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 some interesting facts about Rita Moreno for kids?

She performed in films, television shows, and plays. Moreno was the third person and the first Hispanic performer to win all four major North American entertainment awards. This feat is called an EGOT, with each letter standing for an award: Emmy (for television), Grammy (music), Oscar (film), and Tony (theater).

Did Rita Moreno have a family?

In 1965, Moreno married cardiologist and internist Leonard Gordon, who became her manager after he retired from medicine. In 1995, they relocated to Berkeley, California. They remained together until his death in 2010. Moreno and Gordon have one daughter, Fernanda Gordon Fisher, and two grandsons.

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 are 5 facts about Rita Moreno?

Rita Moreno | Celebrating her Most Important Moments

What did Joan Crawford do to Rita Moreno?

But offstage, her night was only getting started: After accepting the award from Hudson, she ran into Joan Crawford backstage, who was there to present the best actor award and, as Moreno put it, “drunk as a skunk on vodka.” “She hugged me so hard she covered my face entirely,” Moreno said.

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.

Does Rita Moreno have a child by Marlon Brando?

In her 2011 memoir Rita Moreno: A Memoir, she writes according to Slate that she became pregnant with Marlon's child, and he ultimately forced her to get an abortion - which she described as “botched.” She also writes that Marlon frequently cheated on her, and apparently threw a chair across the room when he learned ...

Did Rita Moreno finish high school?

Moreno attended Public School 132 in Brooklyn during this time. She dropped out of high school at age sixteen.

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.

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.

How did Rita Moreno meet her husband?

Gordon and Moreno met on a blind date

They married one year later in 1965.

Why did Marlon Brando not marry Rita Moreno?

Moreno tried to make Brando jealous after his infidelities

But that level of passion came with a dark side as well. Brando pursued other women, marrying Anna Kashfi in 1957 and Movita Castaneda in 1960 and fathering children with both of them during his “off and on” time with Moreno.

Was Marlon Brando mixed?

His ancestry included English, Irish, German, Dutch, French Huguenot, Welsh, and Scottish; his surname originated with a distant German immigrant ancestor named "Brandau." His oldest sister Jocelyn Brando was also an actress, taking after their mother, who engaged in amateur theatricals and mentored a then-unknown ...

How many Oscars does Rita Moreno have?

With a career spanning nearly 80 years in the entertainment industry, Moreno is one of a few individuals to have won the four major annual American entertainment awards: an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Tony.

Where did Rita Moreno spend her childhood?

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 good did Rita Moreno do?

She broke racial and gender barriers through her portrayals of an Irish teacher, Italian widow, evangelist, English lady and southern belle, helping pave the way for non-traditional casting of Latinas.

What does Rita Moreno eat?

Family is very important to Moreno; she also loves cooking, especially Puerto Rican and Cuban food. Her go-to dish is rice and beans with sweet plantains.