first to be chosen.
“I had already been doing a lot of auditions at that time and had been fighting for this role,” he explained at the time. “His tone implied that maybe he was not going to get the role,” revealed the actor referring to Spielberg when the director gave him the good news. “I was so happy and couldn’t tell anyone,” Elgort continued. “But I called my mom and dad and cried a bit, which was great.”
As for what it was really like to work with Spielberg, the actor couldn’t contain his enthusiasm. “Is incredible. I constantly pinch myself every time I talk to him and he directs me, ”she said.
When it was first made into a movie, 60 years ago, the story about young lovers of rival gangs featured white actors with faces made up to portray Puerto Rican characters. While it is true that the cast of Spielberg is led by Latinos, the proposal has not escaped controversy in the cast.
The existing allegations against actor Ansel Elgort resurfaced prior to the release of West Side Story. Elgort, who plays Tony, was accused in 2020 of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in 2014. He denied the accusation on social media, describing their relationship as “entirely consensual.”
When the allegations were made, it had already been about eight months since filming ended, so production and management have not commented.
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
