Rita Moreno

Biography

Rita Moreno (born Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano; 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. Her work includes supporting roles in the classic musical films Singin' in the Rain (1952), The King and I (1956), and the 1961 and 2021 film adaptations of West Side Story. Her other notable films include Popi (1969), Carnal Knowledge (1971), The Four Seasons (1981), I Like It Like That (1994) and the cult film Slums of Beverly Hills (1998). She is also known for her work on television including the children's television series The Electric Company (1971–1977), and as Sister Peter Marie Reimondo on the HBO series Oz (1997–2003). She voiced the titular role of in Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? from 1994 to 1999. She also gained acclaim for her roles in Jane the Virgin (2015–2019) and the revival of Norman Lear's One Day at a Time (2017–2020). In theater, she is best known for her role as Googie Gomez in the 1975 musical The Ritz. Among her numerous accolades, Moreno is one of a few performers to have been awarded an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony (EGOT). She is also one of 24 people who have achieved what is called the Triple Crown of Acting, with individual competitive Academy, Emmy and Tony awards for acting. In 2004, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor bestowed upon her by George W. Bush. In 2009, President Barack Obama presented her with the National Medal of Arts. In 2013, she received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. In 2015, she was awarded a Kennedy Center Honor for her contribution to American culture through performing arts. She was awarded the Peabody Award in 2019. Her life was profiled in the 2021 documentary Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It.

Known For

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Grey's Anatomy

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

Late Night with Seth Meyers

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Kelly Clarkson Show

All Movies (115)

