"Never in my wildest dreams did I see myself revisiting this seminal work," Moreno said in a statement of her new role in Spielberg's remake. "And to be asked by Steven Spielberg to participate is simply thrilling! Then to work together with the brilliant playwright, Tony Kushner — what a glorious stew! I am tingling!"
Spielberg is also thrilled by her inclusion, calling her Anita "one of the greatest musical performances ever filmed" and "a personal favorite" of his. "We created an original role for her, and we feel beyond fortunate that Rita will bring her extraordinary gifts as an actress, as well as her deep understanding of West Side Story to this production as an executive producer," he said.