Steven Spielberg's 'West Side Story' Will Not Be Shown In Several Middle Eastern Countries Due to the Inclusion of a Transgender Character
A recent Variety article announced that 2021's West Side Story will not be shown in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar. A take on the classic musical by legendary director Steven Spielberg, the film is said to have not been issued a release certificate in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, while Disney's refusal to fold to censors resulted in a ban in countries like Qatar and Oman.
The reason? The inclusion of Anybodys, a transgender character played by non-binary actor Iris Menas in "West Side Story."
While unfortunate, this development isn't new to people of the Gulf States - much like China, the region is well-known to have a touchy relationship with films with LGBTQ+ themes and characters. This year, Marvel's Eternals also faced similar bans, due to its inclusion of Brian Tyree Henry's Phastos, an openly gay superhero who shares a kiss with his mortal husband in the film.
"West Side Story" is a classic romantic musical retelling the "Romeo and Juliet" tale, told through the lens of racially segregated street gangs in mid-1950's New York.
The musical was previously famously adapted into film in 1961, starring Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno, and George Chakiris. Wood and other members of the cast have since faced scrutiny for portraying members of the Sharks, a Puerto Rican street gang, despite not being of Puerto Rican or of Hispanic descent.
Spielberg's 2021 adaptation partially corrects this by casting more Hispanic actors in main roles, including David Alvarez as Bernardo, and Rachel Zegler as Maria (in her feature film debut). Moreno, the only member of the main cast of the 1961 film of Puerto Rican or Hispanic descent, is the only returning cast member to appear in the 2021 film.
We're saddened to hear that the audiences in the Middle East will have a harder time experiencing the beauty that is West Side Story. Elsewhere, the film is set for release this Friday, December 10, 2021.
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