Ariana DeBose & Rachel Zegler On Roles In West Side Story & Film’s Impact 60 Years Later
We had a chance to speak with the stars of Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, Ariana DeBose & Rachel Zegler.
Rachel who plays Maria shared how she transformed her character more than sixty years later and how the story is still relevant to what’s happing in today’s society. Zegler is also no stranger to the role of Maria as she first played the character in a Performing Arts School presentation of West Side Story at the Bergen Performing Arts Centre. Her on-screen performance was refreshing and a great move by Spielberg for casting.
While Ariana shared that she had the opportunity to speak with the original women who played Anita in the original musical, the same role that earned Rita Moreno an Oscar in the original 1961 film, and her role-playing Anita as a black woman. Debose’s performance is at the top with the greats as she truly creates an Anita that is hers and unique.
Our conclusion: West Side Story is an excellent remake that exceeded our expectations and reminded us why Spielberg is one of the greatest directors of his time.
Make sure you head to theatres to watch West Side Story on December 10, 2021!