The Men in Rita Moreno's Life: A Peek in Latina Actress' Marriage and Relationships
Rita Moreno is an iconic Latina actress who has won the four major annual U.S. entertainment awards: an Emmy, a Grammy, a Tony, and an Oscar.
In January 2021, she starred in a new documentary titled "Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It," wherein she became candid with her many private moments, including her marriage to Lenny Gordon.
Rita's life is as colorful as her romantic relationships, with her dating history that also included Marlon Brando.
Rita Moreno's Relationships
According to Business Insider, Rita Moreno has opened up about her relationship with Marlon Brando. Speaking to Jessica Chastain as part of Variety's "Actors on Actors" series last month, Rita admitted that she tried to take her own life during her relationship with Marlon.
She said she and Marlon had a relationship for almost eight years, adding that it was exciting to be with "The Godfather" actor.
Rita noted that Marlon was extraordinary in many ways, but Marlon was "a bad guy," particularly to women. Rita said she was a different person back then and that she had all the "makings of a doormat."
She further elaborated her relationship with Marlon, saying that the actor had a "poop-eating grin" whenever he lied.
Rita noted that it was the reason why Marlon loved him because she could read him like a book. She added that it was also why the actor mistreated her in so many ways.
The Latina actress said she tried to end her own life with pills in Marlon's house when asked how she broke the cycle.
Rita also revealed that she was contacted by rock 'n' roll singer Elvis Presley when she was still in a relationship with Marlon.
She said she found lingerie in Marlon's house and was heartbroken, which led her to date, Elvis.
Rita noted that the hitmaker was "sweet" but also "boring." Marlon then discovered that she was going out with Elvis, which made him angry.
According to USA Today, Rita said she just sat while Marlon threw chairs and yelled. The Puerto Rican-American actress noted that there was something she needed and realized that she was "still looking for daddy" even with her mother having four marriages.
"I had stepfathers all over the place, and that was something that was never resolved in my life. So, I always was looking for a person who would accept me on every single level," Rita Moreno told USA Today in June last year.
Rita Moreno's Marriage
Rita Moreno married Lenny Gordon, who she met while she was on Broadway in The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window in 1964. The following year, the two got married. In a documentary, she said she grew unhappy in their marriage, UPI reported.
Rita noted that Lenny died while they were still married, accumulating 46 years of being together. The actress said she could not find a way to leave.
Lenny died in 2010. Rita admitted that she realized she was too independent to be married. The actress said she did not know "how desperately" she needed to be on her own.
Rita Moreno has been known for her role in "West Side Story" and "Singin' in the Rain."
READ MORE: Latina Legend Rita Moreno Opens up About Fighting Racism, Sexism in New Documentary
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Mary Webber
WATCH: How Rita Moreno's Revenge Made Marlon Brando Insanely Angry? - From Vintage Hollywood Archive