Rita Moreno and Marni Nixon interview on West Side Story (2001)
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- Опубліковано 7 сер 2017
- Rita Moreno won an Oscar for her role as Anita in West Side Story and has been in dozens of films and TV shows. Marni Nixon is the singing voice of Maria (played by Natalie Wood) in West Side Story. She also did voiceovers for Deborah Kerr in An Affair to Remember and Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady. More recently, she did voiceover work for the animated film Mulan. This interview first aired October 25, 2001.
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I never knew how long they looked for Anita. Rita's story on the auditions...they saw every gal in Hollywood..months went by....finally she got it. She was marvelous, won the Oscar!!
Thank you for sharing this, as I've adored Rita Moreno ever since my late Mom, Francene, played the album of the soundtrack of "West Side Story" for me. I thought it was just amazing. I was about 8 and she'd said it was her favorite movie of all time, so it holds a special place in my heart. It was so interesting to hear how making that film felt for both Ms. Moreno and Ms. Nixon. I greatly enjoyed this.
FWIW, I enjoyed Rita's performance in "One Day at a Time" that Lydia's my Netflix Avatar. No matter the role she's played, the characters come alive when she embodies them onscreen.I even recall her fondly as a child when watching "The Electric Company" on our local PBS affiliate. She's a National Treasure as far as I'm concerned. :)
Rita Moreno kept it real this whole interview. Love her.
Natalie was superb as Maria in the film West Side Story (1961), Oscar worthy,;as were Marni Nixon's and Betty Wan's operatic dubs of respectively Natalie's and Rita's singing. Ditto Richard Beymer as Tony, and the dubber of his singing.
Jim Bryant! Lovely voice.
Amazing recording! Thanks for sharing :)
This is one of the the greatest movies of all time, musical or other wise. And it's extremely interesting to hear all of these behind the scenes stories of the film. When you're a Jet you're a Jet all the way!
From your first cigarette to your last dying day...
People really turn things around. Rita said quote “Natalie was never rude to anyone backstage but felt she was miscast and out of her element. It was very wrong for the people to tell her that it was Marni that was going to Dub her singing voice.” She didn’t say she didn’t like Natalie. I don’t know where people get that.
Natalie was FABULOUS as Maria! Methinks that Rita is a tad jealous.
because Natalie Wood was popular a lot of girls were jealous of Natalie...
methinks Rita had more talent than Natalie - who never got an oscar - and was roundly criticized for her work in WSS - - you must not have listened carefully to the video - Rita defended Natalie against the criticism that she was rude on set - and sympathized with Natalie's disappointment in not having her singing used after being told it was going to be - using "jealous" is a sign that you didn't really listen
i don't see what there would be to be jealous of !
Amazing interview!
What a great interview, by Terry Gross, one of the best interviewers of all time, and two fascinating and articulate guests. I was flat out disappointed when it ended, because I could easily have listened to them share their behind-the-scenes stories about the making of the movie for another hour.
... incredibly honest insight into how & why Natalie Wood just didn't have what it takes to step into a difficult & demanding singing role she was simply not equipped to do ... both Rita and Marni are so keen in their analysis of WTF was happening during filming a non-singer Natalie gamely doing her best, yet simply failing to perform at the requisite level ...
I think everyone is awfully hard on Natalie Wood. I thought her performance has Maria was lovely. I also heard her tracks of singing and while not of professional quality had a sweetness about them that was endearing. I think everyone should have more respect. Should we criticize Moreno for playing Tuptim In the king and I because she wasn't Asian.
I agree - Natalie wasn't a singer albeit she put forth a noble vocal effort. I don't know for certain, but I think Marni Nixon "always" sang "I have a Love" for I don't think Natalie was up to the almost operatic challenge of that particular number - Natalie could have gotten away with some of the lower, staccato quick Notes of "I feel Pretty".
Sweetness? Only if you find off-pitch singing sweet.
"Should we criticize Moreno for playing Tuptim In the king and I because she wasn't Asian."
No, but I'm confused what on earth that has to do with Natalie Wood's singing ability.
