Multi-award-winning actress, singer and dancer, Rita Moreno, blazed an iconic trail as the first mainstream Hispanic actress to grace Hollywood when she exploded onto the big screen as Anita in 1961’s classic film, West Side Story.
The role earned her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, crowning her the first Hispanic performer to ever win an Academy Award. But even after taking home Hollywood’s top prize, Moreno’s career started and stalled repeatedly throughout the 1960s as she fought to be cast in roles that didn’t box her in to antiquated stereotypes.
Though film roles for a leading lady of color were far and few between at the time, Rita Moreno turned her attention to television and music, taking home a Grammy Award in 1973 for Best Children’s Album during her stint on the popular children’s television program and, The Electric Company. Then came a Tony Award in 1975 for her work in the Broadway production of, The Ritz. Soon, two prime-time Emmy’s followed in 1977 and 1978. Moreno was hard at work establishing herself as a bonified triple threat. She cemented an indelible legacy as one of the world’s most versatile and talented performers.

One Day at a Time sills, Courtesy of Netflix
Throughout the ensuing decades, Moreno continued to take on roles on her own terms, proving her staying power for six decades. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, she played Sister Peter Marie Reimondo in HBO’s first original and groundbreaking dramatic series, OZ.

One Day at a Time sills, Courtesy of Netflix
Moreno currently stars as Abuelita Lydia Riera, the hilarious and spicy grandmother on the new incarnation of Norman Lear’s television creation, One Day at a Time, now streaming its third season on Netflix. The show’s official premise is, “Two Cultures, One Familia.” It’s an updated twist on the 1975 hit series starring Bonnie Franklin, Mackenzie Phillips, Valerie Bertinelli and Pat Harrington, but with a twist. The reboot centers around a Hispanic American family, no doubt Lear’s way of thumbing his nose at some of the more racist rhetoric flung through 2016’s presidential campaign.

One Day at a Time sills, Courtesy of Netflix
In 2014, Actor Morgan Freeman presented Moreno with the Screen Actor’s Guild Lifetime Achievement Award, calling her “a world class actress, singer and dancer,” and just as significantly, “a fighter, who battled to break free of racial and sexual barriers that plagued Hollywood’s golden age.” Before there was Rosie Perez, Salma Hyek or Jennifer Lopez, there was the inimitable Rita Moreno.

One Day at a Time sills, Courtesy of Netflix
Recently, Moreno got the call from Steven Spielberg, for a forthcoming remake of the film that made her an icon, West Side Story. Moreno will play a role in the film as well as Executive Produce. I recently sat down with Rita Moreno to discuss her one-of-a-kind career and journey.
TME: When you won your Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1962 for the film, West Side Story, you thought you would then transcend racial stereotypes with the parts you would be offered.
Rita Moreno: And I was very disappointed (laughs). Not only disappointed, but it really, really broke my heart.
TME: I feel you. I’ve experienced it as a journalist, not in terms of ethnic discrimination, but the bewilderment of hitting a peak and then stalling. Your famous quote about this phase of your career was, “I showed them. I didn’t work for seven years.”
RM: When I say, “I showed them,” of course, I’m being facetious.
TME: Of course. And in this business, it’s very hard to turn down work. Writers write, Actors act, etc. It’s what you do, and you crave it.
RM: Not only crave it. It pays the rent.
TME: Yeah, and then there’s that! (Laughs) Any regrets about taking that stance?
RM: I think it was a very good decision on my part, because the only thing that was being offered, really, were gang movies, and they certainly weren’t as interesting as West Side Story. I think it would have depressed the heck out of me to go back to that stuff. It paid off in the sense that I had peace of mind and I didn’t feel like I was being insulted.
TME: Let’s talk about the amazing Norman Lear and the One Day at a Time reboot on Netflix you’re starring in.
RM: Isn’t he something?!
TME: I think he is a genius!
RM: He is a genius, you’re right. He’s still going strong. He’s going to be 96, and he can speak and he can walk (laughs). He’s a remarkable man, and a lovely, lovely person.
TME: All in the Family is my favorite sitcom of all time.
RM: Oh, it’s one of my favorite shows too!
TME: The way he has tackled race, gender, religion, sexuality… on and on, has helped to re-shape our society. The original One Day at a Time with Bonnie Franklin, Mackenzie Phillips, Valerie Bertinelli and Pat Harrington that premiered in 1975 was very progressive in that single motherhood was much more taboo at that time. With this updated version, there’s an extra layer to the story in that the family are Hispanic Americans. After all you went through in terms of fighting for roles that accurately represent Hispanic people, do you feel a sense of vindication at portraying a positive representation of a Hispanic family on television?
