Rita Moreno Gets Ready for a Milestone Birthday

Nov 04, 2026 by apost team

Rita Moreno has been celebrated more times than most people can count, and after a career of more than seven decades she is still a little astonished by it.

The EGOT winner was at the Día de Muertos Gala on the Universal Studios backlot, where she received the Vida y Legado, or Life & Legacy, Award. Dressed in a red outfit and a burgundy jacket, she stopped to talk about her upcoming 95th birthday, and her first reaction was total disbelief. “Geez, I can’t believe this,” she said, before joking about being an old lady. “Really? I’m an old lady. But here I am.”

Her plans for the day are warm and simple. “I’m going to have a dinner party with very close friends,” she said. Then she added a request that only someone with her sense of humor could make. “We’re gonna have a dinner and, you know, I’m sure people will be insulting me all night.” She described it as a wonderful way to celebrate. She has even given her guests permission to say whatever they like, which turns the evening into a friendly roast by her own design.

It fits a pattern. Moreno has always treated birthdays as events. For one, she hosted a Mardi Gras-themed party near Berkeley, California, with a brass band, 60 guests, and a chocolate fountain in place of a cake. She wore a purple sequined jacket that read “Queen of Mardi Gras.” She has said that she always has “fabulous birthdays,” and she has never been shy about inviting a crowd.

Her attitude has been consistent. Ahead of another birthday, she summed it up in a single line: “I’m very, very fortunate indeed!”

Moreno’s sense of what she has accomplished shows up in a very practical way. She keeps all of her awards in one room of her home, a collection that includes an Oscar, a Grammy, a Tony, and Emmys. She completed her EGOT in 1977 with a Primetime Emmy Award for appearing on “The Muppet Show,” where her duet with Animal remains a fan favorite.

That run of recognition began with her best-known screen role, Anita in the 1961 film “West Side Story,” and came full circle when she appeared in Steven Spielberg’s remake as a new character, Valentina, while also serving as an executive producer.

Moreno has also been honored in toy form. Mattel released a Barbie tribute doll in her likeness, and she said she hopes it inspires girls to “live their life with courage and resilience so that they can make their dreams a reality.”

At the gala she was reflective. “It’s amazing. I’m one of the few left of my particular era,” she said. “I’m thrilled to still be here, to still be standing up.” She added, with a smile, that “more and more it gets to be less and less.”

Her career, which spans musicals, sitcoms, children’s television, and film, has taken her from “Singin’ in the Rain” and “The King and I” to “The Electric Company” and “One Day at a Time.” She remains active in show business and has said she would love to work with Emma Stone. She has also admitted that she still misses the stage at times. “I don’t miss it all the time, but sometimes I do,” she once said, noting that singing is still possible even if dancing no longer is.

She now has a room full of trophies and a table of friends waiting to roast her.

apost.com

Are you a fan of Rita Moreno? Do you think her sense of humor about turning 95 is one of the most charming things about her? Let us know in the comments and pass this on to your family, friends, and other fans out there!