Born Rosita Dolores Alverío on December 11, 1931 in Humacao, Puerto Rico, Rita Moreno is an Academy Award-winning actress. She is also the first and only Puerto Rican actress in history to have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award. At the age of five, she and her mother moved to New York and she began singing for Spanish versions of American films by the time she was eleven. At thirteen, Moreno first appeared on Broadway's Skydrift, playing Angelina. Her break out performance of Anita in Robert Wise's film adaptation of Leonard Bernstein's and Stephen Sondheim's Broadway musical, West Side Story earned her an Academy Award as the Best Supporting Actress. Her notable performances include those in Singin' in the Rain in 1952, The King and I in1956, and Carnal Knowledge in 1971. Her television credits include appearances in The Rockford Files, The Love Boat, The Cosby Show, The Golden Girls, and Miami Vice.

Rita Moreno has continued to take on roles in Broadway productions, and has appeared on The Last of the Red Hot Lovers and Gantry. In 1975, she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress for her performance in The Ritz. She was also in the female version of The Odd Couple. She had the privilege of being invited to perform at the White House, during President Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993. Moreno was also the voice behind Carmen Sandiego, of the hit animated FOX show Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? She gained notice from a new generation of viewers, playing Sister Pete in the HBO series Oz. In 2006, she portrayed Amanda Wingfield in the Berkeley Repertory Theater’s revival of The Glass Menagerie. Soon after, Moreno earned the position of a regular cast member in the CBS series Cane. She plays Amalia Duque, the wife of sugar and rum businessman Pancho Duque.


(Photo courtesy of CBS)