"I'm very large with shadows, y'know.. I can slip in an' out of 'em like wind through a fence." - Anybodys
Anybodys is a minor character in West Side Story. The character is loosely based on Balthasar in Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet; Balthasar was a servant and informant for Romeo.
Overview[]
Anybodys can be interpreted as a tomboy, nonbinary person, or trans man in the 1961 movie. Moments such as them telling Riff that he's gonna need every man he can get in reference to themselves, reacting with extreme euphoria after being called 'buddy boy,' and being distraught at being called a girl by Tony to the point that they then stop trying to get him to stop calling out for Chino after having previously put themselves in extreme danger to get him out of trouble several times certainly provide evidence for the theory that they are nonbinary or a trans man, although their gender is never explicitly stated in the 1961 movie. However, their song that was cut from the play, Girls Ain't, provides clear evidence that the reading of them being nonbinary or trans was intended to be at the very least one of the possible readings long before the 2021 movie, as they very explicitly and desperately wish that they were male in this song. They wants to be in the Jets gang and often tag along with them even though most of them, especially A-Rab and Baby John, don't like them or want them around. They fancy themselves to be tough and scrappy and, like Action, are quick to fight with anyone who insults them, Despite their repeated pleas to be made a member of the Jets, Riff always refused and sent them away because of the mere fact that they were born female.
After Riff is killed at the rumble, Anybodys takes it upon themselves to go undercover for the Jets, hiding in the shadows and infiltrating Sharks territory. When they tell the others about Chino's intention to shoot and kill Tony, the Jets all split up and search for him. When Anybodys asks what they can do to help, Ice advises they go back into the shadows in the hope that they’ll find Tony in one of them. Ice officially makes Anybodys a Jet and accepts them when he tells them, "Ya done good, Buddy boy."
In the 2021 film, Anybodys is explicitly portrayed as a transgender or non binary character, as confirmed by the documentary.
Girls Ain't Lyrics and Audio[]
ANYBODYS
I ain't never gonna get married, too much noise
JETS
You ain't never gonna get married, too ugly!
ANYBODYS
Pow, pow!
ANYBODYS AND JETS
Knock off, get lost
Go knit a shawl
ANYBODYS
Move, hit the road, little lady, that's all
That's all I ever hear, and I believe it too
Buddy boys, I'm with you!
Girls ain't good for anything
Swearing, or smoking, or spitting, or anything
No good for nothing but wiggling and giggling around
Girls are good for kicking out
Screaming, and flirting, and certain to chicken out
Some should be clobbered, the rest of them ought to be drowned
Now take me, I ain't like any other girl on Earth
Don'cha see, I'm an accident of birth
It's revolting
I ain't like the other girls
Drooly, and sticky, and icky like other girls
I swear and I smoke and I inhale
Why can't I be male, like everybody else?
A recording of the song can be found at 5:32 in this video.
Susan Oakes as Anybodys (1961)
Gallery[]
.PNG "Anybody's (West Side Story).PNG (282 KB)")
