West Side Story Revisited by Vanity Fair March 2009

Photo Courtesy of Vanity Fair
Photo: Mark Seliger

Vanity Fair contributing editor James Wolcott interviewed West Side Story director Arthur Laurents.

So for the new avidly anticipated Broadway revival, directed by Laurents (now 90 years old, he’s lost none of his cussed determination) and opening March 19 [2009] at the Palace Theatre, West Side Story is being given a dirty-needle injection of “authenticity,” to use Laurents’s word. “Every member of both gangs was always a potential killer even then. Now they actually will be,” Laurents has vowed.

To celebrate the riveting revival of West Side Story on Broadway, Vanity Fair has commissioned “photographer Mark Seliger [to re-create] scenes from the beloved 1961 film version with the help of Jennifer Lopez and friends.”

Jennifer Lopez claims to abhor West Side Story’s leading lady, Maria, while fully embracing the role of the passionate Anita.

A huge West Side Story fan is Jennifer Lopez, who says she watched the film “37 times” as a kid growing up in the Bronx. She was especially attracted to Anita, played by Rita Moreno in the film—a fiery foil to Natalie Wood’s dewy Maria. Says Lopez, “I never wanted to be that wimpy Maria, who sits around pining for her guy. I wanted to be Anita, who danced her way to the top.”

Jennifer Lopez is joined in this and other historic and iconic photographs by the most popular and upcoming young stars of Hollywood.

THE DANCE by Vanity Fair
Between Maria (Camilla Belle, far left) and Tony (Ben Barnes, far right, also known as Prince Caspian), it is dancing, dancing, dancing. Latin steps predominate on the left, as the Sharks and their ladies give America a taste of the culture to come. On the right, we have a series of funky Anglo moves, as the Jets and their gals go rhythmically at it. On either side, our two tragic protagonists have eyes only for each other. The lead Sharks dancers are Anita (J.Lo, in an incredible pose) and Bernardo (Rodrigo Santoro). The Jet girl dancing with Riff (Chris Evans) is played by Ashley Tisdale (of High School Musical fame). Rounding out the Sharks, left to right: Minka Kelly (she’s Lyla on Friday Night Lights), Jay Hernandez, Natalie Martinez (Death Race), Brandon T. Jackson, Melonie Diaz (A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints). On the Jets’ side: Sean Faris (Never Back Down), Shane Lynch (she’s gonna be big), Robert Pattinson, Cam Gigandet, Trilby Glover (88 Minutes), Brittany Snow (Hairspray), Drake Bell.

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