When West Side Story first premiered in 1961, it swept the Academy Awards, scoring 10 Oscars including a Best Supporting Actress trophy for Rita Moreno. Sixty years later, the remake helmed
by Steven Spielberg, featuring a majority Latinx cast, is gunning for a handful of wins again.
The 2021 version of the musical is nominated for seven Oscars this year, including Best Picture and Director. And while Moreno, who appeared in both films, is not in the running this time around, newcomer and Broadway star Ariana DeBose is a first-time nominee for her take on Anita.
DeBose, 31, previously spoke to ELLE.com about seeing herself in the role while watching the original movie. “Perhaps not completely in the physical manifestation of her, because Rita Moreno and I look very different, but in the attributes of this character. She’s a woman ahead of her time. She has agency and she speaks her mind. But she believes in the possibility of her American dream and that there is space for her at the proverbial table, and she’s willing to work hard to earn it. I understood that I could claim that space too later on when I had a greater understanding of my Afro-Latinidad.”
See all of the film’s Oscar nominations below:
- Best Picture
- Best Director: Steven Spielberg
- Best Supporting Actress: Ariana DeBose
- Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
- Best Sound
- Best Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski
- Best Production Design: Rena DeAngelo and Adam Stockhausen
Can I watch West Side Story online?
West Side Story, which hit theaters on Dec. 10, is still playing in cinemas. Disney previously announced the film would have a minimum 45-day exclusive stay in theaters before going online, which means it could have begun streaming at the end of January. It’s unclear if the musical would end up on Disney+ or Hulu, or even possibly HBO Max due to a WarnerMedia deal that prevents 20th Century Studios films from streaming online while they’re playing in theaters, according to Business Insider.
Get Tickets for West Side Story in Theaters
Meanwhile, the original West Side Story is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video.
