She later began using her stepfather's surname, Moreno. As a youth, she took dance lessons, and she later dubbed voices for American child stars in films released to Spanish-speaking countries. In 1945, at age 13, she made her Broadway debut in Skydrift. Her first big-screen appearance was in So Young, So Bad (1950).

What did Rita Moreno do when she was younger?

When she was 11 years old, she lent her voice to Spanish-language versions of American films. She had her first Broadway role, as "Angelina" in the 1945 production of Skydrift, by the age of 13, which caught the attention of Hollywood talent scouts. Moreno said she was raped by her agent while she was a teen actor.

What was Rita Moreno's life as a child?

Given the nickname “Rosita,” when she was young, Moreno's birth name was Rosa Dolores Alverío. She spent much of her childhood on a Puerto Rican farm until she was five years old. Her mother saved enough money for them to move to New York, but Moreno's little brother Francisco had to be left behind.

What are 5 facts about Rita Moreno?

What does Rita Moreno like to do for fun?

“I have many hobbies that help me unwind,” Rita divulges. “I take enormous joy in feeding the little birds in my area. I have a big, beautiful patio with bird feeders everywhere. I love, love hearing music, so I play music in my house all day long, and I'm also a news junkie.

A Girl Named Rosita 💃🏻 The Story of Rita Moreno for Kids

What are some fun facts about Rita Moreno for kids?

From 1971 to 1977, Rita starred in a children's television series called The Electric Company. In 1972, she was given a Grammy Award for the show's soundtrack. In 1975, a few years after winning her Grammy, she starred in the Broadway production of The Ritz as Googie Gomez.

What does Rita Moreno like to eat?

Her go-to dish is rice and beans with sweet plantains.

Why did Rita Moreno change her name?

But in what would be her first clear experience of how little power she had in that era, the teenager known as Rosa Dolores Alverio was forced to change her name. "They didn't know what to do with me because of my name," she says. "I didn't like the name Rita but they chose it because I liked the actress Rita Hayworth.

What was Rita Moreno the first woman to do?

She was also the first Hispanic woman to receive an Oscar (Academy Award). After her parents divorced, Alverio moved (1935) to New York City with her mother, who eventually remarried. She later began using her stepfather's surname, Moreno.

Did Rita Moreno have a baby?

The West Side Story star shares daughter Fernanda Luisa Gordon with her late husband Leonard Gordon. Moreno and Leonard, a former doctor who later managed Moreno's career, got married in 1965 and welcomed Fernanda a year later. Leonard died in June 2010 at 90 years old.

What school did Rita Moreno go to as a child?

From the time she was eleven Moreno was the Spanish-speaking voice of such performers as Elizabeth Taylor and Judy Garland in dubbed movies. Moreno attended Public School 132 in Brooklyn during this time. She dropped out of high school at age sixteen.

At what age did Rita Moreno come to the US?

Rita Moreno came to the United States from Puerto Rico in 1936, when she was not quite 5 years old, knowing not a word of English.

Where is Rita Moreno living now?

“Well, here I am in my full glory,” she says from her home in Berkeley, California. And glorious she sure is. Moreno is a couple of weeks short of her 90th birthday, but look at her and you would knock off 20 years.

Did Rita Moreno do her own singing?

Although Moreno only did some of her own singing decades ago, she now gets to perform one of West Side Story's most iconic songs, “Somewhere”. Indeed, with these talented and groundbreaking stars, it is no wonder that West Side Story has become one of the most critically acclaimed films of the decade.

Was Rita Moreno on George Lopez?

Rita Moreno was hooked when she was tapped to play a ghost in the television comedy "Lopez vs. Lopez," starring comedian George Lopez and his daughter, Mayan Lopez.

What type of dance did Rita Moreno do?

Around the age of 6, Moreno began taking Spanish dance lessons from Paco Cansino, the teacher and uncle of Rita Hayworth. At the age of 9, Moreno had her first performance dancing at a nightclub in Greenwich Village. Throughout her early teens, she would perform at clubs around New York, often going by herself.

What color is Rita Moreno hair?

Now: Rita Moreno

At 88, Moreno is full gray and stuns.

Does Rita Moreno have curly hair?

Rita Moreno is embracing her natural curls and her natural color.

Does Rita Moreno have naturally curly hair?

I have very naturally curly hair.