♪ I'm off the deep end ♪
♪ Watch as I dive in ♪
- Steven Spielberg's
West Side Story remake
has found its Maria in high
school student Rachel Zegler.
Zegler responded to the
production's open casting call
for latinx actors with a
video of herself singing
Tonight and Me Siento Hermosa.
She'll be making her film
debut starring in the role
played by Natalie Wood
in the 1961 classic.
♪ I feel charming ♪
♪ Oh so charming ♪
♪ It's alarming how charming I feel ♪
- [Tiffany] Zegler said, "West Side Story
was the first musical I encountered
with a Latina lead character.
As a Colombian-American, I am humbled
by the opportunity to play a role
that means so much to
the Hispanic community."
The high schooler has a YouTube channel
where she posts covers singing pop songs
like this Lady Gaga track.
♪ I've got a hundred million
reasons to walk away. ♪
- As well as songs from musicals
like this one from Hamilton.
♪ And may you always ♪
♪ Be satisfied ♪
- Or this one from Mean Girls on Broadway.
♪ Every food chain has its acme ♪
♪ Regina George eat steak ♪
- She joins previously
announced cast members
Ansel Elgort as Tony, and
Rita Moreno as Valentina.
A re-conceived and expanded
version of the character Doc.
West Side Story follows the
star-crossed love between Tony,
a former member of the white
gang known as the Jets,
and Maria, the younger sister
of the leader of a Puerto Rican gang.
The new feature film is scheduled
to begin filming this summer.
For the full cast list we
know so far, head to THR.com.
Until next time, for the
Hollywood Reporter News,
I'm Tiffany Taylor.
