# David Alvarez (actor)
**David Alvarez** (born 1994 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada; birth name [David Alvarez](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-alvarez)-Gonzalez) is a Canadian dancer and actor who won the 2009 [Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical](https://www.edgepedia.org/tony-award-for-best-actor-in-a-musical) as one of the three original boys playing the title role in *Billy Elliot: The Musical* on Broadway, and who later played Bernardo in [Steven Spielberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-spielberg)'s 2021 film version of *West Side Story*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3174725/) • [2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/david-alvarez-478691) • [3](https://www.heraldnet.com/2009/06/07/billy-elliot-wins-10-tonys/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1994, Montreal, Quebec, Canada[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3174725/) |
| Signature role | One of the three original Billys in *Billy Elliot: The Musical* on Broadway, appearing as Billy from October 1, 2008 to January 3, 2010[2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/david-alvarez-478691) |
| Tony Award | 2009 Best Actor in a Musical, shared jointly with Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish; also a 2009 Theatre World Award and Outer Critics Circle Special Award[3](https://www.heraldnet.com/2009/06/07/billy-elliot-wins-10-tonys/) • [4](https://www.playbill.com/person/david-alvarez-vault-0000056409) |
| Career interruption | Left performing at 17 to join the U.S. Army as an Infantryman; returned to Broadway as a swing in *On the Town* (2014-2015)[5](https://theplaylist.net/david-alvarezs-incredible-west-side-story-story-interview-20211222/) • [2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/david-alvarez-478691) |
| Breakout screen role | Bernardo, leader of the Sharks, in Spielberg's *West Side Story* (2021), his first feature film[6](https://www.cineplex.com/en/news/West-Side-Storys-David-Alvarez-on-working-with-Steven-Spielberg-playing-Bernardo-and-the-advice-he-got-from-Rita-Moreno) |
| Recent work | Isaac English in *American Rust* (2021-2024, 19 episodes); Gael Rodriguez in the ballet series *Étoile* (2025, 8 episodes)[7](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/244366/david-alvarez) |
| Height and languages | 6'0" (1.83 m); speaks Spanish, French and English[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3174725/bio/) |
## Early training in ballet
Alvarez grew up in a performing family. Yanek Gonzalez, his mother, works as an actress and directs theater, while his father, David Alvarez-Carbonell, teaches biology and chemistry as a professor. The family moved from Montreal to San Diego, where he began training in classical ballet at the California Ballet.[9](https://baltimoretimes-online.com/detail/tony-winner-david-alvarez-expands-mediums-stars-in-american-rust-and-west-side-story_1777205285) • [10](https://www.latimes.com/espanol/entretenimiento/articulo/2021-12-10/david-alvarez-actor-en-west-side-story-inicio-su-carrera-en-san-diego)
At age 10 he was offered a full scholarship to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at [American Ballet Theatre](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-ballet-theatre) in New York City, and he danced classical repertory such as *The Nutcracker* in New York during the 2000s.[11](https://betm.theskykid.com/meet-billy-elliot-david-alvarez/) • [12](https://cinedweller.com/celebrity/david-alvarez/) His path to Broadway began when a casting director saw a magazine photo of the scholarship student and persuaded him to audition for *Billy Elliot*.[13](https://boysballet.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/davids-long-road-to-the-tony-awards/)
## Billy Elliot and the 2009 Tony Award
Alvarez was among more than 1,500 boys who auditioned for the title role in the Broadway production of *Billy Elliot: The Musical*, which opened November 13, 2008, and he was selected as one of the three original Billys along with Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish.[11](https://betm.theskykid.com/meet-billy-elliot-david-alvarez/) • [14](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/David-Alvarez/) He had never acted or sung professionally and had never worn tap shoes, and English was only his third language after French and Spanish; he spent roughly eight months, from July 2007 through March 2008, preparing tap, acrobatics, voice, and acting for the part.[13](https://boysballet.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/davids-long-road-to-the-tony-awards/) • [14](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/David-Alvarez/)
