The Shocking Current Status Of 7 West Side Story Cast Members: Oscar Wins, Controversies, And Blockbusters

Few film ensembles have captured the world’s attention quite like the cast of Steven Spielberg’s 2021 adaptation of *West Side Story*. A blend of Broadway veterans and fresh-faced newcomers, this group—led by Rachel Zegler and Ansel Elgort—delivered a critically acclaimed performance that earned multiple Oscar nominations and a historic win for Best Supporting Actress. As of today, December 18, 2025, the careers of these stars have exploded in wildly different directions, from landing lead roles in major Disney franchises to starring alongside Hollywood heavyweights and, for one, navigating a significant career pause.

The 2021 film, penned by Tony Kushner, was a powerful, authentic reimagining of the classic 1957 musical, which itself was inspired by Shakespeare’s *Romeo and Juliet*. While the movie received ecstatic critical reviews and a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy, its box office performance was notably low, largely attributed to the Omicron variant outbreak. Despite this, the cast’s individual star power has only grown, making their current projects some of the most anticipated in the industry.

The New Jets and Sharks: 2021 Cast Member Biographies and Current Projects

The core cast of the 2021 *West Side Story* brought a new level of authenticity and raw talent to the beloved characters of the Jets and the Sharks. Here is a look at their key roles, career milestones, and where their paths have led them since the film's release.

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1. Rachel Zegler (Maria)

• Character: Maria, a Puerto Rican immigrant and sister of Sharks leader Bernardo.
• Key Milestone: Won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for her film debut.
• Current Status: Zegler is one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising stars. She is set to star as the titular character in Disney’s live-action remake of *Snow White* (2025). She also recently made her highly anticipated Broadway debut in Sam Gold's production of *Romeo + Juliet* (2024–2025). Her upcoming film projects also include the comedy-drama *She Gets It From Me*, where she will star alongside Marisa Tomei.

2. Ariana DeBose (Anita)

• Character: Anita, Bernardo’s girlfriend and Maria’s closest friend.
• Key Milestone: Won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making her the first openly queer Afro-Latina to win an acting Oscar.
• Current Status: DeBose has leveraged her historic win into a diverse career across stage and screen. She has been actively involved in the theater world, including being named a new board member of the Entertainment Community Fund. Most recently, she is set to return to the stage in a full-scale New York production of the Stephen Schwartz musical *The Baker's Wife* Off-Broadway.

3. Ansel Elgort (Tony)

• Character: Tony, a former Jet and best friend of Riff.
• Key Milestone: Played the male lead in a critically acclaimed Steven Spielberg film.
• Current Status: Following the film’s release, Elgort's career trajectory has been notably quieter than his co-stars. His primary, and critically acclaimed, post-*West Side Story* project was the lead role in the Max series *Tokyo Vice*. His career has faced public scrutiny following past allegations, which has contributed to a more reserved public profile and fewer high-profile announcements compared to Zegler or DeBose.

4. Mike Faist (Riff)

• Character: Riff, the charismatic leader of the Jets.
• Key Milestone: Received a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
• Current Status: Faist, a *Dear Evan Hansen* alumnus, has successfully transitioned from Broadway breakout to major film actor. His most significant and recent project is the romantic drama *Challengers*, where he stars alongside Zendaya. This high-profile role solidifies his standing as a serious dramatic actor post-Riff.

5. David Alvarez (Bernardo)

• Character: Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks and Maria's protective older brother.
• Key Milestone: A Tony Award winner for *Billy Elliot the Musical* who was brought out of a career break for the role.
• Current Status: Alvarez, who trained with the American Ballet Theatre, had stepped away from acting before Spielberg’s film brought him back. Since *West Side Story*, he has expanded his mediums, starring in the Showtime murder mystery series *American Rust*. His performance as the passionate and conflicted Sharks leader has been praised for its intensity and grounding the film's conflict.

The Enduring Legacy: Rita Moreno and the 1961 Cast

The 2021 film’s success and depth of topical authority would not have been possible without the presence of an EGOT winner from the original 1961 film, creating a powerful link between the two generations of actors.

6. Rita Moreno (Valentina/Anita)

• Character: Valentina (2021), a new role as a drugstore owner and widow of Doc; Anita (1961).
• Key Milestone: The only Latinx performer to win all four major American entertainment awards (EGOT). Won Best Supporting Actress for the 1961 film.
• Current Status: At over 90 years old, Moreno remains highly active in Hollywood. After her powerful role as Valentina, she has continued to take on major film roles, including appearances in the blockbuster action film *Fast X* (2023) and the comedy *80 for Brady* (2023). Her involvement as an executive producer on the 2021 film ensured a commitment to authentic representation, a key theme in the remake.

7. Richard Beymer (Tony, 1961)

• Character: Tony, the male lead in the 1961 film.
• Key Milestone: Starred in the original, Oscar-winning film adaptation.
• Current Status: Unlike his co-star Natalie Wood (Maria), who tragically passed away, Richard Beymer is still alive and actively involved in the arts. Post-*West Side Story*, he is famously known for his role as Ben Horne in the cult television series *Twin Peaks*. Today, Beymer continues his career in filmmaking and art, including directing documentaries, a testament to the diverse paths of the original cast members.

Thematic and Critical Entities: Why the 2021 Cast Matters

Beyond the individual performances, the 2021 cast members were integral to Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner's vision of creating a more culturally sensitive and authentic adaptation. This focus on topical entities like representation, language, and the musical's core themes is what elevated the remake despite its box office struggles.

Authenticity, Language, and Representation

The 2021 film made a conscious and critically praised decision to cast Latinx actors for all the Sharks roles and to have the Puerto Rican characters speak Spanish without subtitles, a powerful choice that demanded the audience immerse themselves in the experience of the Sharks. This was a direct response to the criticism of the 1961 film, which infamously used "brownface" and non-Latinx actors like Natalie Wood for key roles. The casting of actors like Ariana DeBose and David Alvarez, both with deep roots in dance and theater, reinforced the film's commitment to the musical’s powerful themes of prejudice and rivalry between the Jets and Sharks.

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The musical's score, composed by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, is legendary, and the 2021 cast, particularly Zegler and Elgort, were praised for their vocal performances. The film’s critical success—including seven Oscar nominations—stood in stark contrast to its poor box office showing, leading many critics to lament that a masterpiece was missed by the general public due to pandemic circumstances. The box office failure, however, did not detract from the critical consensus that the film was an exceptional remake.

The Broadway to Hollywood Pipeline

A significant factor in the 2021 cast's success is their strong foundation in theater. Actors like Ariana DeBose, Mike Faist, and David Alvarez all have Tony Award nominations or wins, demonstrating a new trend where major Hollywood musicals are prioritizing stage-trained talent over traditional movie stars. This has created a vibrant pipeline for performers, ensuring the film's complex dance choreography and vocal demands were met with genuine expertise. The film is now seen as a launchpad, not just for the careers of young stars like Rachel Zegler, but for the next generation of multi-talented performers who can seamlessly move between Broadway and Hollywood blockbusters.