“That was her idea of being very wicked,” recalled Nixon. The next day she returned, and apologised for her “wicked” behaviour. “Somewhere”? “I Feel Pretty”? “I Could Have Danced All Night”? “Getting to Know You”? All Nixon.Įventually, it was broken to Hepburn that despite all the training, rehearsing, recording and retakes, almost none of her singing would be used. Referred to as “American cinema’s most unsung singer” by The New York Times, Nixon not only did all of Wood’s singing for West Side Story, but Hepburn’s for My Fair Lady, Kerr’s for The King and I, and Monroe’s – though only for one particularly tricky line – in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. You probably don’t know Marni Nixon’s face, but you will know her voice – a trilly, gleaming soprano that adapted to suit whoever’s mouth it was supposed to be emerging from: Natalie Wood Audrey Hepburn Deborah Kerr Marilyn Monroe. Then they turned to Marni Nixon – the woman who, unbeknown to the film’s star, would be re-recording all of Maria’s songs – and winked. Oh Natalie, it’s just wonderful – absolutely wonderful.” That’s what Hollywood producers told Natalie Wood as she belted out her songs as Maria in 1961’s West Side Story.
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