Rita Moreno
- Acting
- December 11, 1931 · Humacao, Puerto Rico
Biography
Rita Moreno (born Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano; December 11, 1931) is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer. Noted for her work across different areas of the entertainment industry, she has appeared in numerous film, television, and theater projects throughout her extensive career spanning over seven decades. Her work includes supporting roles in the classic musical films Singin' in the Rain (1952), The King and I (1956), and the 1961 and 2021 film adaptations of West Side Story. Her other notable films include Popi (1969), Carnal Knowledge (1971), The Four Seasons (1981), I Like It Like That (1994) and the cult film Slums of Beverly Hills (1998). She is also known for her work on television including the children's television series The Electric Company (1971–1977), and as Sister Peter Marie Reimondo on the HBO series Oz (1997–2003). She voiced the titular role of in Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? from 1994 to 1999. She also gained acclaim for her roles in Jane the Virgin (2015–2019) and the revival of Norman Lear's One Day at a Time (2017–2020). In theater, she is best known for her role as Googie Gomez in the 1975 musical The Ritz. Among her numerous accolades, Moreno is one of a few performers to have been awarded an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony (EGOT). She is also one of 24 people who have achieved what is called the Triple Crown of Acting, with individual competitive Academy, Emmy and Tony awards for acting. In 2004, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor bestowed upon her by George W. Bush. In 2009, President Barack Obama presented her with the National Medal of Arts. In 2013, she received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. In 2015, she was awarded a Kennedy Center Honor for her contribution to American culture through performing arts. She was awarded the Peabody Award in 2019. Her life was profiled in the 2021 documentary Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It.
Known for
Filmography
- The Good Life · Self
- A Grammy Celebration of Latin Music · Self
- Clemente · Self
- Hollywood Squares · Self
- Jim Henson Idea Man · Self
- The Prank · Mrs. Wheeler
- My Favorite Things: The Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert · Self
- Family Switch · Angelica
- Paul Newman: The Restless · Self
- Fast X · Abuelita
- 80 for Brady · Maura
- Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration · Narrator (Voice)
- Santa Bootcamp · Belle
- My Father's Dragon · Mrs. McClaren (Voice)
- Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter · Self
- The Jennifer Hudson Show · Self
- Sherri · Self
- Still Working 9 to 5 · Self
- The Stories of West Side Story · Self
- West Side Story · Valentina, Executive producer
- Something's Coming: West Side Story · Self
- Maya and the Three · Ah Puch (Voice)
- Curious George: Cape Ahoy · Gertrude St. John (Voice)
- Wicked in Concert: A Musical Celebration of the Iconic Broadway Score · Self
- Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It · Self
- Stars in the House · Self
- Green Eggs and Ham · Dookess (Voice)
- Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage · Self
- The Tamron Hall Show · Self
- The Kelly Clarkson Show · Self
- Still Laugh-In: The Stars Celebrate · Self
- Bless This Mess · Theresa
- Carmen Sandiego · Cookie Booker (Voice)
- Torch · Aunt Francine
- Every Act of Life · Self
- One Day at a Time · Lydia Riera
- West Side Stories: The Making of a Classic · Self
- De Puerto Rico para el mundo · Self
- The $100,000 Pyramid · Self
- To Tell the Truth · Self
- Remember Me · Nanna
- The Latin Explosion: A New America · Self
- Nina's World · Abuelita
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert · Self
- Grace and Frankie · Lucy Chambers
- A Gift of Miracles · Beverly Davis
- Actresses Turned Producer/Directors
- Variety Studio: Actors on Actors · Self
- Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks · Ida Barksdale
- Jane the Virgin · Liliana De La Vega
- Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire · Self
- Reel Herstory: The Real Story of Reel Women · Self
- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver · Self
- Rio 2 · Aunt Mimi (Voice)
- Late Night with Seth Meyers · Self
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon · Self
- Getting On · Sister Lily Claire
- Welcome to the Family · Lita
- Nicky Deuce · Tutti
- Happily Divorced · Dori Newman
- The Day Of The Dead
- I Know a Woman Like That · Self
- Celebrity Habla · Self
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen · Self
- Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1960's · Self
- When Medicine Got It Wrong · Narrator
- Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression · Self
- Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History · Self
- In Plain Sight · Rita Ramirez
- Cane · Amalia Duque
- The Electric Company's Greatest Hits & Bits · Self
- Ugly Betty · Aunt Mirta
- Best Ever Muppet Moments · Self
- The Reichen Show · Self
- Wanted · Mrs. Kelly
- Grey's Anatomy · Gayle McColl
- The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo · Narrator (Voice)
- Law & Order: Trial by Jury · Mildred Quintana
- AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies · Self
- King of the Corner · Inez