While many Oscar traditions are not continuing during this year’s telecast in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new tradition has started with the Academy finally allowing new movie trailers to debut during the telecast, with the first being Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story.
The trailer debut comes nine months after star Ansel Elgort was embroiled in controversy after a woman named Gabby claimed the actor sexually assaulted her when she was 17 years old and he was 20.
New trailer: Disney-owned 20th Century Studios debuted the first look at West Side Story during the first hour of the Oscar telecast on Sunday night, before it debuted online on 20th Century Studios YouTube
Allegations: The trailer debut comes nine months after star Ansel Elgort was embroiled in controversy after a woman named Gabby claimed the actor sexually assaulted her when she was 17 years old and he was 20
The trailer opens with an early morning shot of New York City, with whistling heard throughout the streets, as we see a wall with a Puerto Rico flag painted on it with ‘This is our place.’
There is also an Irish pub and a boxing gym shown, along with another saying, ‘This is our time’ as we see a gun being dropped on a bar.
The trailer continues with members of two very separate groups meeting in the shadows – teenage gangs known as the Jets and the Sharks.
Our time: There is also an Irish pub and a boxing gym shown, along with another saying, ‘This is our time’ as we see a gun being dropped on a bar
Jets and Sharks: The trailer continues with members of two very separate groups meeting in the shadows – teenage gangs known as the Jets and the Sharks
Valentina (Rita Moreno) is heard singing Somewhere while Tony (Elgort) is seen at a high school dance, glancing at Maria (newcomer Rachel Zegler).
The trailer also offers a glimpse at Anita (Ariana Debose) as she dances in the street with a number of other characters.
We also get a glimpse at Valentina as Tony and Maria are seen meeting under the gym bleachers, while we also see the Jets and the Sharks clashing in the street.
Valentina: Valentina (Rita Moreno) is heard singing Somewhere while Tony (Elgort) is seen at a high school dance, glancing at Maria (newcomer Rachel Zegler)
Anita: The trailer also offers a glimpse at Anita (Ariana Debose) as she dances in the street with a number of other characters
Clash: We also get a glimpse at Valentina as Tony and Maria are seen meeting under the gym bleachers, while we also see the Jets and the Sharks clashing in the street
The trailer winds down with a number of quick shots including a glimpse at David Alvarez’s Bernardo, as the gangs clash once again.
The final shot features Tony gazing up at Maria as she stands on a fire escape as Valentina wraps up the Somewhere song.
The film will be released in theaters on December 10, which is slated to go up against Sony’s A Journal for Jordan and American Underdog: A Kurt Warner Story, starring Zachary Levi.
Bernardo: The trailer winds down with a number of quick shots including a glimpse at David Alvarez’s Bernardo, as the gangs clash once again
Release: The film will be released in theaters on December 10, which is slated to go up against Sony’s A Journal for Jordan and American Underdog: A Kurt Warner Story, starring Zachary Levi
Back in July, a woman named Gabby came forward and claimed she had a relationship with Ansel Elgort in 2014 and he sexually assaulted her, when she was just 17 and he was 20.
Elgort, who is now 27, admitted that he did have a relationship with Gabby, but denied the allegation that he sexually assaulted her.
‘I cannot claim to understand Gabby’s feelings but her description of events is simply not what happened. I have never and would never assault anyone,’ he stated.
Coming forward: Back in July, a woman named Gabby came forward and claimed she had a relationship with Ansel Elgort in 2014 and he sexually assaulted her, when she was just 17 and he was 20
He added that they had, ‘a brief, legal, and entirely consensual relationship. Unfortunately, I did not handle the breakup well. I stopped responding to her, which is an immature and cruel thing to do to someone. I know this belated apology does not absolve me of my unacceptable behavior when I disappeared.”
‘As I look back at my attitude, I am disgusted and deeply ashamed of the way I acted. I am truly sorry. I know I must continue to reflect, learn, and work to grow in empathy,’ he added.
Gabby added that they both first spoke just two days before her 17th birthday, adding that he was aware of her age when they first spoke.
She also claimed that during a sexual encounter she was left ‘sobbing in pain’ adding that he made cruel and inappropriate remarks.
Gabby also wrote, ‘I have PTSD. I have panic attacks. I go to therapy’ in a Twitter post, though she later deleted it from social media.
Denied: He added that they had, ‘a brief, legal, and entirely consensual relationship. Unfortunately, I did not handle the breakup well. I stopped responding to her, which is an immature and cruel thing to do to someone. I know this belated apology does not absolve me of my unacceptable behavior when I disappeared’