'I wanted to cast it authentically, to ensure that the actors playing the Shark boys and girls were 100% Latinx, and young,' Steven Spielberg said about his remake of the 1961 original that opens worldwide this week
BUENOS AIRES, Dec 7 - Steven Spielberg marks a milestone in U.S. film history by insisting on an authentic Latin cast for his remake of the musical "West Side Story," opening worldwide this week.
Spielberg spent more than a year looking for his cast, including in Latin America and Australia. Twenty cast members are Puerto Ricans or descendants of Puerto Ricans, including Moreno, now 89, who plays a different role this time around. Rich backstories are created for each character in the new "West Side Story." Some of the scenes are entirely in Spanish dialogue without subtitles.
The creative team also included Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, who Spielberg said led the orchestra with "such insight, heart and dynamism" for the new soundtrack. "It is a beautiful thing to see that we are finally taking a step forward ... We are here, we want to be part of America, we want to integrate ourselves with this society," Alvarez said.
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