RM: Vindication implies that I’m still angry. No, I don’t feel any sense of vindication. I’m just so happy and so proud that Hispanics have more representation. I think we’re still not there. I think we are underrepresented. But feeling vindictive is a waste of time, don’t you think?
TME: Wrong choice of words. Perhaps a better way to put it would be, “a sense of wholeness.” I was watching an episode earlier, and there’s a scene where your character, Lydia, is talking about the racial slurs she had to endure in her generation. When her daughter and granddaughter ask her for specifics, Lydia summons up the courage to say the word “spic” out loud. The context of the scene is that she is dis-empowering that word that was so painful for her. To be able to stand there and say it, and dis-empower the word…
RM: What was so remarkable about that scene is that kids don’t even [fully] understand that word. It’s bizarre. Lydia is carrying on and on about the word “spic,” and everybody in the room is like, “Yeah, so?” It was a terrible word in my time. I love that!
TME: I have to give so much credit to the show’s creator, Norman Lear. The courage to look something in the eye and stare it down, man, and incorporate comedy into it is amazing.
RM: That’s a wonderful way to put it, yes. You’re right.
Allison Kugel: What do you hope viewers of the updated ODAAT will learn about Hispanic American families?
RM: It’s what I think they are learning, because we have now gained an American audience as well. We always, of course, had the Hispanic community watching the show. People who are not Hispanic are learning that family is family, is family. It’s universal. That’s what Norman was hoping for. You want the universality of the situation to work on people, and that’s what has happened. The moment of, “Oh My God. We’re like that too!” Just add in some spice and some deliciousness, which is the Hispanic nature of the show.
TME: If you live in a smaller town in the United States, where you are only surrounded by people who are just like you, it’s so easy to dismiss other types of people, because you don’t have to get to know them. Once you get to know people who are different from you and you see their humanity, it becomes much harder to be dismissive.
RM: Yeah. And I find that a lot of people who watch our show just love Lydia. She’s so outrageous and so big. Children love Lydia. Go figure!
TME: Because your character is that bridge between what was and what is. You’re teetering on the edge between the old school stuff that you came of age with, while trying to embrace the world we’re living in now.
RM: She’s familiar with what she calls “JouTube.” (Moreno puts on a Cuban accent) and “SnapChap.” (Laughs) But she’s familiar with it, which is terrific. It’s because we have a room full of young writers who are all into that kind of stuff. For the new season, there’s an episode that guest stars Gloria Estefan. It’s hilarious. She plays my sister, and all I can tell you is we hate each other. The whole episode is centered around a funeral of an aunt, and Gloria’s character comes to town to attend the funeral. Gloria is absolutely, deliciously funny! And of course, we’re both over the top as we’re trying to do air kisses that are about three feet apart.
TME: When you hear other Hispanic performers speak, and I know I have heard this from Jennifer Lopez, they always refer to you as the gold standard of excellence and inspiration. You were the performer who made them believe that this career was achievable for them. Have you had a chance to speak to any of the younger Latino actors and singers about your influence on them?
RM: I’ve heard it from Jennifer, and I’ve heard it from Rosie Perez, and also from Andy Garcia.
TME: As someone who emigrated to the states from Puerto Rico as a young girl and who wanted to be a performer, who did you look to as a blueprint?
RM: Well, you know what? No, there were no role models when I was young and in the movies in my late teens. There was nobody. So, I chose one for myself. I chose Elizabeth Taylor because she was close to my age and she was brunette (laughs); and she was beautiful and gorgeous. I made her my role model. But, you know, there was just nobody that looked like me in a public [space]. The Hispanic community very often calls me La Pionera, the Pioneer.
TME: How do you define yourself as a human being?
RM: I’m a family person before anything else. I have a daughter, Fernanda Louisa, that I’m insane about. And I have two grandsons, and that is where I live. They are in my heart all the time. I adore them, and I don’t have much family; I never did because I left Puerto Rico with my mom on a ship, and that was the end of family. I never saw them again. I had a brother that I never saw. His name was Francisco.
TME: And there was no contact after you left Puerto Rico? That was it?
RM: No, and I attribute that to my mom. For whatever reasons, she just stayed away. I don’t know how to explain it, because I don’t understand it. By the time I did try to find him, I couldn’t find him. About a month or two after my book came out (Rita Moreno: A Memoir/Celebra Books), I heard that he died. I have a half-brother, Sam Alverio, because that’s my true [last] name. I’m Rosa Dolores Alverío (she speaks her full birth name, punctuated with the pride of a strong Puerto Rican accent). I speak to him on the phone now and then. That’s about it. Like many Hispanic people, I’m sure I have tons and tons of distant cousins.
