Table of Contents
Is Rachel zegler Puerto Rican?
The first time Colombian-American actress Rachel Zegler saw the 1961 film West Side Story, she was enthralled by the Puerto Rican-born actress Rita Moreno twirling on a rooftop in a purple dress. She recalls “turning to my mom and saying, ‘Mommy, Who is that?’
Who was the original Maria in West Side Story?
Carol Lawrence
Casts
| Character | Original Broadway 1957 | West End 1958 |
|---|---|---|
| Tony | Larry Kert | Don McKay |
| Maria | Carol Lawrence | Marlys Watters |
| Anita | Chita Rivera | |
| Riff | Michael Callan | George Chakiris |
What ethnicity are the Jets in West Side Story?
It shows the growing tensions between the Sharks, a Puerto Rican gang, and the Jets, a gang made up of “American” boys. An incident between the Jets and Shark leader, Bernardo, escalates into an all out fight between the two gangs.
What is West Side Story about?
The teenage rivals clash over their Irish-Italian vs. Puerto Rican cultures in the San Juan Hill neighborhood on the Upper West Side of the island of Manhattan in the summer of 1957.
Who plays Tony in New West Side Story?
Steven Spielberg has cast 20-year-old singer-songwriter Rachel Zegler as Maria. The newcomer will make her film debut opposite Ansel Elgort (Baby Driver), who will play Tony. Award-winning Broadway actress Ariana DeBose has been cast as Anita and David Alvarez as Bernardo, Maria’s brother and the leader of the Sharks.
Did Natalie Wood sing in West Side Story?
As Maria, Natalie Wood — putting aside the fact that she was not Latina, an issue not on the Hollywood radar in 1961 — was pretty but plastic. Neither did their own singing.
What is the message of West Side Story?
West Side Story is truly everywhere — and with its themes of love striving to rise above hatred; the fear of immigrants; and the toxicity of racism, West Side Story speaks to us today as urgently as ever.
Who is the shy weak member of the Jets in West Side Story?
Baby John, a blonde, shy, and peaceful member of the Jets, is perhaps the most important site of a white Jewish gay subjectivity.
What is the moral of West Side Story?
West Side Story is said to be a “morality play about “our” everyday problems: racism, poverty, and the destructiveness of violence” . New York circa 1950 to 1960, when the film would take place, was full of gang violence and juvenile delinquents.
What does Westside mean?
Definitions of westside. adjective. of the western part of a city. Synonyms: west. situated in or facing or moving toward the west.
Why was West Side Story important?
Arguably, its greatest influence was in the theatricality of its presentation—the seamlessness and cinematic flow of its staging—and the integration of script, song, dance, and set. In its original Broadway run, West Side Story ran for 732 performances—a success, but not a smash hit.
Did Natalie Wood sing West Side Story?