Rita Moreno

Rita Moreno

Born 1931-12-11 (age 94) Humacao, Puerto Rico
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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.

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Known For

Fast X
Fast X

2023

as Abuelita

Rio 2
Rio 2

2014

as Aunt Mimi (voice)

Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain

1952

as Zelda Zanders

Family Switch
Family Switch

2023

as Angelica

West Side Story
West Side Story

2021

as Valentina

West Side Story
West Side Story

1961

as Anita

The King and I
The King and I

1956

as Tuptim

Carnal Knowledge
Carnal Knowledge

1971

as Louise

Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico
Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico

2003

as Doña Dolores / Woman #3 (voice)

Jim Henson Idea Man
Slums of Beverly Hills
Slums of Beverly Hills

1998

as Belle Abromowitz

80 for Brady
80 for Brady

2023

as Maura

My Father's Dragon
My Father's Dragon

2022

as Mrs. McClaren (voice)

Summer and Smoke
Summer and Smoke

1961

as Rosa Zacharias

The Muppets Go Hollywood
Marlowe
Marlowe

1969

as Dolores Gonzáles

Torch
Torch

2018

as Aunt Francine

Curious George: Cape Ahoy
Curious George: Cape Ahoy

2021

as Gertrude St. John (voice)

The Yellow Tomahawk
The Yellow Tomahawk

1954

as Honey Bear

The Four Seasons
The Four Seasons

1981

as Claudia Zimmer