TME: How do you find peace in your heart regarding the brother who passed away?
RM: I just have to tell myself that it’s not my fault. My mom, for whatever reason, she always had difficulties with men. I had four stepfathers. It doesn’t make me happy, but that’s the reality of the situation.
TME: Let’s talk about the upcoming remake of the film West Side Story. That’s a hell of a segue!
RM: Isn’t that astonishing though? Talk about coming full circle.
TME: How did you become involved as Executive Producer?
RM: [Steven Spielberg] always wanted to do the film, and he was a good friend of Robert Wise, who co-directed the original film with Jerome Robbins. When the original West Side Story film came out [in 1961] Steven was crazy about it, and that’s when he got very close to Robert Wise. He said he just hounded him about how the film was shot. It’s something he always wanted to re-do. The interesting thing is that he’s not updating it. It will still take place in 1957. It’s Romeo and Juliet. What’s wonderful about the young girl that he chose for the remake (17-year-old newcomer, Rachel Zegler) is a young girl.
Natalie Wood was a woman. I was a woman, playing Anita. I was really, way too old for that role. But that’s how it happened, then. Tony Kushner is doing the script. He wrote Angels in America. They both thought that the original part of Doc (the candy store owner in the 1961 film played by Ned Glass) was not fully realized, which I think is true. They both agreed that they weren’t terribly interested in that role for the remake. One, or both of them said, “What about Rita Moreno as Doc’s wife?” So, the storyline in the new film will be that Doc passed away, and now it’s Valentina who runs the candy store. They offered the Executive Producer credit to me, because Steven feels that I am the bridge to this movie.
TME: You’re offering all this first-person insight into what went on during the filming of the original movie.
RM: Exactly. He’s asked me a lot of questions, and he will probably ask even more. We talk about the shots all the time, because, you know, the director of the original film, Bob Wise, was really an editor. He was a great, great editor. He did Citizen Kane with Orson Welles.
TME: With the original West Side Story, Natalie Wood who played Maria, was not Hispanic. She also didn’t sing. She lip synced the songs (Marni Nixon voiced Natalie Wood’s songs in the original West Side Story). This isn’t a knock at Natalie Wood, who did a great job in the role, but with the times we’re living in now, people would now be hyper-sensitive to something like that. Is the young actress who will play Maria in the remake, of Puerto Rican descent?
RM: She’s Hispanic and that’s what counts. I think she’s Columbian. Here’s the thing; she’s Hispanic, she sings and she’s seventeen. With Romeo and Juliet, that’s how old Juliet was supposed to be. She’s very young. Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner have been absolutely crazy when it comes to finding Hispanic people to play the Hispanic roles. They even called the University of Puerto Rico and made an appointment for a panel meeting with an audience who were allowed to ask questions about the movie, and [express] how they felt about it. So, they really, really killed themselves with respect to that. But I did tell Steven, I said, “You know there are always people with agendas. There will always be somebody who’s not happy with it because of… whatever. So, get used to that. It’s going to happen.”
TME: You can’t make everybody happy. I remember when Jennifer Lopez played Selena Quintanilla in the biopic, Selena, and people were in an uproar because Jennifer’s not Mexican like Selena was.
RM: That just makes me furious. Let’s put it this way, if I’m playing a Jewish person in a movie, is it going to matter if I am a Sephardic Jew or a Russian Jew? It’s outrageous. You can’t always find the one you want because we’re now talking about someone who can sing and who knows music who can dance, come on!
TME: I’m sure you’ve heard the acronym, EGOT – for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner. You are one.
RM: Mine has one extra letter. I’m a KEGOT. The “K” is for a Kennedy Center Honors award. How do you like that?
TME: Where are all these awards displayed throughout your home?
RM: They’re on several shelves, because I have a bunch of them. And, Oh My God, this year I’m getting so many. I have a feeling that they’re all saying to each other, “Quick, let’s honor her before she kicks the bucket!” Now it’s getting ridiculous, and I’ve actually turned some of them down.
TME: You could get a really big, ostentatious wall unit curio and make it the awards curio.
(Rita bursts out laughing at this idea)
RM: There is a thing called overexposure. I’m really trying to cool it a little bit.
TME: How do you process all of that? It’s hard enough to break through as a performer, but you’ve won every coveted award there is. Do you process it through your ego? Do you process it through your heart? Do you see it from a higher perspective?