• A Grammy Celebration of Latin Music2025 · as Self
• Clemente2025 · as Self
• Jim Henson Idea Man2024 · as Self
• The Prank2024 · as Mrs. Wheeler
• My Favorite Things: The Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert2024 · as Self
• Family Switch2023 · as Angelica
• Fast X2023 · as Abuelita
• 80 for Brady2023 · as Maura
• Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration2022 · as Narrator (voice)
• Santa Bootcamp2022 · as Belle
• My Father's Dragon2022 · as Mrs. McClaren (voice)
• Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter2022 · as Self
• Still Working 9 to 52022 · as Self
• The Stories of West Side Story2022 · as Self
• West Side Story2021 · as Valentina
• Something's Coming: West Side Story2021 · as Self
• Curious George: Cape Ahoy2021 · as Gertrude St. John (voice)
• Wicked in Concert: A Musical Celebration of the Iconic Broadway Score2021 · as Self
• Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It2021 · as Self
• Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage2019 · as Self
• Still Laugh-In: The Stars Celebrate2019 · as Self
• Torch2018 · as Aunt Francine
• Every Act of Life2018 · as Self
• West Side Stories: The Making of a Classic2016 · as Self
• De Puerto Rico para el mundo2016 · as Self
• Remember Me2016 · as Nanna
• The Latin Explosion: A New America2015 · as Self
• A Gift of Miracles2015 · as Beverly Davis
• Actresses Turned Producer/Directors2014
• Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks2014 · as Ida Barksdale
• Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire2014 · as Self - Actress
• Reel Herstory: The Real Story of Reel Women2014 · as Self
• Rio 22014 · as Aunt Mimi (voice)
• Nicky Deuce2013 · as Tutti
• The Day Of The Dead2011
• I Know a Woman Like That2009 · as Self
• Celebrity Habla2009 · as Self
• Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1960's2009 · as Self
• When Medicine Got It Wrong2009 · as Narrator
• Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression2009 · as Self
• Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History2008 · as Self
• The Electric Company's Greatest Hits & Bits2006 · as Self
• Best Ever Muppet Moments2006 · as Self
• The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo2005 · as Narrator (voice)
• AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies2004 · as Self
• King of the Corner2004 · as Inez
• Happy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me2004 · as Self (voice)
• Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico2003 · as Doña Dolores / Woman #3 (voice)
• Casa de los Babys2003 · as Señora Muñoz
• West Side Memories2003 · as Self
• Open House2003 · as Lydia Fitch
• AFI's 100 Years... 100 Passions: America's Greatest Love Stories2002 · as Self
• The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema2002
• Piñero2001 · as Miguel's Mother
• When It Was a Game 32000 · as Passage Narrator (voice)
• Blue Moon2000 · as Maggie Cavallo
• The Rockford Files: If It Bleeds... It Leads1999 · as Rita Kapkovic Landale
• Resurrection1999 · as Mimi
• Carlo's Wake1999 · as Angela Torello
• Slums of Beverly Hills1998 · as Belle Abromowitz
• The Spree1998 · as Irma Kelly
• The Wharf Rat1996 · as Mom
• Angus1995 · as Madame Rulenska
• Carmen Miranda: Bananas Is My Business1995 · as Self
• Yul Brynner: The Man Who Was King1995 · as Self
• I Like It Like That1994 · as Rosaria Linares
• Italian Movie1994 · as Isabella
• Jerry Herman's Broadway at the Hollywood Bowl1994 · as Self
• Age Isn't Everything1991 · as Rita
• Rita Moreno: Now You Can!1989 · as Self
• 1989 Walt Disney World 4th of July Spectacular1989 · as Self
• The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years1986 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Muppet Revue1985 · as Self
• Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady1982
• Working1982 · as Waitress
• Portrait of a Showgirl1982 · as Rosella DeLeon
• The Four Seasons1981 · as Claudia Zimmer
• Evita Peron1981 · as Renata Riguel
• Happy Birthday, Gemini1980 · as Lucille Pompi
• The Muppets Go Hollywood1979 · as Self
• Anatomy of a Seduction1979 · as Nina
• The Boss' Son1978 · as Esther Rose
• The Ritz1976 · as Googie Gomez
• Out to Lunch1974 · as Self / Divorce Woman / Posy / Spectator / 50s Dancer
• Carnal Knowledge1971 · as Louise
• Voice of La Raza1971 · as Self
• Marlowe1969 · as Dolores Gonzáles
• Popi1969 · as Lupe
• The Night of the Following Day1969 · as Blonde
• Cry of Battle1963 · as Sisa
• Samar1962 · as Woman Convict
• West Side Story1961 · as Anita
• Summer and Smoke1961 · as Rosa Zacharias
• Mga Alamat Ng Sandaigdig1960
• This Rebel Breed1960 · as Lola Montalvo
• The Deerslayer1957 · as Hetty Hutter
• The Vagabond King1956 · as Huguette
• The King and I1956 · as Tuptim
• The Lieutenant Wore Skirts1956 · as Sandra Roberts
• Seven Cities of Gold1955 · as Ula
• Untamed1955 · as Julia
• Garden of Evil1954 · as Cantina Singer
• The Yellow Tomahawk1954 · as Honey Bear
• Jivaro1954 · as Maroa
• El Alaméin1953 · as Jara
• Latin Lovers1953 · as Christina
• Fort Vengeance1953 · as Bridget Fitzgibbon
• The Ring1952 · as Lucy Gomez
• Cattle Town1952 · as Queli
• Singin' in the Rain1952 · as Zelda Zanders
• The Fabulous Senorita1952 · as Manuela Rodríguez
• Pagan Love Song1950 · as Terru
• The Toast of New Orleans1950 · as Tina
• So Young, So Bad1950 · as Dolores Guererro
• Theirs—

All TV Shows (107)

