As West Side Story has received positive reviews. Giving the film a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, critics are eager to praise Spielberg’s direction, the relevance of its themes, and the actors’ exceptional talent. In a musical remake such as West Side Story, it is especially important that the cast is skilled in performing holistically.
Starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler, West Side Story is inspired by Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. The film follows the emerging romance between Tony and Maria amidst the rivalry of their gangs, the Jets and the Sharks. Although the film’s source material was first released in the ‘60s, its themes still resonate in today’s world. The warring groups arguably represent the still-prevalent white supremacy and xenophobia present in modern society. Fortunately, Spielberg’s 2021 remake of West Side Story has been revised according to modern sensibilities, showing a better representation of Puerto Ricans and ultimately making it a step above previous iterations.
While in the 1961 film, the actors lip-synched the voices of ghost singers, the 2021 version featured the actual voices of the ensemble cast, especially Zegler and Elgort, as the iconic songs of Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein were performed. Rachel Zegler, whose starring role in West Side Story marked her film debut, impressed the casting directors with a video of her singing “Tonight” and “I Feel Pretty”. The then-18-year-old bested more than 30,000 auditionees, proving that she had the singing prowess to lead the musical. On the other hand, although Ansel Elgort had starred in nonmusical feature films, such as The Fault in Our Stars and Baby Driver, his singing ability eventually landed him the part. In fact, aside from occasionally singing in previous interviews, Elgort had been creating and releasing music since 2014.
Additionally, there is no doubting whether the other cast are singing while portraying their roles. Ariana DeBose, who has earned numerous accolades for her role as Anita, has been performing on Broadway since 2011. The Tony Award nominee has been involved with musicals like Bring It On, Hamilton, Les Misérables, and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. Meanwhile, Bernardo’s actor, David Alvarez, is also a product of Broadway. He was one of the boys cast to play the titular role in Billy Elliot the Musical, where he earned a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Mike Faist, who plays Riff, the leader of the Jets, also has his roots grounded on the stage. Before getting recognized for his performance in the immigrant discrimination-focused West Side Story, Faist is known for originating the role of Connor Murphy in the award-winning original Broadway production of Dear Evan Hansen. Lastly, the cast is ed by a veteran West Side Story member, Rita Moreno. The Anita of the 1961 film now portrays Valentina, the widow of the original character, Doc. Although Moreno only did some of her own singing decades ago, she now gets to perform one of West Side Story’s most iconic songs, “Somewhere”. Indeed, with these talented and groundbreaking stars, it is no wonder that West Side Story has become one of the most critically acclaimed films of the decade.