RM: When I pass by all of these awards in the living room, and my living room is two steps down from the rest of the house, so I don’t go in there often… but when I’m in the living room and I look at these shelves, I sometimes stop and look at them and say, “My God. What an extraordinary journey this has been.” This little Puerto Rican girl; born in Puerto Rico, brought up in the United States… how astonishing is that? It’s fabulous and I cannot be casual about it. I’m not. I’m absolutely stunned.
TME: You feel a sense of awe. It’s not, “Look at me.” It’s, “Look at this amazing journey.”
RM: Oh. hell no! I feel a sense of awe. How did this happen?! I say that to myself, “How on earth did this happen? Wow!” I wish so much that my mom was alive to see this. Oh God, I miss her so much. She would be so proud. She did live long enough to attend the Oscars with me.
Season three of “One Day at a Time” is now streaming on Netflix. Follow Rita Moreno on Twitter and Instagram @theritamoreno.

Events
The Life and Times of Kota Srinivasa Rao: A Pillar of Indian Cinema Bids Farewell

On July 13, 2025, Indian cinema lost one of its most enduring lights—Kota Srinivasa Rao, a name that has been woven into the very fabric of Telugu cinema and Indian film history for nearly five decades. He was 77.
To speak of Kota garu is to speak of a man who embodied the soul of acting, not merely performance, but lived truth on screen. As a journalist who has spent years documenting the landscape of Indian entertainment, and more importantly, as a lifelong admirer of its emotional and artistic depth, I find it nearly impossible to separate the arc of my love for Telugu cinema from the face, voice, and commanding presence of Kota Srinivasa Rao.
Born on July 10, 1948, in Kankipadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kota Srinivasa Rao was the son of freedom fighter and dramatist Kota Seetha Rama Anjaneyulu. The stage called to him early, long before the silver screen embraced him. His transition from theater to cinema in the late 1970s was seamless, natural, and even. His debut in K. Viswanath’s Pranam Khareedu (1978) may have seemed modest at the time, but in hindsight, it was the quiet ignition of a force that would later dominate the craft of acting across genres and generations.
Kota Garu was never a man of one shade. He could play a corrupt politician one moment and a hapless, loving father the next—with equal gravitas and complete immersion. Who could forget his roles in Gaayam, Shiva, Aha Naa Pellanta, Pratighatana, Money, Anaganaga Oka Roju, Leader, and Tagore? These weren’t just performances; they were living case studies in human contradiction and nuance.
In Aa Naluguru, his portrayal of a morally grey newspaper editor offered a sobering mirror to society. In comedies like Hello Brother, his deadpan wit was so precise that it could make audiences erupt with laughter on a single line delivery. Every filmmaker—from K. Viswanath to Ram Gopal Varma, Krishna Vamsi to Sekhar Kammula—sought him out, not just for his craft, but for his wisdom. Watching him act was never passive; it was an education.
Kota Srinivasa Rao did not rely on grand gestures. He mastered silence, pauses, and subtle shifts of the eye or lip. His voice—a deep, gravelly cadence seasoned with satire and command—could either be a thunderclap or a whisper that echoed.
To those of us in the audience, especially those who grew up in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, his voice became part of our lives. We knew it like we knew the changing winds before the monsoon. Even when he wasn’t on screen, you could feel his influence in the rhythm of dialogue and the texture of storytelling.
Despite his towering fame, Kota garu remained rooted. His brief but meaningful stint in politics—elected as MLA from Vijayawada East in 1999—reflected his desire to contribute beyond the screen. But he soon returned to his first love: the cinema.
His accolades are many, including the Padma Shri (2015) and multiple Nandi Awards, but what truly set him apart was how loved and respected he was by peers and audiences alike. For young actors and directors, working with Kota garu was a rite of passage.
Jr NTR once said in an interview, “You don’t act with Kota garu. You surrender. And in doing so, you become better without even realizing it.”
As the film industry and fans across India mourn his passing, one thing becomes clear: Kota Srinivasa Rao was not just part of Indian cinema—he was one of its pillars. He leaves behind a legacy that transcends language and time. He proved, over and over again, that you don’t need to be the lead to lead a scene. That character is not just something you play—it’s something you embody.
For those of us who grew up seeing him on VHS tapes, in dusty cinema halls, on cable TV reruns, and later streaming platforms, Kota garu’s presence was a constant. He was a reminder of what cinema was, and what it could be—pure, affecting, transformative.
As I write this not just as a journalist, but as someone whose very identity has been shaped by Indian films, I say: thank you, Kota garu. For the laughter. For the fear. For the wisdom. For the truth. Your performances were never just “roles.” They were lessons in being human.
In Gaayam, you once delivered the haunting line:
“Nijam cheppadam easy kaadu… adhi cheppataniki guts kavali.”
