Exclusive Interview: Paloma Garcia-Lee Chats West Side Story, Her Journey as an Artist, and More

Paloma Garcia-Lee is a triple threat who has captivated audiences on the screen and stage. She’s been a part of several Broadway productions and was most recently seen in her breakout role as Graziella in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Paloma about her journey as an artist, West Side Story, and more!

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts and storytelling?
Paloma: It was always there. But growing up with a family in the arts, I certainly had to figure out my own love for it and find my own identity. From the moment I was born, I was in the dance studio in my stroller in the corner while my mom took class, or I was in my high chair while my dad was playing music or writing. I grew up backstage in the theater, in the studio. Once I was three or four, I was always at the dance studio—I had no choice, my mother owned it—but until I was eleven or twelve it was more of a chore than a joy.

I will say, upon reflection, that I was so lucky to receive such epic training as a child. My mom was on Broadway and danced professionally for years, and growing up in Bucks County, PA I was so close to NYC that most of my teachers (her working friends) just commuted down from the city. We would go see Broadway shows all the time, go backstage, and even go to auditions. I’m very grateful for the opportunities and exposure she gave me. Well, not just me—hundreds of children who passed through her school.

Once I started to decide that a career in the arts was something I also really wanted, I was obsessed, unstoppable, ambitious, focused, and determined. While I grew up with incredible training, access, and support, this has not been an overnight success for me. A lot of people just see the success I have achieved (and yes, at a very young age), but I am passionate about expressing that it has often been the scenic route and there have been many nos along the way to some pretty incredible yeses. We don’t talk enough about how we got to where we are. The journey is important to share.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Paloma: I must say that two words, in particular, have had a big influence: determination and trust. Determination each day to show up, no matter what, and work towards my goals, my healing as a human being, and my path as an artist. Trust in my talent and trust that what is meant for me won’t pass me by. Trust in my own resilience and work ethic.

There have been so many influential people in my life and career, but the older I get the more I realize how each and every single human being we cross paths with and each experience we have is deeply influential and informative of the person that we are in in the present. To realize every person who has ever told me no or every negative experience that taught me what I don’t want or who I don’t want to be was as formative as every single person who has said yes, who has really seen me and my artistry, who has given me the chance, the role, the opportunity, the meeting, the audition, the time is powerful. I have immense respect and gratitude for everyone who has been a part of my journey so far.

PC: You’ve had a deep connection to West Side Story. How did you first discover this story? Why do you think this story has stood the test of time?
Paloma: West Side Story has been on my periphery literally my entire life. My mom spent a large chunk of her career doing the show all over the world. I would wear her show jacket as a kid at home. I remember her teaching us the Jerome Robbins choreography at the studio. The first musical I ever did when I was fifteen years old was West Side Story. I quit ballet and wanted to focus on a career in acting and musical theater because of West Side Story. It’s just been hugely important to me, and it has found me many times in my life and redirected me to where I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to be doing. What a gift.

PC: When it was announced that Steven Spielberg was remaking this iconic story, you manifested that you would play Graziella. Was it everything that you imagined? What has it meant to you to be a part of this story’s legacy?
Paloma: It’s funny because Graziella has been a dream role, but people laugh when I say that because it by no means is a very large role. But in the scope of West Side Story, it’s the largest role I could possibly be so that’s why it has always been a dream. When I saw the Deadline announcement, I just quietly wrote it down in my journal that I would be playing this role and let the universe take it from there. The thing about manifesting is you can’t gripe. It’s not like I spent every day thinking about it. It was months before I even got an audition for it. I believe in writing down the things that I want in life, then going along my journey and letting the universe work its magic and timing. This experience of playing a role I wanted to play so badly on this scale, with this director, with this writer and choreographer, with this cast was beyond anything I could have ever fathomed. What a gift.

West Side Story is iconic and to be a part of the legacy forever is an honor. I showed up and gave everything each day and infused Graziella with so much of my own heart and to know that is captured forever is a dream realized. The greatest gift of all was not even the role or the project but the life lessons and transformations I have had because of the experience. Again, the journey.

