Tag Archives: Rita Moreno

Moreno Cast as “Abuelita” in NBC’s “Welcome to the Family”

Posted on by
Reply

Rita Moreno will have Family duty in the near future…

The 81-year-old Puerto Rican actress/singer/dancer has joined the cast of NBC‘s new sitcom Welcome to the Family.

Rita Moreno

Moreno, who’ll receive the SAG Award‘s Life Achievement statue in January, will play Abuelita, the sassy grandmother of Lisette (portrayed by Justina Machado), who looms large over the Hernandez family.

Moreno’s character, expected to first appear in November, is described as extremely religious, judgmental, tough, perpetually scowling and rude. The thought of disappointing Abuelita is so unappealing that Lisette and her family tell her elaborate lies about their lives whenever she comes to visit.

Moreno is best known for her roles in West Side Story, The Electric Company and Oz. She’s also among an elite group of performers to have won an Oscar, Emmy, Tony and Grammy.

In addition to Moreno and Machado, the new comedy series also stars Ricardo Chavira, Joey Haro and Fabrizio Guido.

Welcome to the Family premieres Thursday, October 3 at 8:30 pm ET on NBC.

Moreno to Receive SAG Lifetime Achievement Award

Posted on by
Reply

She’s already the only Hispanic performer to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony (EGOT)… And, now Rita Moreno is getting another acting prize.

The 81-year-old Puerto Rican actress/singer/dancer has been named the 50th recipient of SAG-AFTRA’s highest honor – the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award.

Rita Moreno

The SAG Awards are bestowing the award on Moreno for her career achievements and humanitarian accomplishments.

Given annually to an actor who fosters the “finest ideals of the acting profession,” the union’s top accolade will be doled out at the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, which will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on January 18, 2014.

In addition to being one of a rare class of performers to win the career EGOT, Moreno has also been the recipient of the Library of Congress Living Legends Award, the National Medal of Arts and the HOLA Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actresses.

Moreno, who recently released her best-selling memoir Rita Moreno: A Memoir, has had a nearly 70-year career in the industry.

She currently portrays Fran Drescher’s mother in TV Land’s sitcom Happily Divorced.

Longoria to Host Latino Inaugural Concert

Posted on by
Reply

Eva Longoria is preparing to host a huge pachanga to celebrate President Obama’s inauguration.

The 37-year-old Mexican-American actress and political activist, a co-chair for Obama’s inauguration, is hosting a Kennedy Center concert honoring Latino arts and culture during inaugural weekend.

Eva Longoria II

The $300-per-head event will take place on January 20 and will feature José Feliciano, George Lopez, Mario Lopez, Rita Moreno, Chita Rivera and others.

The event is part of “Latino Inaugural 2013,” a three-day series of lectures and cultural activities in Washington, DC.

“Latinos played a critical role in this year’s elections and helped tip the scales in President Obama’s victory,” said Longoria, a national co-chair of Obama’s 2012 campaign. “But we are not waiting another four years to make an impact on our country’s future, and Latino Inaugural 2013 will set a path for Latino civic engagement in the near term,” she said in a statement. “What better way to establish our presence at these inaugural celebrations than by showcasing the beauty and diversity of our culture at the nation’s premier performing arts center.”

The Latino inaugural gathering is driven in part by organizers of The Futuro Fund, which helped mobilize Latino support for the Obama-Biden re-election campaign. Millions of Hispanic voters turned out with 71 percent support for Obama. Republican candidate Mitt Romney‘s 27 percent Hispanic support was less than any presidential candidate in 16 years, drawing calls for Republicans to rethink their approach to Latinos.

Moreno to Receive LatinRecording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Posted on by
Reply

She’s the only Hispanic artist to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony… And, now Rita Moreno will be honored with a much-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Recording Academy.

The 80-year-old Puerto Rican actress/singer/dancer, who was only the second Puerto Rican to win an Academy Award, is being heralded for her nearly 70-year career in entertainment, including her awe-inspiring turn as Anita in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical West Side Story.

Rita Moreno

Born Rosa Dolores Alverío in Humacao, Puerto Rico, Moreno is one of an elite group of performers who’ve won the industry’s five most prestigious awards: an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, Tony Award and Golden Globe. And she received the highest honor bestowed upon a U.S. civilian when former President George W. Bush awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004.

Moreno’s professional repertoire includes starring in more than 135 feature films and TV series and countless stage productions in the United States and abroad.

Rita Moreno's Life Cover

Moreno is also an esteemed lecturer who shares her insight on various cultural and industry-related topics with organizations and universities throughout the country; and she’s actively involved in several charities.

But Moreno isn’t the only Hispanic entertainer being recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Other recipients of the coveted award include:

Spanish born singer, songwriter and composer Luz Casal
Argentinian singer, songwriter and actor Leo Dan
Brazilian singer/songwriter Milton Nascimento
Mexican singer, actress and television host Daniela Romo
Mexican-American conguero, Latin jazz bandleader and salsa singer Poncho Sánchez
Brazilian composer, singer and guitarist Toquinho.

Meanwhile, Spanish virtuoso and flamenco guitarist Juan Carmona “Habichuela” and the Puerto Rican-born “King of the Cuatro” Yomo Toro will receive the prestigious Trustees Award.

“This year’s exceptional group of honorees not only beautifully represent our diverse music communities but exemplify the meaning of being a true pioneer of one’s craft as well as being internationally recognized within their respective musical genres,” said Gabriel Abaroa Jr., President/CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. “We continue the privilege of honoring and celebrating these iconic individuals whose contributions and accomplishments continue to leave an indelible legacy in the world of Latin music and will continue to inspire future generations of musicians and music fans for many years.”

Moreno and her fellow honorees will be saluted at a special invitation-only ceremony on Wednesday, November 14, as part of the weeklong Latin Grammy Awards celebration.

Pure Glee: Rivera’s “Anita” Performances…

Posted on by
Reply

Move over Chita Rivera, Rita Moreno and Karen Olivo… There’s a new “Anita” stealing the show in West Side Story… And her name is Naya Rivera.

During this week’s episode of Glee, the 24-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress’ character, Santana Lopez, starred as Anita in William McKinley High School’s production of the musical, West Side Story.

In the episode, Rivera was a showstopper as Anita, the scene-stealing role that landed Moreno an Academy Award and Olivo a Tony Award.

Rivera’s big performance of “America” was pure musical theater magic, while her duet of “A Boy Like That”/”I Have a Love” was a gem.

It’s no wonder why the ALMA Award-winning singer/actress—who signed a deal with Columbia Records to produce a solo album—has seen her stock rise on FOX’s hit musical comedy series. She’s gone from back-up singer and dancer to lead vocalist in more and more performances recently. Here’s hoping there’s plenty more to come!

This week’s episode is available for viewing on the Fox.com.