Rita Moreno Explains How She Proved Her Identity to 2 Young Fans
With more than 80 years of acting under her belt, Rita Moreno has done her share of work in Hollywood and has shelves worth of awards to show for it. The 91-year-old Puerto Rican actor is perhaps best known for playing Anita in the original West Side Story, but has a breadth of experience that few actors can measure up to.
Aside from her acting accomplishments, Moreno was romantically linked with the likes of Marlon Brando and Elvis Presley, to name a few. However, from time to time she still has to prove who she is — especially when she’s riding public transportation in New York City.
Rita Moreno is one of the select few to earn an EGOT in her career
Moreno is one of only 18 people in history to secure the coveted EGOT status. Known as the “grand slam” in the entertainment industry, a person claims EGOT status when they have won at least one Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award over the course of their careers. (Viola Davis became the 18th person to achieve this in February, when she won a Grammy for narrating her memoir, Finding Me.)
Moreno not only secured the trophies required for an EGOT, but she also did it in record time, taking just 16 years to accomplish the feat, according to IMDb. Moreno began acting in Spanish films dubbed in English when she was 11 years old, but it took her numerous years to overcome harmful typecasting.
Following her performance in the original 1961 West Side Story (for which she won an Oscar for best supporting actress), she went on to win a Grammy in 1972 for her part on The Electric Company’s soundtrack album. The Tony award followed in 1975 for best featured actress in The Ritz. The Emmys came in 1974 and 1976, for The Rockford Files and The Muppet Show respectively. Among other impressive accolades, Moreno is also a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And while that might be enough in a lifetime for many people, Moreno has declared she isn’t interested in retiring anytime soon.
Fans didn’t believe who she was while riding a bus in New York City
Moreno has a whopping 172 credits to her name on IMDb, some of which are still upcoming projects. Given that her career has such a wide breadth and range over the span of numerous decades, she still gets recognized in public, including by people in younger generations. However, those fans sometimes still need convincing they’re meeting the real deal.
“Recently I was on a bus in New York City and two young men said, ‘Hey, you look like Rita Moreno.’” she told AARP. “I said, ‘Yeah, I am.’ They said, ‘Come on! Are you kidding us?’ I said, ‘I am who you say I am.’ I swear, they wouldn’t believe me.” Finally, Moreno had to pull out proof that she was, in fact, the famous actor. “Get this: I finally had to pull out my driver’s license!” she said.
Despite not being taken for her word, Moreno said she loves running into fans when she’s out and about. “I’m so thankful to fans, and I love seeing someone’s eyes gleaming because they recognize me,” she said. The interviewer had a difficult time believing Moreno rode public transportation, but Moreno insisted it continues to be a habit for her. “Oh, all the time,” she admitted. “Taxis are expensive!”
Rita Moreno stars with Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Sally Field in ‘80 for Brady’
Moreno hasn’t disappeared from the limelight, and has no plans to do so in the near future. She was an executive producer and actor in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of West Side Story, and will appear in the upcoming films Fast X and Family Leave.
Most recently, Moreno starred alongside other Hollywood legends in 80 for Brady, the film based on a true story about four octogenarians who attempt to travel to the 2017 Super Bowl to cheer on then-Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. (The grandmas didn’t make it to the game in real life, but suffice it to say that Hollywood puts its own glittery spin on actual events.)
Moreno plays Maura and is joined by Jane Fonda as Trish, Lily Tomlin as Lou, and Sally Field as Betty. Brady plays himself, and makes several appearances in the film. Moreno is the oldest member of the squad in real life: Fonda is 85, Tomlin is 83, and Field is the relative youngster of the crew at 76.
