When Steven Spielberg tackled his adaptation of West Side Story, the project faced a unique burden: measuring up to both the legendary 1957 Broadway stage original and Robert Wise's iconic 1961 cinematic milestone. The core challenge wasn't just finding actors who could sing Leonard Bernstein's demanding score or execute Jerome Robbins' legendary choreography; it was assembling an ensemble that could authentically ground a timeless story of urban tribalism in modern cultural realities.
Casting director Cindy Tolan and the production team spent over a year sifting through more than 30,000 hopefuls across open calls in New York, Chicago, Puerto Rico, and Los Angeles. They weren't looking for quick pop-culture lookalikes. They needed triple threats—performers capable of handling intense dramatic text penned by Tony Kushner while keeping the visceral energy of musical theater alive. The resulting cast bypassed the historical casting shortcomings of the 1961 film—which infamously used brownface for many of its Puerto Rican characters—and set a new benchmark for representation and character depth on screen.
The Search for Maria: Discovering Rachel Zegler
Finding the right performer to play Maria is the single most vital piece of casting for any production of the musical. If the lead actor doesn't possess a soaring soprano vocal range and a grounded, youthful innocence, the central tragedy collapses.
Spielberg's team found their Maria in Rachel Zegler, then a high school senior from New Jersey, who submitted a video audition after seeing a casting call on Twitter. Zegler brought a genuine Colombian-American heritage to the role alongside a classical vocal training background that effortlessly scaled the high notes of "Tonight" and "I Feel Pretty".
Her chemistry with Ansel Elgort's Tony was tested extensively during the audition process. Unlike past iterations where Tony was played as a wide-eyed, innocent romantic, Kushner's script reimagined Tony as a young man fresh out of prison for nearly killing someone in a turf war. Zegler's Maria had to balance an immediate, breathless infatuation with the emotional maturity required to confront a lover carrying a violent past.
Reinventing the Sharks and Jets: Authenticity and Backgrounds
The division between the Jets and the Sharks received a complete overhaul in the 2021 film compared to earlier stagings. Kushner and Spielberg didn't want the gangs to feel like generic background dancers in colored jackets. They wanted them to feel like products of their environment, shaped by displacement, poverty, and shifting neighborhood demographics in the mid-century Upper West Side.
- The Jets: Portrayed as impoverished, displaced white youth dealing with the demolition of their neighborhood for Lincoln Center. Mike Faist stepped into the role of Riff—the volatile, hyper-protective leader of the Jets—bringing a desperate, wire-thin intensity to the part. Faist's background in Broadway theater (
Dear Evan Hansen) gave him the precise physical vocabulary needed for the dance numbers, while his acting choices grounded Riff's nihilism. - The Sharks: Led by David Alvarez as Bernardo, a trained ballet dancer and Broadway veteran (
Billy Elliot) who brought immense physical authority and protective pride to the character. The Shark ensemble featured performers of authentic Puerto Rican and Hispanic heritage, changing the linguistic texture of the film by incorporating un-subtitled Spanish dialogue to honor the immigrant experience. - Anita: Ariana DeBose took on the iconic role of Anita, bringing a sharp comedic timing, fierce loyalty, and breathtaking dance execution that ultimately earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Bridging Generations: Rita Moreno's Pivotal Return
One of the smartest casting decisions was the inclusion of Rita Moreno—who won an Oscar playing Anita in the 1961 film—not as a simple cameo, but in a newly created role named Valentina.
Valentina replaced the character of Doc, serving as the empathetic owner of the drugstore where Tony works. This casting choice created a literal bridge between past and present iterations of the franchise. Furthermore, Kushner handed Moreno the torch of singing "Somewhere," a song traditionally reserved for the young lovers. Her rendition turned the idealistic anthem into a heart-wrenching plea for reconciliation from an elder who had survived the racial divides of the city.
Beyond Moreno, the production peppered the cast and crew with institutional memory. Original 1961 Jets extras returned for brief appearances, and actors like Andréa Burns—who previously played Maria on European tours—joined the ensemble as local merchants, honoring the lineage of the text.
Redefining Supporting Roles: Anybodys and Chino
The creative team also re-evaluated secondary characters to reflect a modern understanding of identity and motivation:
- Anybodys: Traditionally played as a tomboyish character begging for acceptance from the male-dominated Jets, the role was reconceived for nonbinary actor Iris Menas. This casting choice gave Anybodys a sharper, more urgent resonance regarding gender non-conformity and the desperate search for a safe harbor within an unforgiving peer group.
- Chino: Played by Josh Andrés Rivera, Chino was stripped of simple villainous tropes. Instead, Rivera portrayed him as a decent, bookish young man pushed toward a tragic breaking point by systemic poverty, community pressure, and the inevitability of street violence.
Common Casting Pitfalls in Modern Revivals
When modern theaters or filmmakers attempt to restage mid-century classics, they frequently stumble into specific traps that Spielberg's production managed to avoid:
- Prioritizing name recognition over skill: Casting pop stars who lack theatrical training can sink a demanding vocal score like Bernstein's. Every primary cast member here possessed professional theater or rigorous dance credentials.
- Ignoring cultural context: Treating minority characters as monolithic props rather than distinct individuals with specific migration stories weakens the dramatic stakes of social friction.
- Ignoring physical stamina: Musicals require performers who can sing live while executing heavy choreography. Open casting calls are vital to unearthing triple threats who don't rely on vocal pitch correction or excessive stunt doubles.
For more details on the production background, check out the Official West Side Story Site or read the comprehensive breakdown on Screen Daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the actors do their own singing in the 2021 film?
Yes. Unlike the 1961 film—where several main actors were dubbed by professional vocalists—every primary actor in the 2021 adaptation performed their own singing live on set or during pre-recordings using their natural voices.
How many people auditioned for the main roles?
Casting directors reviewed over 30,000 candidates globally during a year-long talent search that utilized open digital submissions alongside traditional New York theater auditions.
Why was Rita Moreno's character created specifically for her?
Spielberg and Kushner wanted to honor her legacy without repeating her past role. They invented Valentina to act as a moral anchor for Tony and to provide a mature perspective on assimilation and loss in New York City.
Was Rachel Zegler a professional actor before getting cast?
Zegler had extensive regional theater and community musical experience in New Jersey, but West Side Story marked her feature film debut.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn9kmpIhhBU This video compares the principal cast members of the 1961 and 2021 film adaptations side-by-side.
