Rita Moreno Reveals Her Three Most Memorable Roles
Rita Moreno looks back on her legendary turn as Anita in West Side Story and shares which two other performances stand out as the highlights of her long and varied career.
Back in the early '60s, Rita Moreno made a real splash with her portrayal of Anita in West Side Story. That performance didn’t just earn her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress—it also made her a household name. But Moreno’s journey in showbiz started well before that. She’d been treading the boards since the 1940s, and by the next decade, she was already popping up in films like Garden of Evil and Singin’ in the Rain, showing off both her acting and musical talents.
Over the years, Moreno’s career has been anything but quiet. She’s popped up in all sorts of projects, from Carnal Knowledge to Fast X, and even had a role in Steven Spielberg’s take on West Side Story. Still, it’s Anita that most punters remember her for. She’s always been grateful for that part, calling it one of her all-time favourites. Chatting with Long Island Press, the Puerto Rican star opened up about the roles that have meant the most to her, and naturally, she kicked things off with the classic musical. In the film, she played Anita, Maria’s closest mate and Bernardo’s girlfriend, set against the backdrop of rival gangs in New York’s Upper West Side. The film’s a classic, and Moreno’s performance is often singled out as a real standout.
Iconic Status and Lasting Influence
Moreno herself has said,
“That became an iconic role for me. It’s a role that made me known worldwide, more than anything.”
Her turn as Anita didn’t just open doors for her—it inspired others too. Rachel Zegler, who starred in Spielberg’s version, once admitted,
“It wasn’t something that I thought was a possibility for someone like me until I saw Rita Moreno dancing on a rooftop in a beautiful purple dress.”
But Moreno’s career highlights don’t stop there. She was genuinely surprised when she landed a part in Oz, the gritty ‘90s TV drama set in a men’s prison. In that series, she played a nun who doubled as a psychologist, a role that was a real departure from anything she’d done before. She recalled,
“I was absolutely in shock when it was offered to me. My God, the casting in that show was extraordinary. And every year they’d bring in some new actor to play a new prisoner and it would be somebody incredible. Not a star, but an incredible actor. It was fantastic.”
Stage Work and The Miracle Worker
Moreno’s love for the stage has never faded. She’s done heaps of theatre outside of Broadway, but one role stands out: Anne Sullivan in The Miracle Worker. She played the Irish tutor to Helen Keller, a part she found both challenging and rewarding.
“I did a lot of theatre outside of Broadway. I think one of the things I really loved doing was playing Anne Sullivan in The Miracle Worker. I played an Irish girl in that and it was just wonderful and one of the best experiences I ever had.”
The play, which was the basis for a well-known film, gave Moreno a chance to show her range and connect with audiences in a different way.
Taking on the role of Anne Sullivan wasn’t easy, but Moreno pulled it off with her usual flair. She’s kept that experience close to her heart, recognising it as one of the most meaningful chapters in her long career.