On June 7, 2009, the three boys jointly won the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical, a three-way division of a single acting trophy that *The Washington Post* called unprecedented in Tony history; *Billy Elliot* won 10 Tonys that night, including Best Musical.[3](https://www.heraldnet.com/2009/06/07/billy-elliot-wins-10-tonys/) • [15](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/style/2009/06/08/charming-billy/0e320b7e-7a76-44f5-bca6-b27cb967d7f3/) Alvarez was 15 at the time, and the [Government of Canada](https://www.edgepedia.org/government-of-canada) publicly congratulated him in a June 9, 2009 news release.[16](https://www.canada.ca/en/news/archive/2009/06/david-alvarez-winning-2009-tony-award.html) He also received a 2009 Theatre World Award and a 2009 Outer Critics Circle Special Award for the role.[4](https://www.playbill.com/person/david-alvarez-vault-0000056409) He played Billy until January 3, 2010.[2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/david-alvarez-478691)
## Military service and return to the stage
**Leaving and coming back.** At 17, Alvarez left performing and enlisted in the U.S. Army as an Infantryman, saying he wanted to be part of something bigger than himself and expected to make the military a career.[5](https://theplaylist.net/david-alvarezs-incredible-west-side-story-story-interview-20211222/) • [8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3174725/bio/) After his first contract he missed the stage and returned to New York, joining the 2014 Broadway revival of *On the Town* as a swing, a performer who learns multiple ensemble roles, arriving in the cast in April 2015.[5](https://theplaylist.net/david-alvarezs-incredible-west-side-story-story-interview-20211222/) • [2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/david-alvarez-478691)
He then took another leave from performing: inspired by the book and film *Into the Wild*, he backpacked through Mexico on a one-way ticket, and afterwards returned to university to finish a philosophy degree at [Case Western Reserve University](https://www.edgepedia.org/case-western-reserve-university) in Ohio.[5](https://theplaylist.net/david-alvarezs-incredible-west-side-story-story-interview-20211222/) His Backstage profile lists a B.A. in Theater from [Fordham University](https://www.edgepedia.org/fordham-university) completed in 2018.[17](https://www.backstage.com/u/davidalvarez/)
## West Side Story and screen career
In November 2019, while he was studying in Cleveland, casting director Cindy Tolan, who remembered seeing him in *Billy Elliot*, contacted him about submitting a self-tape for Bernardo in Steven Spielberg's *West Side Story*; a call from Spielberg followed, and the philosophy-degree plans gave way to the film.[5](https://theplaylist.net/david-alvarezs-incredible-west-side-story-story-interview-20211222/) Filming wrapped in September 2019, and after a one-year postponement for COVID-19 the movie opened on December 10, 2021, as Alvarez's first feature film.[18](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/201668/david-alvarez-on-playing-bernardo-in-west-side-story-his-chemistry-with-ariana-debose-more/) • [6](https://www.cineplex.com/en/news/West-Side-Storys-David-Alvarez-on-working-with-Steven-Spielberg-playing-Bernardo-and-the-advice-he-got-from-Rita-Moreno) Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks and Maria's protective older brother, had been played by [George Chakiris](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-chakiris) in the 1961 film; Alvarez and choreographer [Justin Peck](https://www.edgepedia.org/justin-peck) described the character in the new adaptation as more complex than in 1961, and the production sought to cast Latin actors for the Latino roles.[19](https://dancemagazine.com/david-alvarez/) • [20](https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/a/marriska-fernandes/west-side-story-david-alvarez-interview) On the film's soundtrack he performs "La Borinqueña" (Sharks Version), "America", and "Tonight (Quintet)".[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3174725/)