Exactly. I am so sick of people saying Natalie was a bitch, she threw tantrums backstage, etc. she didn’t mingle with the rest of the cast. Natalie has been in 2 major car accidents by the time she got the filming of WSS. She had 2 broken ribs, pins in her back, and her left arm had been badly broken as well as a fractured wrist hence the bracelet she wore in the film to cover up the scar on her left wrist. She worked so damn hard on her voice and was crushed understandably so that she would not be allowed to use her own singing voice. As far as Rita not liking Natalie I don’t believe that for a second. Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear. That’s my motto. Natalie was exhausted 😩 while filming WSS. I wish people would give the poor woman a damn break. She’s dead for Christ’s sake and has been for many years. Let’s admire her for the beautiful woman she was and stop nitpicking at her performance. As for her “hating,” Richard. Also not true. They didn’t have chemistry backstage that’s all. I saw some pics of them behind the scenes on the internet and they looked pretty comfortable to be in each other’s company IMO. Rita has mentioned before in several interviews that she felt Natalie was miscast and felt that Audrey Hepburn should be cast as Maria.
I totally agree !!
Natalie Wood was great. No matter what RM says
not just Rita - most of the major critics had nothing positive to say about Natalie in that role - as an average joe movie goer - i never admired Natalie - and thought she had sunk to her lowest in West Side Story
@@johneyon5257 to each their own I think. I liked the way she was as Maria. But of course many people feel different about that and others don't. I personally don't like how Rita Morena talks about her in interviews, especially compared to George Zakiras, who comes across as such a nice person
@@rogerwouters3245 - not only does everyone have their own opinion - they have their own experiences - Rita probably had a better relationship with George than Natalie - but people who idolize someone - expect everyone to experience the same feelings towards their idol - and are shattered otherwise
@@johneyon5257 me never..live and let live 😃👍
Very interesting. Thx
Moreno is one of the best ever
Best musical ever
Everyone did a great job. This was a fantastic musical. It's interesting to hear these backstories. I am a big fan of Natalie Wood, but Marni Nixon's voice is very special and is imprinted on my mind. I listened to some Wood Versions, and I don't think the Musical would have been as spectacular, but I do think people would still love it, and forgive the imperfections. I think that the producers and directors made the right choice, but I am glad I got to listen to the Wood Versions. I always had a thing for Wood, and she was very driven. She wasn't a singer, but given enough time I believe she would have taken lessons and improved. Of course there isn't time to change that much during the span of making a movie. Databyter
Thanks. The strange thing is, as persnickety and demanding as Jerome Robbins was, he adored Natalie Wood. And, when time permitted, she would sometimes come and take a dance class with him and the other dancers. It was Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer who couldn't stand each other. Cheers.
Rita is so incredibly haughty. It's hard to even listen to her.
A bit disappointed in hearing Rita Moreno not liking the "ethnic" sound to the woman who dubbed her voice, but I tell you it made the song that much more memorable. EVERYONE I know LOVED it including myself. And I'm Puerto Rican. I don't see anything wrong with sounding ethnic. Rita also seems to have forgotten how to properly pronounce "Taino". Unfortunately, she seems to associate an accent with something disparaging. Pity. I also think it's outrageous that they couldn't have been more honest with actors who had to have their singing voices dubbed. I hear that they did the same thing to Audrey Hepburn in "My Fair Lady".
laamiroly , I think she just had a vision of how the song should be performed.
She's a lovely lady in real life.
lasbagman1 not from the way she speaks. She explicitly states that she sounds like a "cliche Mexican". However, Latinos such as myself LOVED it because we KNEW a Puerto Rican "just off the boat" so to speak, WOULD SOUND LIKE THAT. She even seems to go out the way way to sound waspy while giving the interview. RIDICULOUS.
@David S.
Your point?
Rita Moreno was dubbed also
It should be made clear that Rita Moreno sang "America" as Anita and parts of "QUINTET" but she was dubbed in one song, "A Boy Like That" (dubbed by Betty Wand)
Please tell us who was the interviewer. Her voice sounds like Terry Gross if I am not mistaken.
It’s Terry Gross
I STILL cannot understand how / why, Anna Maria Alberghetti was NOT cast as Maria! She could have done it perfectly, & even though she's not Puerto Rican, she was Italian-American, with dark hair, & dark eyes, & a perfect operatic soprano voice. ---------It was unfair to Natalie -------Anna Maria would have been perfect. ------------------------------------WolfSky9, 72 y/o
I think Jayne Mansfield or Agnes Moorehead would have been better casting for Maria. 😉
Or how bout an actual Latina. Thank god for Rachel Zegler
they needed a marquee name - Beymer wasn't one - Natalie Wood was the ONLY well-known star in the film
I disagree with Rita, Natalie was perfect in the role. She looks and reminds me of so many of the beautiful Puerto Rican girls I went to school with and have known. She is so believable in the role of Maria that every time I watch her I'm moved by her sincerity. A truly underrated performance.
