Rita Moreno.Photo:Stefanie Keenan/Getty
Stefanie Keenan/Getty
Rita Morenois looking back on her literary endeavors.The EGOT winner, 92, recently spoke with PEOPLE about the writing process for her 2013 memoirRita Moreno.“I found that I loved doing it,” she said. “And that I was able, because I was able to phrase things the way I like to…even though I don’t have any education to speak of. I’ve never finished high school. I find that I speak a lot better than most people, which is very depressing, to say the least.”
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InRita Moreno, the actress reflects on her trailblazing career in Hollywood, from her early appearances on the Broadway stage to her beloved roles in film classics likeSingin’ in the RainandWest Side Story. She also discusses her childhood in the Bronx, where she grew up after immigrating from Puerto Rico, navigating the racial challenges of the entertainment industry and her romances with stars likeMarlon BrandoandElvis Presley.
“I loved putting things into words and I love describing and I’m pretty good at that,” she said. “I’m good at describing people, the way people behave. I’m good at describing feelings…So I enjoyed it. It was exhausting, but I enjoyed it.”
Speaking at a fireside chat at the Dotdash Meredith offices on Wednesday, Moreno, who was married toLeonard Gordonfrom 1965 until his death in 2010, also discussed some of the relationships she wrote about in her book, including Brando. The two first met on the set of the 1954 filmDésirée.
Rita Moreno and Marlon Brando.Jamie McCarthy/Getty, Getty
Jamie McCarthy/Getty, Getty
“We had a thing going,” Moreno said. “Oh, yeah, that was the crux of our relationship. It was really, essentially, very sexual, and he was amazing. So was I!”
Moreno also discussed how shefirst became acquaintedwith Presley. The actress received a call from Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who told Moreno that the “Hound Dog” singer wanted to get to know her.“I was going with Marlon [Brando] at the time,” she said. “He wasn’t necessarily going with me, but I was going with him. You know what I mean?”
Rita Moreno and Elvis Presley.Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty, Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty
Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty, Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty
“’Turns out Elvis saw you with the commissary of the 20th Century Fox,’” Moreno recalled Parker telling her. “He liked what he saw and he would like very much to meet you. Would you like to meet him?”
Moreno is gearing up for the 96th Academy Awards, where she will present an award. She won her own Oscar in 1962 for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita inWest Side Story. In a recentinterview on theTodayShow, Moreno teased her upcoming ceremony look.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.“I’m going to wear a gown that’s gonna knock your socks off,” Moreno said.
source: people.com
