“Actually, my true name is Rosa Dolores Alverio. And then I became Rosita Moreno when a stepfather stepped in. And when I got to MGM studios, which was my first film contract, they just thought that Rosita wasn't a good name, and they changed it to Rita. And yes, it was their idea.”

Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer

Rita Moreno is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer whose career has spanned eight decades. She is known for her work on stage and screen, and is among the last surviving stars from Hollywood’s Golden Age. She is one of the few performers to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, known as an EGOT, and she has also earned the Triple Crown of Acting. Her honors include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Arts, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, the Kennedy Center Honor, and a Peabody Award.