Entertainment
Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story reveals magical first teaser trailer during Oscars
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The first trailer for Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story remake has finally been revealed – and we’ve got goosebumps.
Fans of the beloved musical got a peak during the Oscars on Sunday night, with Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler taking the lead as Tony and Maria.
Soundtracked by the epic sounds of Leonard Bernstein’s song Somewhere (There’s A Place For Us), the trailer gives everyone a glimpse of the gang battle and blossoming love affair.
Kicking off with the rival New York City street gangs the Jets and Sharks facing off with chains in hand, this looks to be everything fans could want from Spielberg’s take on the classic.
We also got a glimpse of Rita Moreno – who played Anita in the original 1961 film adaptation of the 1975 stage production – in her new role of Valentina.
It’s an emotional moment, as Moreno’s original performance earned her an Academy Award.
Leading lady Zegler was excited before the trailer’s official release, as she admitted she was getting emotional before the big moment.
On Saturday night, she tweeted: ‘Currently sobbing in bed because life is about to get Real tomorrow. thank you for sharing these past few years of in-between with me. (sic)’
The script for the new version was penned by Spielberg’s Munich and Lincoln writer Tony Kushner.
Fans have been eagerly awaiting the release after a long delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but it’s due to drop on December 10.
Speaking after filming wrapped back in October 2019, the filmmaker said: ‘This has been a journey without precedence: a joyful, stunning, moving, endlessly surprising encounter with the story and score of one of the world’s greatest musicals.
‘We filmed West Side Story all over New York, Flatbush to Fort Tryon Park. The city lent us its beauty and its energy, and we drew deeply upon its grand multicultural, multifaceted spirit.’
Meanwhile, the trailer has dropped nine months after Elgort denied allegations of sexual assault made by a woman named Gabby when she was 17 and he was 20.
The actor, now 27, admitted to having a relationship with her, but denied sexually assaulting her.
‘I cannot claim to understand Gabby’s feelings but her description of events is simply not what happened. I have never and would never assault anyone,’ he said.
‘[We had] a brief, legal, and entirely consensual relationship. Unfortunately, I did not handle the breakup well.
‘I stopped responding to her, which is an immature and cruel thing to do to someone. I know this belated apology does not absolve me of my unacceptable behaviour when I disappeared.’
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