Rita Moreno

American singer, dancer and actress of Puerto Rican descent

Rita Moreno is an acclaimed American actress, dancer, and singer who has had a remarkable career spanning over eight decades. She is one of the few people to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT), as well as the prestigious Triple Crown of Acting. Rita Moreno has been recognized with numerous accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Arts, for her outstanding contributions to the arts and entertainment industry.

Table of Contents

About the Rita Moreno

Rita Morenois an American actress, dancer, and singer. She has performed on stage and screen in a career spanning over eight decades. Moreno is one of the last remaining stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Among her numerous accolades, she is one of the few actors to have been awarded an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tonyand the Triple Crown of Acting, with individual competitive Academy, Emmy, and Tony awards. Additional accolades include the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004, the National Medal of Arts in 2009, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2013, the Kennedy Center Honor in 2015, and a Peabody Award in 2019.

Moreno’s early work included supporting roles in the classic musical films Singin’ in the Rainand The King and Iand Fast X (2023). Moreno portrayed the major supporting role of Valentina in the acclaimed and award winning 2021 remake of West Side Story directed by Steven Spielberg.

In theater, she starred as Googie Gomez in the 1975 Terrence McNally musical The Ritz earning her the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She reprised her role in the 1976 film directed by Richard Lester which earned her a BAFTA Award for Best Actress nomination. She also acted in Lorraine Hansberry’s The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window in 1964 and in Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple in 1985.

She was a cast member on the children’s television series The Electric Company (1971-1977), and played Sister Peter Marie Reimondo on the HBO series Oz (1997-2003). She received two consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for her roles on The Muppet Show in 1977 and The Rockford Files in 1978. She gained acclaim for her roles in Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? (1994-1999), The CW series Jane the Virgin (2015-2019), and the Netflix revival of One Day at a Time (2017-2020). Her life was profiled in Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It (2021).

Frequently Asked Questions

Rita Moreno’s real name is Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano.

Rita Moreno has performed on stage and screen for over eight decades.

Rita Moreno is one of the few people to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT), as well as the Triple Crown of Acting.

Rita Moreno’s breakout role as Anita in the 1961 film West Side Story earned her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, making her the first Latin American woman to win an Academy Award.

Rita Moreno has appeared in a variety of films, including Singin’ in the Rain, The King and I, Popi, Carnal Knowledge, and the 2021 remake of West Side Story, where she portrayed the role of Valentina.

In addition to her EGOT and Triple Crown of Acting, Rita Moreno has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Arts, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, the Kennedy Center Honor, and a Peabody Award.

Rita Moreno was a cast member on the children’s television series The Electric Company, which aired from 1971 to 1977.