she's so associated with Polynesian-ness that I think it might read to people as "interchangeable brown people"

Yep. That was my initial reaction when she got cast as a Latina on Rise (that TV show I mentioned, which apparently was cancelled after just one season!) So I went wiki diving and apparently Cravalho is parts native Hawaiin, Irish, Puerto Rican, Portuguese and Chinese (!)

Given that this is a movie adaptation, my suspicion is that they will cast young, which takes out many of the awesome established Broadway actresses. I could see them going for a total unknown, especially for Maria.

That kind of mix is pretty common out here. However, the school she goes to is VERY Hawaiian identity.

Yeah, that seems like the kind of role you cast a wide net for.

The Maria in the 2009 revival is still around, [link] She was good but too old if they want to go anywhere close to true age since Maria is, what, 15 or 16?

Lea Michelle? I know, she is ancient at 32.

Ent Weekly suggested Camila Mendes fro Riverdale. I know she can sing, but does she have the upper range?

Esquire has an appreciation for Bram Stoker's Dracula ... during which, it seems, Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder may have been for-real married (not in this story - I've seen it elsewhere).

I'm fond of that movie, even though it's a big mess. :-) It's such gorgeous, bombastic eye candy.

I don't see how they can be for-real married if their own names weren't said, but that's a fun story.

It'd be a great excuse to get rid of pestery people. "Oh, I don't date, I accidentally got legally married during a movie shoot, and it's so complicated to get undone that I don't want to make it worse."

It sounds like the premise for a Hallmark movie.

"We were in a movie and they brought in an actual priest and he performed the actual marriage ceremony so we're actual-married ... and maybe we actually love each other ...."?

Complete with outrage from the previous high-profile girl/boyfriends of the couple.