Rita Moreno to return to movie musicals - for real this time!
Wednesday, November 28, 2018 at 12:30PM by Nathaniel R
You may recall that we were briefly very excited about Rita Moreno's return to her home genre, the movie musical. News broke but then was quickly retracted that she had landed a wonderful part in the film version of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony-winning debut In the Heights which ran on Broadway from 2008 through 2011. Now, the news is for real but with a different film. She'll play "Valentina" in Steven Spielberg's remake of West Side Story. That's the "Doc" role, in a bit of racial and gender-flipped casting...
Doc (Ned Glass) and Tony (Richard Beymer) in the 1961 classic
Doc is the sympathetic corner store owner and lone voice of reason in the mad mad world of the warring teen gangs. They've expanded the role for her but even if they hadn't it would be a wonderful place for Moreno in the film and a way to tie it to the original in a respectful way. Given that the role is expanded, it seems likely that this new interpretation of the musical will concentrate more on The Sharks than on the Jets since the corner store where a few of the key scenes take place will obviously have to be on the Puerto Rican side of town and, thus, a hangout for the Sharks instead. But does Tony still work there? So many questions.
But the big question is... will Moreno get a snippet of one of the group songs somehow? Bernstein isn't around to write new material and West Side Story already has the greatest musical score of all time so it'd be insane to mess with it much apart from new arrangements.
Read our three-part retrospective of West Side Story in case you missed it.
Reader Comments (15)
I was fortunate enough to see her one-woman show a few years ago. it included her reminiscing about her emotionally exhausting love affair with Brando and a dance medley from West Side Story. Amazing that in her 80s she could still dance like she did at 30! She has truly earned her legendary status.
West Side Story does not need to be remade and Spielberg seems like an odd fit, but this gives me some hope that it may have some worthwhile moments.
Mark Harris tweeted: "Beyond excited to be able to share this news at last!". I almost barfed. Sure honey, it's all about you.
I'm against this remake even if they cast The Turner as Officer Krupke.
Could she be nominated or even win again for West Side Story? It'd definitely be a unique scenario.
Speilberg seems...wrong for a musical. But especially this musical.
What's the issue with Mark Harris' tweet? He seems genuinely excited about his partner's big project. I think that's great!
I could see her finally getting a second nod for this. That would be fun and also very indicative of the era we're living in... winning and being nominated for the same movie, original and remake.
Good for her- but except for the chance a lot of young Latino performers will get - this remake is still a terrible idea.
She will get one scene. Stop talking about nominations.
Adrian, you think he's excited, I think he's conceited.
I really wish that she’d return in Anything but a WSS remake...
Anita -- Doc has two fairly big scenes in the original and if they've expanded the role I'd expect her to have at least three scene, or (Im hoping) someway to include her in a song.
Sure, sure, they can't give Glenn Close her FIRST and they're gonna give Rita a second. A latina in her 90s.
What a weird reading to Mark Harris' tweet. How was that at all conceited?
Anyways, yay Rita! Can't wait to see what they have for her.
But Anita your last comment will not be factual in a few months, so please revise.
Wait! What? She's not going to be in IN THE HEIGHTS? I didn't get that update. And Joe, Spielberg seems perfect for a musical. I wish he and Kushner were doing CANDIDE instead though. (They could even hire Moreno as the Old Woman. It's a great part.) There's already a great WEST SIDE STORY out there.