{"id":13931,"date":"2019-01-23T12:44:43","date_gmt":"2019-01-23T17:44:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=13931"},"modified":"2019-01-23T12:44:43","modified_gmt":"2019-01-23T17:44:43","slug":"spielbergs-west-side-story-remake-casts-lead-roles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2019\/01\/spielbergs-west-side-story-remake-casts-lead-roles.html","title":{"rendered":"Spielberg\u2019s “West Side Story” Remake Casts It\u2019s Lead Roles"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"raymond<\/a>
raymond twist | Flickr.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Famous filmmaker Steven Spielberg has finally finished casting the main roles for his version of \u201cWest Side Story.\u201d The leads will be filled by Broadway veterans Ariana DeBose and David Alvarez as Anita and Bernardo, theater performer Josh Andres Rivera as Chino and a 17 year old New Jersey High School Student named Rachel Zegler. Zegler will be making her film debut when she plays the role of Maria alongside Spielberg\u2019s Tony, played by Ansel Elgort.<\/p>\n

Zegler saw a notice on Twitter in January 2018 calling for Latino actors and actresses to audition for parts in the play. She submitted a video of herself singing \u201cTonight\u201d and \u201cMe Siento Hermosa.\u201d Finding out that she would be playing Maria was overwhelming.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am so thrilled to be playing the iconic role of Maria alongside this amazing cast,\u201d said Zegler. \u201cWest Side Story was the first musical I encountered with a Latina lead character. As a Colombian-American, I am humbled by the opportunity to play a role that means so much to the Hispanic community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spielberg has been insistent that the central roles of the play be filled by members of the Latino community. \u201cWhen 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. I\u2019m so happy that we\u2019ve assembled a cast that reflects the astonishing depth of talent in America\u2019s multifaceted Hispanic community,\u201d said Spielberg. \u201cI am in awe of the sheer force of the talent of these young performers, and I believe they\u2019ll bring a new and electrifying energy to a magnificent musical that\u2019s more relevant than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

The script for \u201cWest Side Story\u201d will be written by Oscar nominated screenwriter and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Tony Kushner, and the film will be adapted for the screen from the original 1957 Broadway musical. The film will then be produced and directed by Spielberg. Filming is slated to start in the summer of 2019, and fans are no doubt eagerly waiting to see such a classic show migrate from the stage to the silver screen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Famous filmmaker Steven Spielberg has finally finished casting the main roles for his version of \u201cWest Side Story.\u201d The leads will be filled by Broadway veterans Ariana DeBose and David Alvarez as Anita and Bernardo, theater performer Josh Andres Rivera as Chino and a 17 year old New Jersey High School Student named Rachel Zegler.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":616,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,7,3],"tags":[3877,933,3875,400,3876],"class_list":["post-13931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-celebrities","category-entertainment","category-movies","tag-casting","tag-movies-2","tag-musical-movies","tag-steven-spielberg","tag-west-side-story"],"yoast_head":"\nSpielberg\u2019s "West Side Story" Remake Casts It\u2019s Lead Roles<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Master of the silver 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