• Hollywood Squares2025 · as Self
• The Jennifer Hudson Show2022 · as Self
• Sherri2022 · as Self - Guest
• Maya and the Three2021 · as Ah Puch (voice)
• Stars in the House2020 · as Self
• Green Eggs and Ham2019 · as Dookess (voice)
• Tamron Hall2019 · as Self - Guest
• The Kelly Clarkson Show2019 · as Self
• Bless This Mess2019 · as Theresa
• One Day at a Time2017 · as Lydia Riera
• The $100,000 Pyramid2016 · as Self
• To Tell the Truth2016 · as Self - Panelist
• Nina's World2015 · as Abuelita
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self
• Grace and Frankie2015 · as Lucy Chambers
• Variety Studio: Actors on Actors2014 · as Self
• Jane the Virgin2014 · as Liliana De La Vega
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver2014 · as Self - Guest
• Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self - Guest
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2014 · as Self
• Getting On2013 · as Sister Lily Claire
• Welcome to the Family2013 · as Lita
• Happily Divorced2011 · as Dori Newman
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen2009 · as Self - Guest
• In Plain Sight2008 · as Rita Ramirez
• Cane2007 · as Amalia Duque
• Ugly Betty2006 · as Aunt Mirta
• The Reichen Show2005 · as Self
• Wanted 20052005 · as Mrs. Kelly
• Grey's Anatomy2005 · as Gayle McColl
• Law & Order: Trial by Jury2005 · as Mildred Quintana
• The Handler2003
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
• George Lopez2002 · as Luisa Diaz
• Law & Order: Criminal Intent2001 · as Frances Goren
• The Guardian2001 · as Caroline Novack
• Strong Medicine2000 · as Lydia
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit1999 · as Mildred Quintana
• The View1997 · as Self - Guest
• Oz1997 · as Sister Peter Marie Reimondo
• Women of the House1995 · as Self
• The Cosby Mysteries1994
• Touched by an Angel1994 · as Amanda Revere
• The Magic School Bus1994 · as Dr. Carmina Skeledon (voice)
• Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?1994 · as Carmen Sandiego (voice)
• Burke's Law1994 · as Jackie Lodge
• Intimate Portrait1993 · as Self
• The Nanny1993 · as Mrs. Wickervich Stone
• Hearts Afire1992 · as Senator Rhonda Hall
• The Larry Sanders Show1992 · as Rita Moreno
• Top of the Heap1991 · as Alixandra Stone
• Captain Planet and the Planeteers1990 · as Ella Salvador (voice)
• B.L. Stryker1989 · as Kimberly Baskin
• LIVE with Kelly and Mark1988 · as Self - Guest
• The Golden Girls1985 · as Renee Corliss
• The Cosby Show1984 · as Mrs. Granger
• Miami Vice1984 · as Congresswoman Madelyn Woods
• 9 to 51982 · as Violet Newstead
• Trapper John, M.D.1979
• The Marti Caine Show1979
• The Love Boat1977 · as Gladys Gordon
• Lanigan's Rabbi1977 · as Millie Hillman
• The Captain and Tennille1976 · as Self - Guest
• The Muppet Show1976 · as Self - Special Guest Star
• On the Rocks1975
• Dinah!1974 · as Self
• The Rockford Files1974 · as Rita Capkovic
• The Electric Company1971 · as Carmela
• Medical Center1969 · as Lydia Neal
• 60 Minutes1968 · as Self
• The Dick Cavett Show1968 · as Self - Guest
• The Carol Burnett Show1967 · as Self - Guest
• Seaway1965 · as Annabelle
• Run for Your Life1965 · as Anita
• Burke's Law1963 · as Margaret Cowls
• Miss USA1963 · as Self - Judge
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• The Merv Griffin Show1962 · as Self
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self
• Bourbon Street Beat1959
• Adventures in Paradise1959 · as Inez Sanders
• Cimarron City1958
• Trackdown1957 · as Tina
• Richard Diamond, Private Detective1957 · as Maria Ferrari
• Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre1956 · as Linda
• Playhouse 901956 · as Rita
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Winner
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Presenter
• Matinee Theater1955
• The 20th Century Fox Hour1955 · as Sonseeahray
• The Millionaire1955 · as Alicia Conception Osante Williams
• The Wonderful World of Disney1954 · as Chulita
• Climax!1954 · as Irene
• Climax!1954 · as Maria
• Climax!1954 · as Denise Cardoza
• Climax!1954 · as Francesca
• The Oscars1953 · as Self
• General Electric Theater1953
• General Electric Theater1953 · as Princess Michal
• The Abbott and Costello Show1952 · as Telegram delivery girl
• The Ford Television Theatre1952 · as Serene Crane
• Cavalcade of America1952
• China Smith1952
• Schlitz Playhouse of Stars1951 · as Lit-Lit
• Ford Theatre1948
• The Ed Sullivan Show1948 · as Self
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Nominee