New York Daily News

Broke barriers, thrilled crowds over 60 years

- BY PETER SBLENDORIO NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

More than six decades after her Oscar-winning turn in “West Side Story,” Rita Moreno keeps getting her kicks.

The 91-year-old actress is having another busy year, starring in “80 for Brady” and May’s new “Fast & Furious” movie, “Fast X.”

She’s appeared in nearly 200 film, TV and Broadway roles over a career that began in the mid1940s. Here are some of the Puerto Rican-born, New York-bred Moreno’s greatest performanc­es.

“SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN”

One of Moreno’s earliest credits came in one of the best-known movies ever made. Moreno dazzled as the “Zip Girl” in the 1952 musical starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds.

It was the first of several timeless movie musicals for Moreno, who appeared in “The King and I” four years later.

“WEST SIDE STORY”

Moreno shined like a morning star in her 1961 portrayal of the confident, toe-tapping Anita. She won best supporting actress at the Academy Awards, making her the first Latina to receive an Oscar.

Sixty years later, Moreno played a shopkeeper in Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the musical.

“THE RITZ”

Set in a New York City bathhouse, the 1975 Broadway play allowed Moreno to flex her comedic chops with her performanc­e of the aspiring singer Googie Gomez.

Moreno, who won a Tony for the role, played the character again in a 1976 film adaptation.

“WHERE ON EARTH IS CARMEN SANDIEGO?”

Moreno excelled on children’s series during the 1970s, starring on “The Electric Company” and winning an Emmy for “The Muppet Show.”

Two decades later, her voice performanc­e as the titular treasure thief on “Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?” introduced Moreno to a new generation of kids. She received three Emmy nomination­s for the role.

“OZ”

The New York-set prison drama helped HBO emerge as a producer of prominent original TV — and Moreno played a key part in that.

The actress portrayed Sister Peter Marie Reimondo on the series, which aired from 1997 to 2003. The performanc­e earned Moreno three American Latino Media Arts Award nomination­s for best actress.

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