Iconic, beautiful, and fierce, Puerto Rican actress Rita Moreno is famously known for being the first Latina to win an Academy Award, which she accomplished in 1961 for her role as “Anita” in West Side Story. At 92 years old, Moreno’s career kicked off in the 1950s in which she appeared in films such as Latin Lovers, The King & I, and Singin in the Rain. Released in 2014, her self-titled autobiography is a well-written memoir that captures her life in detail from the time she moved from Puerto Rico to New York with her mom (at the age of 5) and continues on into her fascinating time during the Golden Age of Hollywood. In the first chapter, Moreno goes into detail about her struggles in adapting to learning English and assimilation into life and culture in New York with her single mom.
Midway through the memoir, she discusses her first meeting with MGM mogul Louis B. Mayer and her many other interactions with iconic leading men during the time such as Mexican actor Anthony Quinn, Gene Kelly, RKO studio owner Howard Hughes, owner of Columbia Studios Harry Cohn, and her tumultuous romance with Marlon Brando which caused a mental breakdown for the actress. Moreno gives great insight into the affair with Brando, who at the time was one of the most sought-after men in the world and in Hollywood. Moreno on the other hand, couldn’t handle his infidelities according to her, which almost caused an end to her life.
In other chapters in the book, Moreno discusses moments where she escaped predatory men in Hollywood, being typecast in ethnic roles beyond her control, her iconic role in West Side Story, Oscar win, marriage and motherhood, and reinventing herself in the 1970s and beyond. An overall captivating and dazzling memoir, I highly recommend reading for those who are interested in history and Hollywood’s Golden Age. Another recommendation would be her documentary on Netflix titled, Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It. It should be noted that Barbie recently honored Moreno with their own replica of the actress currently available now for $40 on the Mattel website. Moreno will also turn 93 on December 11th. Happy Birthday to Rita and huge thanks to her for paving the way for Latinas in entertainment and inspiring young women all over the world with her perseverance, determination, and success.
Follow Rita on instagram @theritamoreno
Rita’s memoir is available on Amazon here.
