Rita Moreno Shares Heartfelt Reflections on Turning 94 and Feeling Grateful

Rita Moreno.
Credit: Bernardo Doral

NEED TO KNOW

• Rita Moreno turned 94 on Thursday, December 11, celebrating with family and friends.
• The Oscar-winning West Side Story actress shared her feelings and hopes for the year ahead.
• In October, she accepted a tribute award and expressed that she considers herself “truly, truly lucky.”

Rita Moreno, celebrated for her illustrious career, marked her 94th birthday with an attitude of gratitude.

“I’m looking forward to more of the same,” she remarked, reflecting on her hopes for the upcoming year. “I’m very, very fortunate indeed!”

The iconic performer, one of the few EGOT winners, plans to enjoy the next couple of days with intimate meals alongside her daughter, Fernanda Fisher.

Last year, Moreno held a lavish Mardi Gras-themed celebration for her 93rd birthday, whimsically dubbing the day “Fat Saturday” in a nod to “Fat Tuesday,” the final day of Carnival.

Rita Moreno and her daughter Fernanda Fisher on Nov. 3.
Joy Malone/Getty

At her recent birthday celebration, approximately sixty loved ones gathered to honor Moreno, including her daughter, former One Day at a Time co-star Justina Machado, and executive producers Brent Miller and Mike Royce.

Attendees enjoyed a brass band’s rendition of “Happy Birthday,” while many offered heartfelt toasts to the Puerto Rican actress, who donned a purple sequin jacket that read “Queen of Mardi Gras.”

Rita Moreno at the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Oct. 23.
Gustavo Caballero/Billboard via Getty

Moreno remains active in the entertainment industry. She recently narrated the short film La Tormenta, which chronicles recovery efforts in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria in 2017. Additionally, she accepted the George Eastman Award from the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, N.Y., in October.

This acclaimed honor, named after the founder of Eastman Kodak, recognizes significant contributions to cinema.

During her acceptance speech at the gala held at the Dryden Theatre, Moreno humorously reflected on the award’s significance. “It’s a reminder, I suppose, that I’m still alive and functioning,” she stated. “I’m 93 now and just when you think all of that is over, along comes the Eastman Kodak offer to come and be honored. I’m thinking, ‘My God, I thought this was over for me,’ and here I am and here you are because I’m here.”

In her speech, she also expressed her enduring passion for the arts.

Rita Moreno.
Bernardo Doral

“If you’re lucky, truly, truly lucky, the love of your life isn’t just a person,” she said during the event. “It is something that travels with you from childhood probably til your last breath. For me, that has always been the arts, which has seduced me and sustained me.”

Previous recipients of the George Eastman Award include celebrated figures such as Goldie Hawn, Julia Roberts, Michael Keaton, and Jodie Foster.