Bernardo Vasquez is main antagonist in West Side Story. He is a boxer from Puerto Rico, who leads his gang, the Sharks, against the Jets for control over the streets of New York City.
Background[]
Personality[]
Bernardo is a hardened and tough young man who wishes to achieve the freedom and opportunity that all immigrants desire. Ever since finding himself in less than stellar conditions, he has become cynical and believes that he must forcibly take what he believes is rightfully his. He is very protective of Anita and MarÃa who are much more optimistic and hopeful than him. While he cares for them deeply, he does not want to risk losing everything and fights against the Jets for dominance on the streets.
Trivia[]
- Prior to David Alvarez portraying Bernardo, he was played by five actors. When the original Broadway show opened back in 1957, Bernardo was portrayed by Ken LeRoy who reprised the role when the show opened on the West End the year after. In the 1961 film adaptation, George Chakiris portrayed him. In the 1980 Broadway revival, he was played by Héctor Jaime Mercado, George Akram in the 2009 revival, and then by Amar Ramasar in the 2020 revival.
Gallery[]
Promotional photo
Behind the scenes photo
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