Steven Spielberg’s upcoming adaptation of West Side Story has found its Tony in none other than Ansel Elgort.
It’s no secret that Steven Spielberg has been quietly working on bringing West Side Story back to the big screen.
In fact, we’ve known the esteemed director has been eyeing an adaptation of the iconic Broadway musical since it was first rumored he was “considering” the project back in 2014.
Naturally, as soon as the news broke, the internet was quick to start speculating who might be cast in a remake, and now it looks as though Spielberg has finally settled on his male lead.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ansel Elgort has officially scored the role of West Side Story male lead, Tony, in Spielberg’s upcoming take on the classic musical originally written in 1957 by Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim, with music by Leonard Bernstein.
It’s a big get for Elgort, who was last seen in Baby Driver — especially given that Spielberg has reportedly spent the majority of 2018 thus far looking for the perfect actors to cast in his take on the classic tale, which offers up a twist on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Set in 1950s New York, Tony and Maria’s star-crossed love story is set against rising tensions amongst a white gang who go by the Jets, and a Puerto Rican gang known as the Sharks.
Directors Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise tackled the first big screen adaptation of West Side Story, which made its debut in 1961. The film featured Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer in the lead roles of Maria and Tony, and also featured George Chakiris and Rita Moreno in the roles of Bernardo and Anita, respectively.
The film was an award show success, scooping up a whopping 10 Academy Awards, with Chakiris and Moreno taking home an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
Given that West Side Story is a full-fledged musical, Spielberg has been seeking out individuals who can not only act, but also sing and dance.
Lucky for him, Elgort fits that bill to a tee. Though well-known for his acting chops, the 24-year-old New York native is a trained dancer, who started taking lessons at the tender age of nine. In addition to his acting, Elgort also dabbles in music.
Elgort began his music career under the pseudonym DJ Ansolo, self releasing a slew of remixed renditions of tracks before going on to debut his first original song, “Unite,” in 2014. The actor has been steadily releasing music ever since, with his last single, “Believe,” debuting in March of this year.
It seems as though Spielberg has found the right actor for the job, but we’ll definitely be curious to find out who he taps to fill out some of the musical’s most iconic roles, including that of Maria, Anita, and Bernardo.
Who else would you like to see cast in West Side Story alongside Ansel Elgort? Let us know in the comments below!
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