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The 27-year-old actor had already had quite a run of a performing career as a kid.
The chance to audition for Steven SpielbergsWest Side Storybrought him back to his ballet training.
I had left the art business and I didnt think I would ever be back.
I wanted to be a philosophy professor.
I thought it was such a long shot, but decided to not expect anything, just send it.
That just blew my mind, and I was quite intimidated.
I went to New York and I kept asking Cindy, What should I do for this role?
What should I change?
She was like, Just be yourself and do what you did on the tape.
We just had such great chemistry together.
Shes such a giving actress; she was there making sure I look good too.
We had each others backs, and because of that, we both gave each other the roles.
Its all there; you just have to be reminded of the ten years of ballet training.
It was an elaborate process of piecing together all these different things.
Bernardos got more of an expanded backstory in this movie, with that boxing plot, for instance.
So I tried to take my inspiration from another source.
I wanted to check that that my character as Bernardo could bring that to life.
But there were also a lot of things that I just ended up showing on the spot on set.
That kitchen scene where you see him interacting with Maria, that was my chance to show that vulnerability.
I think theyre both able to jump from fantasy to reality.
He choreographs depending on what your strengths are.
I lack, obviously, in other departments but he emphasized those strengths.
The entire project was full of that love and energy.
The rumble between the Sharks and Jets itself is pretty gruesome, meanwhile.
What was it like filming that?We never realized how gritty it was going to be.
When you look at the 1961 movie, its much more dancey.
This version, I thought I was in a war zone.
All of a sudden it turned intoSaving Private Ryan.
My parents were both born in Cuba and defected in the 90s.
They were literally starving in Cuba, so they had no choice.
At the films premiere, Spielberg said that Sondheim sat in on some of the recording sessions.
I really resonated with who he was.
He left us a legacy, and Im just hoping to do him justice.
And philosophy is a hobby of mine that helps me as an artist and a person.
I guess thats what Ill leave it at.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
