Recreating the visually dazzling costumes of one of cinema’s most celebrated musicals may have been an intimidating task for many, but for Tony-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell, it was a craftsperson’s dream come true.
Tazewell, known best for his costuming work in Broadway musicals such as Hamilton and In the Heights, has recently transitioned his talents to film where one of his first big screen projects was working on the critically-lauded Oscar contender West Side Story, directed bySteven Spielberg. In this interview, Tazewell shares the excitement he had in working on a reimagining of one of Broadway’s most celebrated stories, how Spielberg found out about his work, and the decision making behind the stark visual contrasts between the Sharks and the Jets.