That's because she wore makeup in the movie to look daker. She is not Purerto Rican or even Latino. Natalie could not sing the role, which there alone makes her pretty miscast. They actually played Natalie's real recordings of the songs when they filmed the movie. it wasn't till later they dubbed over her singing with Marni Nixon. I'm sure since most of the cast had to listen to Natalie's real vocals while filming most of them got the impression she was miscast in the role. In the end I think Natalie did a fine job in the role acting wise but I can see where Rita is coming from also.
I love Rita but she CAN'T criticize Natalie for playing Maria when she played Tuptim.
Why can’t she? Roles were few and far between for POC so she took what she could get while Natalie didn’t have that issue.
@@jmichael415 Because Rita is NOT asian. WAKE UP.
@@latrolettteeeeeee I know she's not Asian. Her playing as an Asian is problematic too but I wouldn't consider it hypocritical just because those were the only roles offered to her compared to Natalie campaigning to play Maria.
@@jmichael415 WELL IT IS HYPOCRITICAL WHEN SLAMS NATALIE WOOD FOR PLAYING MARIA. UGH
@@latrolettteeeeeee becuase she isn’t Hispanic. In any way. Which is the problem with the 61 movie
The studio powers that be were such ass*****! Unbelievable how they treated these people. Hopefully things are somewhat different now...
Rita was always jealous of Natalie.
@@samuelm.5752 Natalie is a Hollywood icon. Enough said.
Rita keeps trashing the film that made her career and won her an Oscar. And Natalie as a latina? Rita herself says latinos come in all shades of colors and looks. Her career before WWS was not particularly distinguished. I think Chita Rivera would have been fantastic in the part on screen.
Chita Rivera could have done the film. But she had already signed a contract to do "Bye Bye Birdie" on Broadway, so that was that! Cheers.
good for Rita for speaking her mind - that she has you seething is good thing
DAMN! Rita was dragging everybody. She sounded bitter about Natalie though. She came across as unnecessarily catty. She sounds pressed.
Moreno sounds honest to me, and very perceptive.
@@randolphpinkle4482 You can be honestly catty, doesn't make you any less catty. I love Rita but I think her comments are very unfair to Natalie.
@@backto-il9ne because Natalie Wood was popular a lot of girls were jealous of Natalie...
What a shame that they made them wear horrible makeup to look more “Latino”! Horrible stuff they used to do to great performers!
She was lucky she had opportunities.
sissy lou are you KIDDING me?! Lucky? She was and is very multi talented! She didn’t need LUCK! Those that need luck are the horrible excuses we have today that use auto tune to cheat and try to sound good with epic fails! But putting dark makeup on already Latino people’s to make them more “Ethnic” is racist and disgusting. People come in all shades, and that’s natural, but trying to paint a natural Latino to LOOK like what they are already is so unbelievably stupid and insulting to the performers. That couldn’t be done today! Thank goodness we’ve moved a LITTLE bit forward!
Reta Taylor I hope you're grateful that you live in the USA.
sissy lou absolutely! Except for the orange buffoon embarrassing our country and planet!
Reta Taylor At least you don't have to contend with an imbecile sock puppet (PM Turdeau) as your leader.
I think it's hilarious that Moreno called herself a coluratura soprano. In her dreams. By the way I thought Betty Wands dubbing was pretty damn good. Get over yourself Rita.
Rita Moreno and her outsized ego...of course, she had to put down the woman who dubbed her singing.
Peter Friend i think its pretty fair. The strong accent while singing always bugged me. And as an actress she knows how it should sound
The question is, what is honesty or resentment? And how do you know?
I thought the movie was perfect . The stuff where actors come back years later after their banks accounts are nice and full, and criticize certain casting or that they were presented in stereotypical ways, seems disingenuous. If you felt that way then turn down the part, and uphold your values.
today's world where the majority peoples of the world (ie those who are not white european) are heeded when they complain about their depiction in film - must really grate on you - we enjoy watching you writhe
@@johneyon5257 No idea that your points is. Trading your self respect for money is hypocritical. If you think that a part is demeaning and stereotypical, then turn the part down. Today they take things to the extreme and complain about everything from casting or how many boxes they can check off. For me it's made movies unwatchable.
@@peace-yv4qd - love watching you contort yourself - "trading self-respect for money is hypocritical" - Rita was a Puerto Rican who played one in WSS - Natalie wasn't - and did - plus she didn't want the role - who's being hypocritical according to your definition? - - while today's films offend you - yesterday's films offended others yesterday - and that makes them unwatchable to many in today's audiences - so we just don't watch them - so maybe you shouldn't try watching today's films - and everyone will be happy
everybody is a victim nowadys