In the world of film, there are few directors quite as acclaimed and iconic as Steven Spielberg. The four time Oscar winning director has been keeping busy with ambitious projects like Ready Player One, but he's also known for his more classic projects. One of the next pieces Spielberg is working on is his remake of the classic movie musical West Side Story. He's already shared his dedication to casting latin actors for the various roles, and now it looks like Glee alum Naya Rivera is hoping to be considered for the role of Anita. She recently shared her audition for the part online, check it out.
Santana is back, and she's trying to book Anita for a second time. After all, the first go was just in the William Mckinley High School auditorium. Let's break down what this little audition song is showing us.
In Naya Rivera's Instagram post, she claimed that the clip was actually too long to send to the film's casting associates. Instead, she decided to share it via social media, no doubt in an attempt to drum up fan excitement. If the folks at the studio see Rivera as a bankable star that folks will run to theaters to see, it could make her a real contender for the role. It's only been a few years since Glee ended its run, and the Gleeks haven't stopped singing all of the songs from the FOX comedy.
During her time on Glee, Naya Rivera actually got to record all of Anita's music from West Side Story. In the show's third season they put on the play, with Rivera's character Santana getting the role of Anita. She did everything from "America" to "A Boy Like That", which is no doubt why the actress sounded so killer in her self tape.
Anita is one of the best parts in West Side Story, one that earned Rita Moreno an Oscar in the original 1961 film. Moreno was one of the only Shark characters to actually be Puerto Rican, with Natalie Wood starring as ingenue Maria and greek actor George Chakiris as Bernardo. This is one change that Steven Spielberg is trying to make with his version. As the conversations around inclusion and representation continue swirling around the entertainment business, it's a relief that the Sharks will be played by latin actors-- especially considering race is a central theme of the movie.
It should be interesting to see what type of talent Steven Spielberg ultimately goes with. Will he go for clear choices like Naya Rivera and Vanessa Hugdgens, or will he find unknowns to play the iconic roles? We'll just have to wait and see as development slowly begins coming together. One thing is clear: Rivera wants the role, and bad.
Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One will arrive in theaters March 29, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
