In Steven Spielberg’s 2021 film West Side Story, which actress plays Anita?

Ariana DeBose plays Anita in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 film West Side Story.

Anita is a Puerto Rican immigrant and the girlfriend of Bernardo, leader of the Sharks. She works in a bridal shop and becomes an important link between the older generation of Puerto Rican immigrants and the younger characters caught in the rivalry between the Sharks and the Jets.

DeBose’s performance earned widespread acclaim, especially for the musical number “The Dance at the Gym” and her dramatic work later in the film. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, becoming the first openly queer woman of color to win an acting Oscar.

Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the 1961 film version, appears in Spielberg’s adaptation as Valentina, a new version of the earlier film’s Doc. That casting connection is the main reason viewers sometimes confuse the two performances. Spielberg’s film was adapted from the 1957 stage musical, with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.