Eiza Gonzalez could be in the running to play Anita in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story remake. The legendary director is set to tackle a remake of the iconic musical for his next project, and is currently in the casting process. If this latest report is true, he's looking to add another Baby Driver star.
Spielberg has been looking to bring West Side Story back to the big screen for several years, and his interest hasn't wavered. The classic story was first brought to life in the 1957 stage musical, before director Robert Wise brought it to theaters in 1961, and won 10 Oscar nominations. Only someone of Spielberg's stature could even think about following this effort up, and after all this time of development, his schedule has finally aligned itself perfectly to make it happen thanks to Indiana Jones 5's delay. His West Side Story took a major step forward when Baby Driver star Ansel Elgort was cast as the new Tony, and Spielberg may make it a Baby Driver reunion.
Related: Spielberg's West Side Story Reportedly Filming Next Summer
According to a report from Showbiz 411, Eiza Gonzalez "is likely going to play Anita" in Spielberg's remake. The role of Anita was originally played by Rita Moreno, for which she received a Best Supporting Actress nomination. Anita is the best friend of West Side Story's lead female character Maria, and girlfriend of Bernardo. Since Gonzalez is not yet officially part of the cast, it's best to treat this as a rumor for the time being. But, if a deal does happen, Gonzalez could make for a great Anita. She's got the looks, talent, and as she keeps proving on Instagram (as shown below), she has the voice to sing “America,” “A Boy Like That,” and “I Have a Love.”
Gonzalez broke out thanks to her role as Darling in Edgar Wright's Baby Driver last year, and she's continued to book multiple roles since. She still has Robert Zemeckis' Welcome to Marwen coming out later this year too, which has awards potential. Her filmography will continue to fill up quickly with Robert Rodriguez's Alita: Battle Angel early next year. She also has a role opposite Vin Diesel in Bloodshot, and just signed on for Godzilla vs Kong.
If Gonzalez does join Elgort for West Side Story, one has to wonder if Spielberg will try and swoop up other Baby Driver cast members. Lily James is no stranger to musicals after just starring in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, so maybe she could play Riff's girlfriend Graziella. It's also easy to see Jon Hamm fill the shoes of Police Lieutenant Schrank. But even if Elgort and Gonzalez are the only stars from Baby Driver to join West Side Story, they would be a strong start to the cast and a signal of the type of talent Spielberg is looking for.
MORE: Steven Spielberg Has 4 Different Movies In Development
Source: Showbiz 411
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