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Rita Moreno

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Article Genealogy
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Rita Moreno
NameRita Moreno
CaptionMoreno in the 1960s
Birth nameRosa Dolores Alverío
Birth date11 December 1931
Birth placeHumacao, Puerto Rico
OccupationActress, singer, dancer
Years active1945–present
SpouseLeonard Gordon, 1965, 2010

Rita Moreno. Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano, known professionally as Rita Moreno, is a Puerto Rican actress, singer, and dancer. With a career spanning over seven decades, she is one of the few performers to have won all four major annual American entertainment awards: an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Tony Award, and a Grammy Award, collectively known as an EGOT. She is also a recipient of the Peabody Award, the Kennedy Center Honors, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Early Life and Education

Born in Humacao, Puerto Rico, she moved to New York City with her mother at age five. She began taking dance lessons soon after, studying under renowned instructors like Paco Cansino, the uncle of Rita Hayworth. Her professional career started early, providing Spanish-language voice dubbing for American films and performing on Broadway as a teenager. She was signed by Louis B. Mayer to a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer while still in her teens, marking the start of her Hollywood career.

Career

Her early film roles at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and other studios often typecast her in stereotypical Latina roles, such as in films like Singin' in the Rain and The King and I. Her breakthrough came with her iconic performance as Anita in the 1961 film adaptation of West Side Story, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Following this success, she successfully fought against typecasting, taking on diverse roles in television, film, and theater. She starred in the London stage production of The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window and had a celebrated run on the children's television series The Electric Company. Later career highlights include roles in the HBO series Oz and the Netflix revival of One Day at a Time.

Filmography

A selected filmography includes Singin' in the Rain (1952), The King and I (1956), West Side Story (1961), Carnal Knowledge (1971), The Four Seasons (1981), and The Ritz (1976). Her television work spans from early appearances on shows like The Ed Sullivan Show to significant roles in The Muppet Show, The Rockford Files, and the modern series Jane the Virgin. She also performed in stage productions such as The Ritz on Broadway and Wicked in Los Angeles.

Awards and Honors

She is one of only eighteen individuals to achieve the coveted EGOT, winning an Academy Award for West Side Story, a Primetime Emmy Award for appearances on The Muppet Show and The Rockford Files, a Tony Award for The Ritz, and a Grammy Award for The Electric Company. Other major accolades include the Peabody Award for her body of work, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2015, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, presented by President George W. Bush in 2004. In 2019, she was honored with the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.

Personal Life

She married Leonard Gordon, a cardiologist and former manager, in 1965; their marriage lasted until his death in 2010. The couple had one daughter, Fernanda Gordon. She has been a longtime resident of Berkeley, California. Throughout her life, she has been an outspoken advocate for Latino rights and representation in Hollywood, and has discussed her past romantic relationship with Marlon Brando and her professional collaborations with figures like Gene Kelly and Elvis Presley.

Legacy

She is widely regarded as a pioneering figure for Latino performers in the American entertainment industry, breaking barriers and challenging stereotypes. Her achievement of the EGOT places her among the most decorated entertainers in history. Institutions like the Library of Congress and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have celebrated her contributions. Her life and career were documented in the 2021 film Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It.

Category:American film actresses Category:American stage actresses Category:EGOT winners Category:Puerto Rican emigrants to the United States