Who Is Rita Moreno?
During the Academy Awards ceremony on April 9, 1962, a talented Puerto Rican actress named Rita Moreno sat and waited with her friends. She’d been nominated for the award of best supporting actress for her role as Anita in the movie
West Side Story. The Academy Awards celebrates people in the film industry for their outstanding work.
Rita had flown all the way to Los Angeles, California, from the Philippines, where she was working on a film called
Cry of Battle. She was so excited just to be attending the awards ceremony that she didn’t even have a speech prepared.
They announced the first few winners: Maximilian Schell won best actor for
Judgment at Nuremberg, George Chakiris won best supporting actor for
West Side Story, then Sophia Loren won best actress for
Two Women.
Finally, it was time to announce who won best supporting actress. Rock Hudson, an American actor, was presenting the award. He read out the names of the other nominated actors: Judy Garland, Fay Bainter, Lotte Lenya, and Una Merkel, all talented and famous women—-but Rita was the only Puerto Rican person and the only woman of color nominated for the award. When Rock Hudson announced Rita as the winner, she was speechless! She was the first Puerto Rican woman to win an Academy Award! When she walked to the stage to accept her award, Rita didn’t quite know what to say. She’d been performing since she was a little girl, dancing and acting in front of her family and friends, auditioning and acting in movies for the chance to be a star. On that stage, Rita felt like her dream was finally coming true.
“I can’t believe it!” she said, grinning from ear to ear.
That same night back in New York City, where Rita lived for most of her childhood, people throughout the city celebrated her win. Puerto Ricans in El Barrio—-meaning “neighborhood” or “district” in Spanish—-also known as Spanish Harlem because of the large Hispanic and Latin communities who lived there, cried out, “She won! She won!” From their windows and out on the streets they yelled: “She did it!”
Copyright © 2026 by G. M. Taboas Zayas; illustrated by Tim Foley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
