My Conversation With Rita Moreno

She won her Oscar for playing Anita in, which boasts some of the finest dancing ever put on film. But her Oscar didn't open doors to better movie roles. In fact, it took another seven years before she made another movie. She turned down roles which stereotyped her as -- in her words -- "Conchita/Lolitas."
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Tomorrow night I'm joined by legendary actress and dancer Rita Moreno. Among her many accolades are an Oscar, a Tony, a Grammy and two Emmys. She's one of a handful of artists to receive that array of awards and of course is the first and only Latina to be so honored. She won her Oscar for playing Anita in West Side Story, which boasts some of the finest dancing ever put on film. But her Oscar didn't open doors to better movie roles. In fact, it took another seven years before she made another movie. She turned down roles which stereotyped her as -- in her words -- "Conchita/Lolitas."

In the clip below, Rita Moreno discusses how she kept her career going during the years movie roles were not forthcoming and whether or not, all this time later, the landscape has improved for Latinas.

For more of our conversation, be sure to tune in to Tavis Smiley on PBS. Check our website for your local TV listings: www.pbs.org/tavis.

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