If you’re not familiar with Rita Moreno, you’re definitely missing out. During the course of her career, she has won an Oscar, two Emmys, two Grammys, and a Tony Award—and that’s just counting her stage acting wins! She’s also been awarded Golden Globe and BAFTA awards. Her overall career in entertainment has spanned more than seven decades—she started on Broadway in the 1950s and hasn’t stopped working since! A Brilliant Chameleon: The Many Facets of Rita Moreno
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After winning a Tony Award for her performance in The Ritz, Moreno received a second one, plus a nomination for Best Actress, for originating The Rose Tattoo. In 1960 she earned an Oscar for playing Anita in West Side Story. She also won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her television work on shows like Fresno and… More About Her Career A Brilliant Chameleon: The Many Facets of Rita Moreno
Bio
Since entering show business, she has become a bonafide legend and a mainstay in Hollywood. She won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita in West Side Story, was named Dancer of the Year by Time magazine, and received numerous Emmy nominations during her long-running stint on One Day at a Time.
Family
Her father, Eduardo Moreno, was a dancer and actor. Her mother, Angela Castro, was an actress and dancer. Her uncle, José Luis Moreno, was also an actor. Her aunt, Lupe Vélez (1907–1944), was a singer and film star who appeared in over 80 films in her career. She has two sisters, named Lupe and Patricia; they both also became actresses.
Relationship
In May 1971, she married Javier Perez de Cuellar, who later became Secretary-General of the United Nations. They have three children: Laura, Pablo and Ana Cristina. The couple reside in Manhattan. Her daughter Ana Cristina was born in Mexico City on September 17, 1972 during her parents’ time there while her father was serving as Ambassador to Mexico from 1971–1974. Her father is from Puerto Rico and her mother is from New York.
Physical info
Physical info Wiki Biography and more Rita Moreno (born 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. For her performance in West Side Story (1961), she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as a Golden Globe Award. She later reprised her role on Broadway in 1975.
Career
In 1947, five-year-old Rita and her family moved to New York City where she was raised. She made her Broadway debut in a 1952 revival of Lillian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour with Jean Simmons, followed by a production of Anton Chekhov’s play Ivanov in 1954. In that same year, Moreno was cast as Bernardo in Peter Pan Live on NBC (1954). In 1955, she appeared in the television version of Our Town with Frances Sternhagen.
Awards
Puerto Rican-born actress and singer Rita Moreno is best known for her musical accomplishments in West Side Story, where she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as a Grammy award and two Emmy awards. Other highlights include being awarded a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, an induction into both America’s National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Puerto Rico’s Hall of Fame, and numerous other honors.
Net worth
$15 million $1.5 million (2016) Rita Moreno : Nationality: Puerto Rican American Rita Moreno : Occupation: actress, dancer, singer and author. She is known for her many roles on stage, screen and television over a career that has spanned more than seven decades. Rita Moreno : Zodiac sign: Aries Rita Moreno : Born: April 3, 1931 (age 85), Barrio San Antón , Santa Isabel Parish , Ponce , Puerto Rico [1] Rita Moreno : Height: 1.64 m or 5 ft 4 in [2] Rita Moreno : Parents: José Manuel Joe Anthony Figueroa Cordero & Rosa María Dolores Cordero Ortiz . She was raised by her paternal grandmother after her parents separated when she was four years old. Her father died from diabetes when she was 15 years old; he had previously abandoned his family when she was an infant.
Early life
Born as Rosa Dolores Alverio in Humacao, Puerto Rico, on April 3, 1931. Her mother moved to New York City and she was raised there by her grandmother, she attended Public School 44 until her family moved to Río Piedras when she was 10 years old. Her parents divorced when she was seven. A few years later, at age eleven, she began taking ballet lessons with Madame Marie Souvestre of the School of American Ballet.
Career beginnings
Rita began her professional career when she was a child, working in radio shows, theater and television in both English and Spanish. She made her film debut in 1950 when she starred alongside Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor in The Toast of New Orleans . She got a role that would change her life forever, when she played Anita in West Side Story (1961). Her role won her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Broadway and Hollywood
Although she would win two Tony Awards during her time on Broadway, (the first for originating a role in The Ritz in 1960 and another for starring as Irene Molloy in Grease from 1972-74), it was her roles on screen that would garner more attention and awards. In 1961, Moreno won an Academy Award® for Best Supporting Actress in West Side Story while also nabbing a Golden Globe® Award nomination.
Later career
Moreno made her first appearance on stage with a small role in Lope de Vega’s Life Is a Dream. She went on to become part of ‘The Group’ and performed in several New York based Spanish shows, including two sketches directed by playwright Federico García Lorca and short plays by Miguel Mihura. Moreno also appeared in a production of Anton Chekhov’s Cherry Orchard.
Personal life
Born Rosa Dolores Alverio in Humacao, Puerto Rico on July 11, 1931, her father was Salvador Alverio, a physician and professor at Cornell University. Her mother was Angela Rosa Delgado Gallo.
Q. & A.
This Oscar-winning actress has successfully done it all, from performing in some of history’s most iconic films to dancing with Gene Kelly to performing a Tony-winning one-woman show on Broadway. In addition to her many accolades and awards, she also stands out for her versatility. Read on to learn more about Rita’s journey through life.
Why is Rita Moreno so important?
Although she is best known for her film work (West Side Story, Wild in the Country, One Day at a Time), Moreno’s contribution to television is equally admirable. Her Emmy Awards include two wins for guest starring on Frasier and one win and one nomination each for her recurring roles on Will & Grace and Glee. In addition to these achievements, she has also been inducted into both New York City’s and Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.
Was Rita Moreno in the original West Side Story?
Yes, she played Anita in both West Side Story and West Side Story (1961). She won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita. However, her performance was criticized by several newspapers for having no singing voice.
Who was the first Latina to win a Grammy?
Maria Mercedes Rita Moreno (born 1931) is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer and singer. She is one of twelve performers to have won all four major annual American entertainment awards (EGOT). Nicknamed The Black Swan, she gained international fame for her role as Anita in West Side Story.
Who has achieved Egot?
Rita Moreno may not be a household name, but she is one of Hollywood’s most esteemed actresses. She has been nominated for an Academy Award and won four Emmys. A true chameleon, she has performed in everything from Jaws to Zorba to West Side Story.