Wissenswertes

When filming her final scene in West Side Story (1961) in which her character "Anita" is harassed and nearly raped by New York street gang members "the Jets", she was reduced to tears, as it brought flashbacks of similar real-life childhood experiences. When she broke down, the other actors in the scene immediately stopped to comfort her and help her get through the scene. The sequence sets up a critical plot element and is essential to the story.

When her star was unveiled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she fell on top of it, openly and uncontrollably weeping. She later commented, "I had been dreaming of this day since I was six!".

Was the first Hispanic woman to win an Oscar when she won for West Side Story (1961). However, she was not the first Hispanic entertainer to win an Oscar. That was fellow Puerto Rican José Ferrer for Der letzte Musketier (1950).

In her memoir she describes how stunned she was when a handsome stranger, with his wife on his arm, very brazenly flirted with her. It was the 1950s and the man was then-Sen. John F. Kennedy. Moreno also described her disappointment about one-time lover Elvis Presley being much more like "a baby brother" than a stud.

During the first season (episode 19) of The Electric Company (1971), she was in a sketch in which she shouted "Hey, you guys!" repeatedly. It became so popular with the show's producers that they decided to use it as the catchphrase in their opening, starting with season two.

Following Debbie Reynolds's death in December 2016, Moreno is the last surviving main cast member of Du sollst mein Glücksstern sein (1952).

Was dancing professionally in a Greenwich Village nightclub at age 9, as arranged by her dance teacher, Rita Hayworth's uncle.

Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush. (Juni 2004)

Is third person, second woman and first person of color who has received EGOT status. The other EGOTS, in chronological order, are Richard Rodgers, Helen Hayes, Robert Lopez, John Gielgud, Audrey Hepburn, Marvin Hamlisch, Jonathan Tunick, Mel Brooks, Mike Nichols, Whoopi Goldberg, James Earl Jones, John Legend, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, Alan Menken, Jennifer Hudson, Viola Davis, and Elton John. Moreno once held the record to win all four EGOT awards (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) in the shortest amount of time, within a 16-year time frame -- the Oscar in 1962, the Grammy in 1972, the Tony in 1975 and her first of two Emmys in 1977. This record was broken by Robert Lopez in 2014, when he won an Oscar to complete his EGOT. He achieved the feat in a 10-year time frame.

She was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts on February 25, 2010 at the White House in Washington D.C. for her services and contributions to the arts.

On August 10, 2019, she was honored with a day of her film work during the Turner Classic Movies Summer Under the Stars.

Received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. (20. Juli 2005)

Was one of the 2015 Kennedy Center honorees.

Moreno's late husband, Dr. Leonard Gordon, was an internist and cardiologist. The couple had one child, Fernanda Luisa Gordon (aka Fernanda Gordon), who was delivered via an emergency Caesarean section. A successful jewelry designer, Fernanda founded Nandiz Design. She is married to David Fisher and they have two sons, Justin (born 2002) and Cameron (born 2004).

Is one of 15 actresses to have won the Triple Crown of Acting (an Oscar, Emmy and Tony); the others--in chronological order--are Helen Hayes, Ingrid Bergman, Shirley Booth, Maureen Stapleton, Jessica Tandy, Anne Bancroft, Vanessa Redgrave, Maggie Smith, Ellen Burstyn, Helen Mirren, Frances McDormand, Jessica Lange, Viola Davis and Glenda Jackson.

Is one of 8 actresses to have won an Academy Award for their performance in a musical. The others in chronological order are: Julie Andrews, Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Hudson and Emma Stone.

Appeared in the pilot for the sitcom Harry's Nest (1988), which was an episode of Golden Girls (1985). The premise was changed in the final version of Harry's Nest (1988), in which she did not appear.

As of 2022, has appeared in three films nominated for Best Picture Oscar: Der König von Siam (1956), West Side Story (1961) and West Side Story (2021). The second one is the winner in the category.

In 1977, she became the ninth performer to win the Triple Crown of Acting: (Oscar: Best Supporting Actress in West Side Story (1961), Tony, Best Featured Actress, The Ritz (1975) and Emmy 1977 (Die Muppet Show (1976)) and 1978 (Detektiv Rockford - Anruf genügt (1974)).

Friends with Morgan Freeman.

Cites Citizen Kane (1941) as her all-time favorite film.

Is one of 14 actresses who won their Best Supporting Actress Oscars in a movie that also won the Best Picture Oscar (she won for West Side Story (1961)). The others are Hattie McDaniel for Vom Winde verweht (1939), Teresa Wright for Mrs. Miniver (1942), Celeste Holm for Tabu der Gerechten (1947), Mercedes McCambridge for Der Mann, der herrschen wollte (1949), Donna Reed for Verdammt in alle Ewigkeit (1953), Eva Marie Saint for Die Faust im Nacken (1954), Meryl Streep for Kramer gegen Kramer (1979), Juliette Binoche for Der englische Patient (1996), Judi Dench for Shakespeare in Love (1998), Jennifer Connelly for A Beautiful Mind: Genie und Wahnsinn (2001), Catherine Zeta-Jones for Chicago (2002), Lupita Nyong'o for 12 Years a Slave (2013) and Jamie Lee Curtis for Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022).

Is one of 27 actresses to have received an Academy Award nomination for their performance in a musical; hers being West Side Story (1961). The others, in chronological order, are: Bessie Love (Die Broadway Melodie (1929)), Grace Moore (Das leuchtende Ziel (1934)), Jean Hagen (Du sollst mein Glücksstern sein (1952)), Marjorie Rambeau (Herzen im Fieber (1953)), Dorothy Dandridge (Carmen Jones (1954)), Deborah Kerr (Der König von Siam (1956)), Gladys Cooper (My Fair Lady (1964)), Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins (1964), Meine Lieder, meine Träume (1965) and Victor/Victoria (1982)), Debbie Reynolds (Goldgräber-Molly (1964)), Peggy Wood (Meine Lieder, meine Träume (1965)), Carol Channing (Modern Millie - Reicher Mann gesucht (1967)), Kay Medford (Funny Girl (1968)), Barbra Streisand (Funny Girl (1968)), Liza Minnelli (Cabaret (1972)), Ronee Blakley (Nashville (1975)), Lily Tomlin (Nashville (1975)), Ann-Margret (Tommy (1975)), Lesley Ann Warren (Victor/Victoria (1982)), Amy Irving (Yentl (1983)), Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge! (2001)), Queen Latifah (Chicago (2002)), Catherine Zeta-Jones (Chicago (2002)), Renée Zellweger (Chicago (2002)), Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls (2006)), Penélope Cruz (Nine (2009)), Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables (2012)), Meryl Streep (Into the Woods (2014)) and Emma Stone (La La Land (2016)).

Best known by the television-viewing public for her starring role as Sister Peter Marie Reimondo in Oz - Hölle hinter Gittern (1997).