Ansel Elgort is a well-known American actor, singer and DJ who has made his mark in the entertainment industry with some of his critically acclaimed performances. Fans often wonder if he exercised his singing and dancing skills in the 2021 musical drama film ‘West Side Story.’ In this article, we’ll attempt to answer that question.
‘West Side Story’ is a highly anticipated remake of the classic 1960 movie by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. It follows the story of two rival gangs, Jets and Sharks, in New York City’s Upper West Side as they compete for control of the neighbourhood. The plot thickens when Tony (played by Ansel Elgort), a former member of Jets falls for Maria (played by newcomer Rachel Zegler), the younger sister of Shark’s leader Bernardo.
As far as Ansel’s role in ‘West Side Story,’ it’s fascinating because many know him for not just his acting but also his talent on stage as a singer and dancer. And there are different perspectives to whether he used those talents during filming or not.
During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, back in 2019 one year before production started on “West Side,” Ansel did confirm that he sang while auditioning but admitted he wouldn’t necessarily call himself a “dancer.”
“I can do some turns,” Elgort said at TIFF’s The Hollywood Reporter studio earlier this month. “It was definitely scary at first. But luckily I had (dance director) Justin Peck choreographing everything precisely up until shooting so I felt like once we got into shooting it wasn’t too hard.”
An early look at posters for West Side Story notably lists out only three main actors: Rachel Zegler (who plays Maria), Ariana DeBose (who plays Anita) and David Alvarez (playing Bernardo). Notably absent? Lead character Tony — though Elgort hasn’t been shy about talking up his role in meetings with the press.
So, while it hasn’t yet been confirmed if Ansel actually danced or sang on any scenes throughout his performance of ‘West Side Story,’ he may have done something significant behind the scenes to prepare himself for a Tony-worthy audition. With all that being stated, fans will still be delighted to see Elgort’s transition from dramatic performances into the world of musicals as West Side tells a timeless tale of love and conflict set within one of Broadway’s most beloved productions.
Regardless if Ansel Elgort sings during “West Side Story,” there is no denying that he has brought his charisma and acting talents onto live stage performances and acclaimed films (such as Baby Driver) seamlessly. His work demonstrates not only exceptional skills but also an unbreakable passion committed to entertain audiences globally. As fans patiently await its premiere come December 10th through theaters across the U.S., we can safely bet this movie will go beyond just showcasing essential themes such as perseverance, acceptance, and siblinghood – especially once they realize that Ansel has indeed used vocals throughout some scenes in this classic story retold via modern cinematic techniques.
Ansel Elgort: The Multitalented Star of ‘West Side Story’
Ansel Elgort is a name that’s been making waves in the entertainment industry for years now. He first made his mark as a young actor, quickly proving himself to be one of the most talented up-and-comers in Hollywood. Over time, however, he began to reveal other talents as well – specifically, his skills as a singer and a DJ.
Now, with the release of the highly anticipated musical drama film ‘West Side Story’ just around the corner, fans are eager to see all of Ansel’s talents on display once again. In this article, we’ll delve into what we know about Ansel’s part in ‘West Side Story,’ including whether or not he shows off his singing and dancing abilities throughout the film.
But first…who exactly is Ansel Elgort?
Born in Manhattan in 1994 to an artistic family (his father is famed fashion photographer Arthur Elgort), Ansel developed an early interest in performance arts. By age twelve he had begun studying acting at New York City’s Professional Performing Arts School and by high school was balancing studies with auditions that eventually led him to feature films like The Fault In Our Stars (2014), Divergent Trilogy (2015) & Baby Driver(2017).
Eventually though it was discovered along his journey into showbiz that music would also become integral part of who he was supposed grow into . His alt-pop/techno projects have culminated into opening performances during major international festivals such Lollapalooza Paris alongside others where he showcases both DJing and improvisational vocal stylings behind decks.
As for West Side Story…
For those unfamiliar with West Side Story; directed by Steven Spielberg this remake follows Tony (played by Elgort) who falls for Maria(Zegler), younger sister Bernardo(the leader of rival gang Sharks). The movie is largely expected to be a refreshing retelling of the classic musical drama. Where Jets and Sharks will battle it out through contemporary dance scenes that would showcase cultural pushback amongst neighbourhood’s “otherness” in both minority populations throughout America but more importantly how conflicted about their own identities.
Ansel’s performance as Tony is one of the movie’s most prominent roles, so naturally fans have been curious about whether or not he showcases his singing and dancing talents in this latest project.
What we know for sure is that Ansel can sing – back in 2019, he told Entertainment Tonight that he had sung during his audition for the role. However, when it comes to dancing, Ansel has been somewhat more coy. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter at TIFF earlier this month, he said: “I can do some turns…I felt like once we got into shooting [the dance scenes] it wasn’t too hard.”
So while we still don’t know exactly how much singing or dancing Ansel will be doing on screen (and in fairness audiences should base their assumptions entirely given what Spielberg’s imaginative take on West Side Story might entail), there are reasons to believe that Elgort went all-out preparing himself for his role as Tony.
One key consideration here is simply the fact that ‘West Side Story’ is a musical – i.e., by definition, a film where characters break out into song and dance numbers frequently throughout. Given how central a character Tony is within this story’s plot arc – it wouldn’t be terribly surprising if Elgort was pressured by director Spielberg/Jonathan Glickman (Executive Producer) to perform extensively.
Another point worth noting — albeit potentially circumstantial evidence—-is found on early posters promoting “West Side Story.” They only mention three principle actors: Rachel Zegler who plays Maria; Ariana DeBose who plays Anita; David Alvarez who plays Bernardo—the leader of the Sharks. You’ll notice that one very important name is missing: Tony himself, played by Elgort. Although it’s hard to say whether or not this omission has any concrete meaning (given promotional strategy), Ansel’s absence tends to imply he may have front-loaded his work with singing and dancing in behind-the-scenes prep as auditioning actors usually invest significant time mastering musical precedents before any full blown production begins.
Regardless of how much singing and dancing fans ultimately see from Ansel in ‘West Side Story,’ there is no denying the star’s undeniable talent as a performer. With his films, DJ sets and music projects have garnered international acclaim over the years, solidifying him as multi-faceted artist who can easily manoeuvre across different creative universes with grace.
Fans eagerly awaiting ‘West Side Story’ will undoubtedly be looking forward to seeing another side of Ansel on screen soon – a young man bringing his passion for performance arts into seamlessly synchronizing musical territories dominated by legends such Bernstein/Sondheim/Campos that continue influencing artists globally even today . And if we are lucky enough to hear Elgort belt out West Side Story’s iconic tracks then we might truly witness an unforgettable live-action song & dance extravaganza sure to make both old & new generation mirror each other movements via social media trends just like Baby Driver did with its infectious soundtrack which undeniably made us all wanna join an expert-styled car chase somewhere somehow….