Steven Spielberg‘s West Side Story has found its actress to play Maria opposite Ansel Elgort‘s Tony.
It’s been confirmed that New Jersey high school student Rachel Zegler will be playing the iconic role of Maria, the love interest of Tony, who is a member of a rival street gang. Natalie Wood played Maria in the 1961 original. The film was ahead of its time and one of the few to feature a richly diverse cast that had people of color in lead roles. It was one that helped Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the original and has a role in this new take on the story, to become the iconic figure that she is now.
Obviously with a film like West Side Story, any talent that is brought into the film will need to be able to sing. And before you question whether or not Zegler can sing, I suggest you take a look at the video of her singing a cover of “Shallows” from A Star Is Born. It left me floored. Check out who will be joining Zegler on the cast and the video, below.
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