His television debut came earlier the same year, as teenager Isaac English in the Showtime murder-mystery series *[American Rust](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-rust-tv-series)*, co-starring [Jeff Daniels](https://www.edgepedia.org/jeff-daniels) and [Maura Tierney](https://www.edgepedia.org/maura-tierney), which premiered September 12, 2021; he appeared in 19 episodes through the series' second season in 2024.[9](https://baltimoretimes-online.com/detail/tony-winner-david-alvarez-expands-mediums-stars-in-american-rust-and-west-side-story_1777205285) • [7](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/244366/david-alvarez) He had a guest role as Chico V in *S.W.A.T.* in 2019 and appeared in short films including *Child's Play* (2013), *Fitted* (2014), and *The Stamp Collector* (2021).[7](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/244366/david-alvarez) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3174725/)
In 2025 he played Gael Rodriguez, a dancer with a stormy relationship with the prima ballerina Cheyenne, in *Étoile*, the ballet-world series from [Amy Sherman-Palladino](https://www.edgepedia.org/amy-sherman-palladino) and [Daniel Palladino](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-palladino), in which a talent swap links a New York company and a Paris company.[7](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/244366/david-alvarez) • [21](https://apnews.com/article/15eb72051e53f77db284c755615aff3f) Asked about casting trained dancers for the series, Alvarez said "Ballet is one of those things you can't fake. You can't just wing it and pretend you can do it."[21](https://apnews.com/article/15eb72051e53f77db284c755615aff3f)
## References
1. [David Alvarez (VI), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3174725/)
2. [David Alvarez – Broadway Cast & Staff, IBDB](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/david-alvarez-478691)
3. ['Billy Elliot' wins 10 Tonys, Associated Press via HeraldNet](https://www.heraldnet.com/2009/06/07/billy-elliot-wins-10-tonys/)
4. [David Alvarez (Performer), Playbill](https://www.playbill.com/person/david-alvarez-vault-0000056409)
5. [David Alvarez's Incredible 'West Side Story'...Story [Interview], The Playlist](https://theplaylist.net/david-alvarezs-incredible-west-side-story-story-interview-20211222/)
6. [West Side Story's David Alvarez on working with Steven Spielberg, Cineplex](https://www.cineplex.com/en/news/West-Side-Storys-David-Alvarez-on-working-with-Steven-Spielberg-playing-Bernardo-and-the-advice-he-got-from-Rita-Moreno)
7. [David Alvarez, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/244366/david-alvarez)
8. [David Alvarez – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3174725/bio/)
9. [Tony-winner David Alvarez Expands Mediums, Stars In 'American Rust' And 'West Side Story', The Baltimore Times](https://baltimoretimes-online.com/detail/tony-winner-david-alvarez-expands-mediums-stars-in-american-rust-and-west-side-story_1777205285)
10. [David Álvarez, actor en 'West Side Story', inició su carrera en San Diego, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/espanol/entretenimiento/articulo/2021-12-10/david-alvarez-actor-en-west-side-story-inicio-su-carrera-en-san-diego)
11. [Meet Billy Elliot: David Alvarez, BETM (The Sky Kid)](https://betm.theskykid.com/meet-billy-elliot-david-alvarez/)
12. [David Alvarez, CinéDweller](https://cinedweller.com/celebrity/david-alvarez/)
13. [David's long road to the Tony Awards, Boys and Ballet (Globe and Mail)](https://boysballet.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/davids-long-road-to-the-tony-awards/)
14. [David Alvarez (Actor) – Broadway & Theatre Credits, BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/David-Alvarez/)
15. [Charming 'Billy', The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/style/2009/06/08/charming-billy/0e320b7e-7a76-44f5-bca6-b27cb967d7f3/)
16. [David Alvarez Winning a 2009 Tony Award, Government of Canada](https://www.canada.ca/en/news/archive/2009/06/david-alvarez-winning-2009-tony-award.html)
17. [David Alvarez – Professional Profile, Backstage](https://www.backstage.com/u/davidalvarez/)
18. [David Alvarez on Playing Bernardo in West Side Story, Broadway.com Buzz](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/201668/david-alvarez-on-playing-bernardo-in-west-side-story-his-chemistry-with-ariana-debose-more/)
19. [From Billy Elliot to Bernardo: David Alvarez's Journey to "West Side Story", Dance Magazine](https://dancemagazine.com/david-alvarez/)
20. [Why Montreal's David Alvarez Returned to Showbiz for 'West Side Story', Complex](https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/a/marriska-fernandes/west-side-story-david-alvarez-interview)
21. [Can 'Étoile' make ballet cool? Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/15eb72051e53f77db284c755615aff3f)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Theater and dance › Stage practitioners and craft › Practitioners overview*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license