Naya Rivera is a gal on a mission.
The actress took to Instagram over the weekend to post her audition for the upcoming remake of West Side Story. In the video, she notes her name, height (she’s 5’4) and that she will be auditioning for the titular role of Anita.
While it’s totally not surprising for someone with such a powerful voice to audition for a musical, Rivera also happens to be Latina. The characters in West Side Story are almost entirely all Latino, but unfortunately the 1961 film adaptation of the 1957 stage show was pretty much whitewashed—with the exception of Anita, who was portrayed by iconic Puerto Rican actress Rita Moreno. For this remake, Steven Spielberg plans to remain true to the work and have an all Latin cast, making Rivera perfect for the role.
Being super talented and Latina aren’t the only factors that could give Naya a leg up in this audition—Spielberg should probably also take into account that she has already played Anita for the world to see. According to E! News, the actress sang Anita’s parts in “America,” which she performed during season three of Glee. The part was practically made for her!
A casting call was put out for the Spielberg-led remake in January, seeking three Latino performers for the roles of Anita, Bernardo and Maria, as well as a Caucasian actor to portray Tony. Broadway star and Pitch Perfect alum Ben Platt recently placed his own video online for the role of Tony, per Just Jared.
Only time will tell who the Oscar-winning director will choose for his leads.