Bella Donna: Rita Moreno

BellaSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:03:10 PDT

Winning one award is an accomplishment in itself, but only 10 people have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony - and one of them is Rita Moreno. Best known for her turns in West Side Story and The Electric Company, the triple threat is a legend in film, on stage, and on the small screen.

Like many other Latinas in Hollywood, Moreno initially struggled to find roles that didn't fall into "exotic" cliches and sexpot stereotypes. Even in West Side Story, she was frustrated, as she told NPR's Terry Gross:

"They made me use an accent, which I wasn't thrilled about because a lot of us, obviously, don't have them. The thing that really bothered me the most is that they put the same very muddy, dark-colored makeup on every Shark girl and boy, and that really made me very upset. I tried to get that changed, and I said, 'Look at us. We're all many, many different colors. Some of us are very white, some of us are olive-skinned, some of us actually have black blood, some of us are Taino Indian,' which is the original Puerto Rican. And nobody paid attention, and that was that. I had no choice in the matter, but I was not happy."

As opinionated as she is attractive, Moreno continues to act, appearing on shows such as Oz and Law & Order. We love her for her talent, and for proving that aging gracefully is a beautiful thing.

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Pilot Watch: "Cane"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:18:39 PDT

The networks have announced their fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? Throughout the summer, as I watch the pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. A lot can change before a show makes it to air, so these aren't comprehensive reviews, just quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: "Cane," a new drama from CBS.

What's it about? A Cuban-American family in Miami deals with internal struggles and external pressures that threaten their large, lucrative rum and sugar business.

Who's in it? Jimmy Smits, Hector Elizondo, Rita Moreno, Nestor Carbonell

The good: It's a CBS drama that's not another "CSI"! Jimmy Smits clearly knows how to carry a series, and when your supporting cast involves the likes of Rita Moreno, you're doing OK on the acting front. The pilot has an intriguing mix of soapy family drama, politics and mystery.

The bad: No, it's not a "CSI," but it still looks and feels like every CBS drama you've ever seen. And that's not all - as my boyfriend said, "I liked this show better when it was called The Godfather."

Will I watch? I have the same general feeling about it as I did about "Back to You": It's not likely to end up on my must-watch list, but at the same time, I wouldn't recommend against it.

To watch a preview clip and see a gallery of photos,

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Photos courtesy of CBS