Steven Spielberg Ariana Debose Ansel Elgort Rachel Zegler Tony Kushner Kristie Macosko Krieger Cindy Tolan Mike Faist county Hamilton dance film stars Steven Spielberg Ariana Debose Ansel Elgort Rachel Zegler Tony Kushner Kristie Macosko Krieger Cindy Tolan Mike Faist county Hamilton

Ariana DeBose Turned Down ‘West Side Story’ Four Times, Says Casting Director Cindy Tolan

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variety.com

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorAs Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” steamrolls through awards season, gaining traction for leading ladies Rachel Zegler and Ariana DeBose, casting director Cindy Tolan talked about how DeBose almost missed out on playing Anita.It was just over four years ago when casting director Cindy Tolan received a call from producer Kristie Macosko Krieger who said, “Cindy Tolan, I have four sentences for you; Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner, ‘West Side Story,’ what do you think?’”A week later Tolan met with Spielberg, who told her he had no intention of remaking the 1961 film, but instead would base his movie on the 1957 stage production.

With that, she was on board to cast the film which stars Ariana DeBose, Rachel Zegler, Mike Faist and Ansel Elgort. While DeBose might be familiar to theater audiences from “Hamilton” or even Apple TV Plus’ series “Schmigadoon,” Tolan knew her from her Broadway career. “I asked her to come in and she said no.

She refused four times and I had to talk her into coming in,” Tolan says of casting DeBose as Anita. While Tolan always believed DeBose was the perfect fit for the role, Tolan says DeBose didn’t see herself in the role.Shortly after, Tolan went to see DeBose who was starring as Disco Donna in “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” on Broadway with some associates who confirmed Tolan’s conviction – that DeBose could indeed take on the part.In casting Zegler, who makes her feature film debut, Tolan explains Zegler came on early in the casting process. “We started four years ago in January, and by the second or third week, her self-tape had come in,” Tolan says.

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