Maria (West Side Story) after he meets and kisses Maria for the first time. Her name is sung 29 times in total. Natalie Wood was not the first choice to play Maria in the 1961 film version. Audrey Hepburn was considered, but she did not take it due to her pregnancy. Like Wood, Hepburn was not Puerto Rican; she was British, Dutch, and Austrian. Oh Maria, Maria / She remind me of a West Side story. Maria (West Side Story) Maria is the leading female character in the film "West Side Story". Maria is in her late teens when she arrives on the US
West Side Story on in the 1961 movie that we are focusing on." Ansel Elgort has been cast as Tony in the film. In addition to Bernstein's own "West Side Story Suite", the music from the musical has been adapted by The Buddy Rich Big Band, which arranged and recorded "West Side Story Medley" on the 1966 album "Buddy Rich's Swingin' New Big Band". The Stan Kenton Orchestra recorded Johnny Richards' 1961 "Kenton's West Side Story", an album of jazz orchestrations based on the Bernstein scores. It won the 1962 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Recording by a Large Group. The 1996 album