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Rita Moreno is a Puerto Rican-American actress. She portrays Lydia on One Day at a Time.

Personal Life

Moreno was romantically involved with actor Marlon Brando. It was a tumultuous relationship due to his infidelity. When Moreno became pregnant, Brando arranged for an abortion. After a botched abortion, Moreno tried to commit suicide by overdosing on his sleeping pills.

In interviews with Good Day LA (2013) and Wendy Williams (June 28, 2018), as well as her biography, Moreno stated that Elvis Presley was not a good lover. They dated for quite some time, but whenever the opportunity presented itself to take the relationship to another level, she said Presley backed off, "like a baby brother who couldn’t make interesting conversation."

Moreno stated that theater critic Kenneth Tynan stalked her.

On June 18, 1965, Moreno married Leonard Gordon, a cardiologist who was also her manager. He died on June 30, 2010. They have one daughter, Fernanda Luisa Fisher, and two grandsons, Justin and Cameron Fisher.  Moreno once considered leaving her husband but could not because she did not want to break up the family.

Career

Octogenarian Rita Moreno still remains one of the busiest stars in show business and is currently working on the Latino remake of Norman Lear’s classic sitcom, One Day at a Time for Netflix as Lydia Riera.

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1950 So Young, So Bad Dolores Guererro Credited as Rosita Moreno
1950 The Toast of New Orleans Tina
1950 Pagan Love Song Terru
1952 The Ring Lucy Gomez
1952 Singin' in the Rain Zelda Zanders
1952 The Fabulous Senorita Manuela Rodríguez
1952 Cattle Town Queli
1953 Fort Vengeance Bridget Fitzgibbon
1953 Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation Soubrette Uncredited
1953 Latin Lovers Christina
1953 El Alamein Jara
1954 Jivaro Maria
1954 The Yellow Tomahawk Honey Bear
1954 Garden of Evil Cantina Singer
1955 Untamed Julia
1955 Seven Cities of Gold Ula
1956 The Lieutenant Wore Skirts Sandra Roberts
1956 The King and I Tuptim
1956 The Vagabond King Huguette
1957 The Deerslayer Hetty Hutter
1960 This Rebel Breed Lola Montalvo
1961 West Side Story Anita
  • Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
  • Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
  • Laurel Award for Best Supporting Performance
1961 Summer and Smoke Rosa Zacharias
1963 Cry of Battle Sisa
1968 The Night of the Following Day Vi
1969 Popi Lupe
1969 Marlowe Dolores Gonzáles
1971 Carnal Knowledge Louise
1976 The Ritz Googie Gomez
  • Nominated—BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
  • Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
1977 Voodoo Passion
1978 The Boss' Son Esther Rose
1980 Happy Birthday, Gemini Lucille
1981 The Four Seasons Claudia Zimmer
1991 Age Isn't Everything Rita
1993 Italian Movie Isabella
1994 I Like It Like That Rosaria Linares
1995 Carmen Miranda: Bananas is My Business Herself Documentary
1995 Angus Madame Rulenska
1998 Slums of Beverly Hills Belle Abromowitz Nominated—ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film in a Crossover Role
1999 Carlo's Wake Angela Torello
1999 The Puerto Ricans: Our American Story Herself Documentary
2000 Blue Moon Maggie
2001 Piñero Miguel's Mother
2003 Casa de los Babys Señora Muñoz
2003 Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico Dona Dolores and Woman No. 3 (voice)
2003 Beyond Borders: John Sayles in Mexico Herself Documentary
2004 King of the Corner Inez
2006 Play It By Ear Ruth
2014 Rio 2 Mimi (voice)
2014 Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks Ida Barks
2020 West Side Story Valentina Post-production; also executive producer

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1958 Father Knows Best Chanthini Episode: "Fair Exchange" (November 24, 1958)
1960 Bourbon Street Beat Manuela Ruiz Episode: "Suitable for Framing" (May 16, 1960)
1963 Burke's Law Margaret Cowls Episode: "Who Killed Julian Buck?" (October 18, 1963)
1971–1977 The Electric Company Carmela

