West side story hispanic actors: 59 Photos
FAQs
Most of the Puerto Rican characters in the 1961 movie West Side story starring Natalie Wood, were not Puerto Rican or Hispanic/ Latino . Rita Moreno the Puerto Rican entertainer and a few others were the exception.
The Jewish girl – who eventually became the Puerto Rican Maria in West Side Story – was a holocaust survivor who had immigrated from Israel. The character that eventually became Tony – the Polish-Irish Catholic boy in West Side Story – was an Irish Catholic.
Moreno's early work included supporting roles in the classic musical films Singin' in the Rain (1952) and The King and I (1956), before her breakout role as Anita in West Side Story (1961), which earned her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, becoming the first Latin American woman to win an Academy Award.
- Riff (Caucasian Male) A spritely, quick-tempered leader. ...
- Tony (Caucasian Male) A romantic young man and former leader of the Jets, he has found a new lifestyle now. ...
- Bernardo (Hispanic Male) A proud, strong, handsome Puerto Rican man. ...
- Maria (Hispanic Female) ...
- Anita (Hispanic Female) ...
- Chino (Hispanic Male)
The Sharks were a Puerto Rican gang up against the Jets, who were white. But many critics view it as fatally flawed because of its representation of Puerto Ricans and Latinos in general. And of that original film there was only one Puerto Rican actor – Rita Moreno.