Natalie Wood Almost Quit
Even with Rita Moreno’s help (she played Anita), Natalie Wood really struggled with her role in the film. Not only was dancing and singing a struggle, but her fake Puerto Rican accent also proved to be a difficult task as well. At one point, she was so frustrated that she tried to quit. Although Wood’s singing voice wasn’t all that bad, the studio decided to dub over it (as they did with the voices of almost every other main actor in the movie).
Natalie Wood and Rita Moreno. Photo by Mirisch-7 Arts / United Artists / Kobal / Shutterstock
George Chakiris, who played Bernardo, was one of the only main cast members to sing his own parts (Moreno also sang most of her songs). In those days, it was also common for the actual singers to go uncredited. As it so happened with Wood…