Rita Moreno once stated that she was the best 89-year-old she had ever met, and she is not alone.
Brent Miller, a producer of the documentary Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It, on the occasion of her 90th birthday, had this to say: I can only hope that 45 years from today, I have half the spark, passion and love for my work, my country and humanity; as well as, the physical and mental ability to share it.
And, in response to the question, is Rita Moreno still alive? Yes, the answer is yes!
Moreno will be 90 years old on December 11, 2021.
According to Deadline, producer Norman Leer categorizes Moreno’s life as one of the great American stories.
He went on to say: “She came here from Puerto Rico when she was three years old and lived the life we celebrate today as she turns 90. God bless both America and Rita Moreno. I adore both of them.”
Moreno does, in fact, have a fascinating story to tell. Despite dedicating a significant portion of her life to Hollywood, the industry hasn’t always reciprocated in good faith.
According to The Guardian, Moreno began her career at a young age. She made her professional debut at Greenwich Theatre three years after moving to the United States.
She dropped out of school when she was 15 and became the family’s breadwinner in a year.
By 1950, the 18-year-old had signed with MGM and the following year had moved to 20th Century Fox.
While the sequence of events suggests that she was improving day by day, the reality couldn’t be further from the truth.
She was raped by her agent as a teenager but couldn’t leave or confront him because she believed he was the only person in the industry looking out for her.
Soon after, she was introduced to the notorious sexual predator Harry Cohn, co-founder of Columbia Pictures, who had the audacity to tell Moreno, “You better watch out – I’d like to [expletive] you,” while his wife was present.
The unfortunate reality is that these were not the only toxic men she encountered. There were quite a few.
Still, Marlon Brando has to be the most memorable. Rita Moreno and Marlon Brando had an on-again, off-again eight-year relationship.
Moreno was fixated. Brando was compared to cocaine by her. Brando was, after all, one of the most desirable men of his era.
The relationship, however, was far from perfect. He had numerous affairs and married twice during their relationship. He seduced everyone he came across.
When he discovered Moreno was pregnant, he immediately scheduled an abortion. Moreno nearly died as a result of the botched procedure because she was bleeding for days.
Shortly after filming her most famous role, as Anita in West Side Story, the actress attempted suicide at Brando’s home.
Yes, Moreno is one of the select few to have earned the coveted EGOT title, which is reserved for the absolute pinnacle of the entertainment industry.
Moreno has an indelible legacy as the first Latina to win an Oscar. But she didn’t choose to spend the majority of her career as a dusky damsel.
While she has lived a life worth remembering and learning from, she is also a role model for future generations of minority entertainers.
Moreno, who was just a few steps away from Dr. Martin Luther King when he delivered the unforgettable ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, has since dedicated her life to activism and painstakingly drew an attempt at true equality.
La Pionera — Rita Moreno — is a woman of incredible strength and a natural entertainer.