Over the weekend, I spoke with the legendary Rita Moreno over the phone. She is a legendary actress, an outspoken activist and one of only 18 EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) Award winners. In our conversation, Moreno opened up about leadership, the entertainment industry today and her feelings about her work over the years.
I asked Rita to define leadership in her own words. They were “honesty and authenticity.” She went on to add, “presenting yourself in a rather simple and naked way is what makes a really good example for other people.” That set the tone for the conversation that followed.
Rita’s Roles as an Actress
In Moreno’s memoir, Rita Moreno, she is open about all of the ethnic roles she had to play in her career. When asked how she felt the industry has evolved, Moreno stated, “I do think it’s changed. You don’t have the sexy señoritas, you know, leaping around and showing their breasts and talking with thick accents.” And, she expressed that for Latinos, the industry still hasn’t changed enough because we are still seen as outliers – only as people from other countries.
One of my favorite television characters played by Rita Moreno is “Lydia” from the hit tv show “One Day at a Time.” About Lydia, Moreno said, “I loved every minute of playing that drama queen.” Moreno used her enormous acting energy to bring out the ridiculousness of Lydia who is adored by fans.
“And you know what’s interesting about that character, Lydia, you know, who adores her little kids? Little kids adore her. She’s like the grandma they would always want,” Moreno states. She went on to share a heart-warming story of meeting a 5 year-old fan who did the best imitation of Lydia with her hands on her hips and mimicking Lydia’s thick accent, which Moreno says is her version of her own mother.
That story reminded me that through her work, Rita Moreno has impacted generations of people. I wanted to know how that makes her feel. She said, “It just makes me extremely proud that people have such affection and respect for who I am.”
Authenticity and Empowerment
While Rita Moreno is quite open about having to create her own path in this industry, she reflected on her time with Ariana DeBose while offering her words of encouragement. They got along well with one another while filming “West Side Story.” When Ariana revealed to Rita that she didn’t know if she could fulfill the role, Rita reminded her that Ariana herself was chosen after a long audition process and she need not worry about it. She already “got the part!”
Staying true and authentic to herself, when asked about DeBose winning the Oscar for the role of Anita, Moreno said, “Oh, I was thrilled for her. And I was envious. I would be remiss in not telling the absolute truth. I wanted to relive that again. And it was being re-lived through Ariana DeBose. She was wonderful in it, she earned it.”
Activism and Storytelling
Rita Moreno is undeniably one of the most talented artists in our lifetime, she’s also an activist that cares deeply for others and the world around her. She attributes her activism work to a roommate who once told her that we have a responsibility to people who are less fortunate than we are.
“If you are aware that people have to suffer so much, you have a responsibility and an obligation to help out.”
When Rita is on stage, she shares funny stories, moving stories and some sad stories because they are all a part of her life. She wants the audience to learn something about her that they didn’t know before the show. She has lived an incredible life full of comedy and drama and is captivating in sharing moments of her life with the audience.
“I think it’s very important not to just go out there and make everybody laugh and amuse them. So, I will give them a very complete picture of who I am by the end of that evening.”
Rita Moreno will be in San Antonio at the Majestic Theatre on Tuesday, November 14 for “A Night with Rita Moreno” Visit https://www.majesticempire.com/ for ticket information.
