The film won 10 Oscars, including Best Picture and supporting acting awards for Chakiris and Rita Moreno.
He also weighed in on the upcoming Spielberg remake of the film.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did you get the part?
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GEORGE CHAKIRIS:I was doing the show in London for a year and half playing Riff.
We started hearing news from the West Coast about the movie mentioning Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.
None of us ever thought wed get near it.
Park Circus/MGM
We did those tests and I flew to Los Angeles for one week.
They gave me a leave of absence to do further tests directed by Jerry Robbins.
That test was a scene as Bernardo.
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We had such a really beautiful time.
We knew we were working on something of quality.
Thats the thing that felt best.
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Was it a big transition to switch from Riff to Bernardo and were you happy about the change?
The guys are included in the America number.
There are additional small scenes for me with Natalie [Wood].
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It was just a smooth move [because] we were so familiar with the whole thing.
This was your first major role beyond dancing in numerous films.
Was that intimidating for you?
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The first thing that was intimidating was when I started rehearsing to play Riff in the London company.
That first day of rehearsal, I thought, Oh my God, Im never going to learn this.
I was really new to the whole thing then.
Jerome Robbins was an incredible choreographer, but he also had a reputation for being very demanding.
What was it like working with him?
I absolutely loved Jerome Robbins.
We were all so lucky to be in the same room with this man.
Of course, it was demanding.
Jerry was a perfectionist, but with himself first.
Ive always heard the stories about Jerry, but that was never my experience with him.
I never experienced him being mean or anything like that.
He was wonderful to be around…
He really tried to spark our imagination too.
So we were co-working with Jerry.
He made us be part of the creative process.
As a dancer, his style is so distinctive.
Did you find it hard to adjust to in comparison to past choreography youd done?
Absolutely, because all the dance numbers are dialogue its a continuation of the story.
It all moves forward.
Your work as an actor was part of your work as a dancer as well.
It was dialogue through movement.
Every musical number was an expression of how characters felt.
By the way, I loved every second of that too.
There was an added dimension because it was your work as an actor.
It wasnt just doing a step.
It was…what does that step mean?
What were you feeling?
That was all something you had to bring to Jerrys work.
In the film, unlike the play, you duet with Anita on America.
When were you first told about that change and can you share memories from shooting it?
I love all the numbers, but the America number, we had so much fun.
In the theater, its done just by the girls.
If you have [original Anita] Chita Rivera, you dont need much more.
[It] was an uplifting kind of thing to do.
I loved every minute of that.
Thats what it was about the spirit, the playfulness.
It raises that number to a different level.
We had such a delicious time with each other.
What was the hardest part of filming America?
Rita Morenopreviously told EWher dress with the lift in the finale was really slippery, but what about you?
There was one place in the number where the three guys have a little variation together.
I thought, No, of course not.
I know I have to do two, but I love the way he said it.
It was just a quiet question.
There was another section in the number where the guys are playing with each other with the girls watching.
What makes the number work so well is the chemistry between you and Rita.
What was it like working with her and are you still friends?
Id never met Rita Moreno until the first day of rehearsal here in L.A. at the studio.
She was there to work.
Shes an incredibly conscientious performer and actress.
Shes so gifted, and shes so beautiful in this role.
We all got to know each other very well, and weve all known each other since.
Theres kind of aWest Side Storyfamily.
We see each other whenever we can.
She was inspirational that way and shes that way in life as well.
Ive come to know her very well over the years.
Im godfather to her daughter.
Weve had a special relationship from the first day.
Jerry and Bob [Wise] allowed us to play between takes.
We even ruined a couple of takes just as a joke.
It was unspoken, but we inspired each other I suppose.
She was the only lead actor who was actually of Puerto Rican descent.
Did you ever discuss that or turn to her for insight?
No, not really.
Rita helped Natalie and me with our accents, which we tried to keep as subtle as possible.
It was a real problem she had to face but did overcome.
But hearing that story made you realize that different people feel different ways because of how theyre perceived.
I understand theres an interesting story behind the distinctive leather bracelets you and the Sharks wear.
Can you tell me about them?
We were competitive in the course of the film, trying to one-up each other with humor.
The Jets would hang a sign across the street from the schoolyard that said Sharks stink!
or wear T-shirts one day that said Jets.
Irene Sharaff, the costume designer, loved them so we wore them in the film.
We all felt so good when we were all wearing that wristband.
We all felt wed put one over on the Jets.
I want the Jets to stay over there.
I dont want you to socialize with each other during breaks.
I dont even want you to socialize after you leave the theater.
He wanted to instill that sense of tension that exists between the gangs.
He wanted to cut to the chase.
That was one way of doing it that was really quite effective.
In the film, that existed too but in a more playful way.
The one-up-manship was constant, and it was also a lot of fun.
Because your imagination was always at play.
Natalie Wood played your sister, Maria.
What was it like working with her?
Oh God, Natalie…beautiful, sweet, darling.
She was 23 for Gods sake, but she was a huge star.
She was dressed very plainly; she never wore a lot of makeup.
She was just pure and simple and sweet and gorgeous.
We all knew we had a movie star in our midst although we didnt say it.
She was a movie star, but she did not act like a movie star.
She was graceful and she was concerned about her performance just the way everyone else was.
Because I think she had had a bad experience doing costume pictures herself.
I could just go on and on about Natalie.
I remember where I was the day we lost her.
Since you were playing brother and sister, did you do anything to establish that relationship in rehearsal?
No, but it was so easy to feel protective about her.
I guess it came sort of naturally.
Why do you think the film has endured the way it has?
When Jerry was around, we came to attention a bit more.
You didnt relax around Jerry.
But thats not a bad thing.
Thats why I always tend to say that the heart and soul was Jerry.
It could have never been the same without him.
And that Bernstein score, which was just so beautiful.
Im sure youre awareSteven Spielberg has aWest Side Storyremakein the works.
What do you think about that?
Steven Spielberg is Steven Spielberg and [playwright] Tony Kushner is Tony Kushner.
I would assume theyve been thinking about this for a long time.
If anybody was going to do a remake, hey Steven Spielberg [isnt too shabby].
Its going to be really interesting to see what they do and what changes they would like to see.
Its exciting that they are doing it.
I think were all going to be surprised and impressed and like what they do.
I cant imagine because these two guys are pretty wonderful.