Otto The Director
Pandora the Little Girl, Millie the Helper

Cast member
1974 Dominic's Dream Anita Bente
1974 Out to Lunch Various Nominated—Emmy Award for Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music
1975 Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Herself Episode #1399
1976 The Muppet Show Herself
  • Episode #1.5
  • Emmy Award for Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music
1976 The Carol Burnett Show Herself (skit player) Episode #9.16
1978 The Rockford Files Rita Capkovic
  • 3 episodes
  • Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
  • Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
1979 Anatomy of a Seduction Nina TV movie
1979 The Muppets Go Hollywood Herself/Host Special
1981 Evita Perón Renata Riguel TV movie
1982–1983 9 to 5 Violet Newstead
  • Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
  • Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy
1982 Working Waitress
1982 Portrait of a Showgirl Rosella DeLeon Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
1986 The Golden Girls Renee Episode: "Empty Nests"
1987 The Cosby Show Mrs. Granger Episode: "You Only Hurt the One You Love"
1989 Miami Vice Congresswoman Madelyn Woods Episode: "Miami Squeeze"
1989–1990 B.L. Stryker Kimberly Baskin 2 episodes
1994 The Nanny Miss Wickervich/Mrs. Stone Episode: "The Gym Teacher"
1994–1998 Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? Carmen Sandiego (voice) Nominated—Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program (1995, 1996, 1997)
1994–1995 The Cosby Mysteries Angie Corea 16 episodes
1995 The Wharf Rat Mom
1995 The Magic School Bus Dr. Camrina Skeledon (voice) Episode: "The Busasaurus"
1997–2003 Oz Sister Peter Marie Reimondo
  • 55 episodes
  • ALMA Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series (1998–1999, 2002)
  • Nominated—ALMA Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series (2000–2001)
1998 The Spree Irma Kelly
1999 Resurrection Mimi
2003 The Guardian Caroline Novak Guest stars as Louisa Olsen's (Wendy Moniz) mother
2004 Copshop Mary Alice
2005 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Mildred Quintana Episode: "Night"
2005 Law & Order: Trial by Jury Mildred Quintana Episode: "Day"
2006–2007 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Frances Goren 3 episodes: "Endgame"; "The War at Home" and "Brother's Keeper"
2007 George Lopez Luisa Diaz Episode: "George Testi-Lies for Benny"
2007 Ugly Betty Aunt Mirta Episode: "A Tree Grows in Guadalajara"
2007 Cane Amalia Duque 13 episodes
2010 In Plain Sight Rita Ramirez Episode: "Coma Chameleon"
2011 Special Agent Oso Abuela (voice) Episode: "For Tamales with Love/Pinata Royale"
2011–2013 Happily Divorced Dori Newman
2013 Welcome to the Family Lita Episode: "Date Night"
2013 Nicky Deuce Tutti TV movie
2014 Old Soul Rita TV movie
2015 Getting On Sister Lily Claire Episode: "Reduced to Eating Boiled Magazines and Book Paste"
2015–2019 Jane the Virgin Liliana De La Vega 5 episodes: "Chapter Eighteen", "Chapter Thirty-Three", "Chapter Thirty-Two", "Chapter Thirty-One", "Chapter One-Hundred"

Online Film & Television Association Award for Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series[42]

2015–present Nina's World Abuelita (voice)
2015 A Gift of Miracles Beverly TV movie
2016 Grey's Anatomy Gayle Episode: "Odd Man Out"
2016 Grace and Frankie Lucy Episode: "The Vitamix"
2017–present One Day at a Time Lydia Riera Main cast
2018 Elena of Avalor Queen Camila (voice) 2 episodes
2019 Carmen Sandiego Cookie Booker Voice role
2019–present Bless This Mess Theresa 3 episodes; recurring role
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