(“Telling the truth is not easy… It takes courage to speak it.”)
You spoke the truth through every role, and we heard you—loud and clear.
Your absence leaves a void, but your art remains. And in that, you are eternal.
Rest in peace, Kota Srinivasa Rao garu. Your voice may have fallen silent, but your cinema will echo forever.
Events
FX’s Alien: Earth Makes Impact at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 With World Premiere, Epic Hall H Panel, and Immersive Activation

Get ready to scream, San Diego.
FX is going full-throttle at San Diego Comic-Con 2025, transporting fans into the spine-chilling world of Alien: Earth — the brand-new television series from visionary creator Noah Hawley (Fargo, Legion), inspired by the legendary sci-fi horror film franchise. Between a can’t-miss world premiere in Hall H and an atmospheric, interactive activation titled “The Wreckage,” this year’s FX slate will leave fans trembling in anticipation ahead of the show’s official premiere on Tuesday, August 12 on FX and Hulu.
👽 Enter the Wreckage: FX’s Alien: Earth Immersive Experience
Located on the Hilton Bayfront Lawn, “The Wreckage” lets fans step foot inside the ominous remains of the USCSS Maginot, a ship torn from deep space and crash-landed on Earth. This thrilling, two-part activation features daytime exploration and an after-dark survival horror mission dubbed Code Red — a terrifying twist perfect for the brave.
🔥 Highlights Include:
Alien: Earth: Code Red – A nighttime horror maze experience you won’t forget
Interactive Prodigy Corp Drop Site – Sign up as an FX Insider and unlock VR exclusives and giveaways
Exclusive Merch & Collabs – Enjoy in-world beverages from Chain, the cult-favorite pop-cuisine creators
Podcast Studio – Live interviews with talent, influencers, and creatives all weekend long
🗓️ Activation Dates & Times:
Date Daytime Hours Code Red Hours
Thu, July 24 11am–4pm 4:30pm–8pm
Fri, July 25 10am–4pm 4:30pm–10pm
Sat, July 26 10am–4pm 4:30pm–10pm
Sun, July 27 11am–3pm —
📍 Location: Hilton Bayfront Lawn, 1 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101
🎟️ Admission is free. Ages 18+. Press can skip the line by RSVPing to madison.welsh@civic-us.com
🎬 Hall H World Premiere: Alien Lands at Comic-Con
The hype doesn’t end on the lawn. On Friday, July 25 from 1:25pm–2:50pm, FX takes over Hall H for the world premiere of Alien: Earth, screening the pilot episode before its global release.
Fans in Hall H will be the first on Earth to witness the terrifying new story, starring Sydney Chandler as a young woman who must lead a squad of soldiers through a world where extraterrestrial nightmares have arrived — and they’re not alone.
Following the screening, creator Noah Hawley, executive producer David W. Zucker, and the cast will participate in a Q&A, diving deep into the making of this bold, horrifying new chapter in the Alien universe.
🧬 About Alien: Earth
When a derelict alien spacecraft crash-lands on Earth, a dark and deadly mystery begins to unravel. As humanity faces the planet’s greatest threat yet, survival may rest in the hands of those least expected. Packed with dread, awe, and action, Alien: Earth builds on decades of cinematic legacy while exploring timely themes and fresh characters.
The series premieres August 12 on FX, and will stream on Hulu (and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers). Internationally, it will stream on Disney+.
🌌 Stay Connected:
🌐 Visit FXSDCC.com for updates and schedules
📱 Sign up to become an FX Insider: fx.tv/alien-earth-insider
📸 Follow @FXNetworks on socials for behind-the-scenes exclusives
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Events
Hank Hill’s Backyard Takes Over SDCC 2025 – Propane and All

Hulu, the go-to streaming destination for adult animation, is back at San Diego Comic-Con 2025! This year, they are bringing Arlen, Texas, from the iconic King of the Hill franchise to life right outside the Convention Center. Guests will step inside Hank Hill’s Backyard for a big ole cookout, complete with BBQ bites served up throughout the day, classic lawn games, themed photo ops, and a cold can of Alamo (water) to beat the heat.
Located next to the Convention Center on the Bayfront’s Parking Lot (Fifth Ave Landing – Lot A1) – 600 Convention Way, San Diego, CA 92101 – Hank Hill’s Backyard will allow fans to experience what life is like in Arlen, Texas. Starting July 24 at 11:30 am – 7 pm, July 25-26 from 9:30 am-7 pm daily, and July 27 from 9:30 am–5 pm, Hank Hill’s Backyard will transport fans into the world of Arlen, where they can interact with legendary moments from the show.