PC: You’ve shared on Instagram that you experienced a lot of firsts on this project. When you look back at the experience, what do you remember the most?
Paloma: I remember realizing that I had been stifling my dreams and holding myself back from going after what I really wanted in this world. I had gotten comfortable in this glorious world on stage and sort of back-burnering these dreams and goals I had of being a principle and how I always had wanted to be on film and on TV. So I was shaken awake by remembering that I have always wanted to use my voice and to have bigger opportunities to flex my skill set. This all came clearly into focus while I was doing this project. To be on set each day and feel so in my calling, in my artistic channel, to feel so seen and respected by the creative team I was working with, to feel the comradery of my peers and the other incredible actors I was working with…it was a masterclass in “It’s all possible.” And once you see that it is possible to play the roles you want to play, work with the greatest director in the world, and be seen and respected you can’t unsee that. I don’t think I have ever been happier in my life than those days on that set and that speaks volumes to the world that Steven and the entire team created for us. I am so excited now to step into larger roles and work with other directors I admire and flex myself even further, to step into new experiences and keep expanding. I will take the lessons I learned with me forward into my new projects.

PC: When you’re reimagining a beloved story, how challenging is it to pay homage to the original source material while making it your own? What do you hope audiences take away after they see it?
Paloma: We were given so much freedom to make this our own and I think that that was beautiful. Having Rita [Moreno] around was such a testament to that. To feel the power of someone who has already given so much to this material showing up in a completely new way, making it new, and its own thing was stunning. We see my dear friend Ariana [DeBose] make Anita an entirely new woman and not shy away from all of the humanity she wanted to carry forth into her performance. We see Mike Faist make Riff something we have never seen before, so singularly him, and he was given such permission to run with his impulses and fire on all cylinders. Gosh, we had such a beautiful summer living in those roles. I could go on and on.

I think there was so much support to be our own characters, our own fullest actors full of agency and choice. There was a commitment to that singularity we were bringing. We were given that freedom from an entire seasoned team of geniuses (Spielberg, Kushner, Peck, Kaminski, Tazewell, etc.). They took care of a script and direction, choreography, and costume design that had so much respect for the original. They created the perfect environment for us to come into and feel free to play within—one that respected and honored the original. I hope audiences can drop their expectations and allow our reimagining to wash over them. To not expect it to be like the stage play or the 1961 film.

I hope they let this ensemble of new-to-the-screen talent wow them. I hope that audiences—and Hollywood to be honest—realize the magic that the “theater kids” are bringing. The nuance, the power, the focus, the passion. I hope that it changes people’s minds about musicals. I hope that there is a moment (or many) that takes their breath away, makes them think about humanity, about love, about how we can be better to each other, how we can make a better world. Gosh, isn’t that all we want as artists? To make an impact? I hope we make an impact.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Paloma: No guilt. All pleasure. If I want to sit down and get inspired right now I’ll put on The Queen’s Gambit or Season 2 of The Crown. Anya Taylor-Joy and Vanessa Kirby are huge inspirations to me.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Paloma: Any and all Wes Anderson films. Again, no guilt. Extreme pleasure.

PC: Favorite book?
Paloma: I have so many. But right now, Courage by Osho.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Paloma: I love many of Stephen Sondheim’s pieces. Sunday in the Park with George has a very special place in my heart. I would love to be in that. Can we make that a film? Can I be in it?

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Paloma: I am really digging both Laufey and Eloise right now. I am usually a Motown/old soul fan or retro pop. But you can catch those two ladies on repeat all day for me.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Paloma: There is this young actress Veronica Leite who is at NYU right now. I think she is so special, unique, complicated, passionate, and glorious. I would love to see her tell my story. Sounds so silly to think about casting myself. I’ve barely scratched the surface of what I will do, what I am here to do. This is just the beginning, I have barely begun. Here is what I will say, if I ever tell my story or any of the stories that make up who I am and who I am becoming, I will make a point to give an opportunity to an actress who is struggling to feel seen. If I am ever in a position of power or choice as a creator, a writer, a director, I will root for developing talent, of reaching my hand out to someone, bringing them into the room, and making an environment where they feel safe and seen and so they feel the freedom to turn on their light and shine so brightly. I’d also absolutely hire someone from the stage, the theater, Broadway, and continue to pass the torch to the incredible artists making the transition! That would be the only person to tell my story.

To keep up with Paloma, make sure to follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch West Side Story wherever you stream movies!