The following Career Dispatch was told to Jalen Michael by David Alvarez, who plays Bernardo in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.”
I had been interested in the military since I was a kid. Something about the camaraderie or the sense of belonging to something bigger than yourself really called to me. After doing “Billy Elliot” on Broadway, I felt like I needed to take a break from dancing and acting—just the whole arts business in general—and go see what else there was in the world for me.
So, I joined the Army. I was stationed at Fort Wainwright in Alaska for about three years. Being in the infantry taught me how to be mentally strong under extreme adversity. It taught me that when you’re hungry, tired, or hurting, you can still get up and keep doing what you need to do. It also taught me how to work as part of a team.
Everything is so individualistic in real life; it’s every man for himself. But when you’re part of an organization where you have to rely on the people to your left and right, that changes the dynamic. It goes from “it’s about me” to “it’s about us.”
Three years into my time in the Army, I was faced with a dilemma: Did I want to reenlist or leave and give the arts another shot?
I took a leap and chose the latter. I moved back to New York, did a swing gig in a Broadway show called “On the Town,” and simultaneously worked on my philosophy and theater degrees at Fordham University.
After that whirlwind time, I was ready for another break. I found myself in a place where I didn’t have plans or obligations, so I bought a one-way ticket to Mexico. While I was there, I got a message from casting director Cindy Tolan. She asked if I wanted to audition for the role of Bernardo in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.”
Ariana DeBose Is an Anita for a New EraI was so confused. Why me? But I wasn’t going to pass up a chance to work with Spielberg. I sent in a tape just to do myself a favor, to be able to say that I sent it. Then I could shut up and go back to my life.
One day, I got a call from Spielberg: “Hey, I’m going to be calling you Bernardo from now on. I hope you’re ready!” Immediately, my Army work ethic kicked in, and I got into shape. I took boxing classes, dialect classes, and singing classes. I drilled my scenes and did character research.
The lessons I learned in the Army about perseverance and teamwork helped so much on the “West Side Story” set, too, where I was collaborating with incredible artists who were all masters of their craft. Everyone was just trying to get the best out of each other.
All of this is to say that everyone takes a different path to achieving their goals. There’s more than one way to get to where you’re going. Just trust yourself.
This story originally appeared in the Feb. 3 issue of Backstage Magazine. Subscribe here.