'West Side Story' banned in parts of Mideast over transgender character - NBC News

Some audiences in the Middle East won’t get to experience the epic love story between Maria and Tony.

Disney and 20th Century’s “West Side Story,” director Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the classic musical, has been banned in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait.

Films with LGBTQ references have been regularly targeted by censors in the Middle East, as well as China.

Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman praised Spielberg’s take on the well-known tale, saying the director made the movie his own while staying true to what audiences love about the story’s central Romeo and Juliet-esque romance