Castings for a classic musical aren't just about finding people who can sing. They’re about capturing lighting in a bottle. When Steven Spielberg decided to remake the 1961 masterpiece, everybody held their breath. How do you replace Natalie Wood? Can anyone actually top Rita Moreno? Honestly, the actors West Side Story cast for the 2021 version had the weight of the world on their shoulders. It wasn't just a movie; it was a legacy play.
The thing about the 2021 cast is that they were, for the first time, actually representative of the characters they played. In the original 1961 film, Natalie Wood—a white woman of Russian descent—played Maria with heavy brown makeup. George Chakiris, who won an Oscar for Bernardo, was of Greek descent. Spielberg changed the game by insisting that every Puerto Rican character be played by an actor with Latinx heritage. That shifted the energy. It made the stakes feel real.
Rachel Zegler: The 17-Year-Old Who Beat 30,000 Others
Rachel Zegler’s story is basically a fairy tale for the digital age. She was a high school student in New Jersey when she saw an open casting call on Twitter. She sent in a video of herself singing "I Feel Pretty." She won. Just like that, she went from a school stage to a Spielberg set.
Her Maria was different from Natalie Wood's. Wood was ethereal and sort of passive. Zegler played Maria with a stubborn, teenage streak that felt more grounded in the reality of living in a 1950s tenement. She had this operatic range that felt effortless. Since then, she’s become a massive star, taking on roles in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Disney’s live-action Snow White. She’s proof that the actors West Side Story discovers don't just fade away after the credits roll; they become the new face of Hollywood.
Ansel Elgort and the Tony Problem
Tony is a notoriously difficult role to cast. He has to be a former gang leader but also a dreamer. He has to be tough enough to have led the Jets but soft enough to fall in love at first sight. Ansel Elgort brought a certain lanky, awkward charm to the role. While some critics felt he lacked the raw vocal power of a Broadway veteran, his chemistry with Zegler carried the "Tonight" balcony scene.
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However, Elgort’s involvement was overshadowed by off-screen controversies that emerged during the film's release cycle. This created a strange tension during the press tour. While his performance was solid, the conversation around the film often swerved away from his acting and toward his personal reputation. It’s a reminder that in modern cinema, the person behind the character often matters as much as the performance itself.
Ariana DeBose: The Breakout Force
If there was one person who stole the entire movie, it was Ariana DeBose as Anita. Following in the footsteps of Rita Moreno is an impossible task. Moreno’s Anita is legendary. But DeBose didn't try to copy her. She brought a Broadway-trained athleticism to "America" that felt like a punch to the gut.
She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making history as the first Afro-Latina and openly queer woman of color to win an acting Oscar. Watching her dance is exhausting in the best way. She uses her whole body to tell the story of a woman caught between her dreams of NYC and the harsh reality of being an immigrant. Her success skyrocketed after this, leading her to host the Tonys and voice characters in Disney’s Wish.
The Jets and the Sharks: More Than Just Background Dancers
The ensemble actors West Side Story utilized were mostly plucked from the world of professional dance and Broadway. This wasn't a "learn to dance in three months" situation. These people were athletes.
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Mike Faist, who played Riff, was perhaps the most underrated part of the film. He played Riff as a desperate, feral kid with nothing to lose. He didn't look like a movie star; he looked like a boy who had been sleeping on a fire escape. His performance in the "Jet Song" and the rumble provided the movie with its heartbeat. Then you have David Alvarez as Bernardo. Alvarez is a Tony winner for Billy Elliot, and he brought a disciplined, boxer-like intensity to the Sharks.
Rita Moreno: The Bridge Between Generations
You can't talk about the cast without mentioning Rita Moreno. Spielberg didn't just give her a cameo; he created a new role for her. She played Valentina, the widow of Doc. This was a stroke of genius. It allowed the film to pay homage to the 1961 original while giving Moreno a chance to sing "Somewhere."
Hearing an 89-year-old woman sing a song about a place where people can live in peace hits differently than hearing two teenagers sing it. It turned the song from a romantic ballad into a weary prayer for a better world. Moreno also served as an executive producer, acting as a mentor to the younger actors on set. She was the literal glue holding the two versions of the story together.
Why the 2021 Casting Actually Mattered
For decades, the actors West Side Story originally featured were the subject of academic debate regarding "brownface." Spielberg's commitment to authentic casting wasn't just about optics. It changed the linguistics of the film. Large portions of the dialogue are in Spanish without subtitles.
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The actors were allowed to speak as they would in their own homes. This forced the audience to pay attention to emotion and context rather than just reading a translation. It made the Puerto Rican community feel like a central part of the narrative rather than a set of "others" for the Jets to fight.
What happened to the rest of the crew?
- David Alvarez (Bernardo): After the film, he took a step back from the spotlight, having already had a successful Broadway career, though he remains a respected figure in the dance community.
- Josh Andrés Rivera (Chino): He actually ended up dating Rachel Zegler in real life. He also starred alongside her in the Hunger Games prequel. Talk about a "West Side" romance that actually worked out.
- Iris Menas (Anybodys): Their portrayal of Anybodys as a trans-masculine character was a significant update to the script, providing much-needed modern context to a character that was previously just labeled a "tomboy."
The legacy of these actors is still being written. The 2021 film may not have broken the box office in the way a Marvel movie does, but its cultural footprint is massive. It redefined how we look at "Golden Age" musicals.
How to Appreciate the Performances Today
If you're looking to dive deeper into the work of these actors, don't just stick to the movie.
- Watch the "Making of" documentary: It's available on most streaming platforms and shows the grueling rehearsal process the dancers went through.
- Listen to the Broadway recordings: Compare Ariana DeBose’s "America" to Chita Rivera’s original Broadway version. The difference in tempo and aggression is fascinating.
- Check out Mike Faist in Challengers: If you loved his raw energy as Riff, his performance in the 2024 tennis drama shows he’s one of the most versatile actors of his generation.
- Follow the ensemble: Many of the "background" Jets and Sharks are currently leading shows on Broadway like Moulin Rouge! and Hadestown.
The actors West Side Story cast were more than just performers. They were a bridge between the 1950s and the 2020s. They took a story about hate and turned it into a masterclass in human expression. Whether you prefer the 1961 version or the 2021 reimagining, you can't deny that the talent on screen was nothing short of miraculous.