Julia Louis-Dreyfus

I mean, it's so refreshing and revitalizing for me, and I hope, dear listener, for you too. So thank God, thank God then, that today we get to talk to someone who is not full of shit, but is full of wit and grace and talent and wisdom, the incomparable Rita Moreno. I'm Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and this is Wiser Than Me, the podcast where I get schooled by women who are wiser than me.

I mean, it's so refreshing and revitalizing for me, and I hope, dear listener, for you too. So thank God, thank God then, that today we get to talk to someone who is not full of shit, but is full of wit and grace and talent and wisdom, the incomparable Rita Moreno. I'm Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and this is Wiser Than Me, the podcast where I get schooled by women who are wiser than me.

Some actors have a kind of motor, an energy in their performances from role to role that is kind of supernatural. You know what I'm talking about? It's like an inner light that they bring to all their characters. They seem somehow to be totally alive, powerful, and impossibly vibrant. Thank you so much for having me. Totally captivating to me.

Some actors have a kind of motor, an energy in their performances from role to role that is kind of supernatural. You know what I'm talking about? It's like an inner light that they bring to all their characters. They seem somehow to be totally alive, powerful, and impossibly vibrant. Thank you so much for having me. Totally captivating to me.

From the bitter comedy of her killer dance number, America, to the unforgettably gorgeous harmony of I Have a Love. Oh, God, I can't even think about it. It's so good. Knockout stuff. And of course, she won an Oscar for it.

From the bitter comedy of her killer dance number, America, to the unforgettably gorgeous harmony of I Have a Love. Oh, God, I can't even think about it. It's so good. Knockout stuff. And of course, she won an Oscar for it.

And if it was compelling to me when I saw it on TV in reruns in the 70s, imagine what it meant to Latino families across this country and its territories as they watched her in a Spanish dubbed version. For them, Rita Moreno wasn't just a star. She was their star. La Nuestra. Her extraordinary career on stage, in the movies, and on TV spans seven decades. She was the first Latina to win an Emmy.

And if it was compelling to me when I saw it on TV in reruns in the 70s, imagine what it meant to Latino families across this country and its territories as they watched her in a Spanish dubbed version. For them, Rita Moreno wasn't just a star. She was their star. La Nuestra. Her extraordinary career on stage, in the movies, and on TV spans seven decades. She was the first Latina to win an Emmy.

She has two, actually. A Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, the famous EGOT. At a time when Latin people were especially marginalized in Hollywood, Rita fought and continues to fight for roles that portray Latinas with dignity and depth. To put this into perspective, despite being the largest minority group in the U.S., Latinos still remain underrepresented in the media. Let that sink in for a second.

She has two, actually. A Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, the famous EGOT. At a time when Latin people were especially marginalized in Hollywood, Rita fought and continues to fight for roles that portray Latinas with dignity and depth. To put this into perspective, despite being the largest minority group in the U.S., Latinos still remain underrepresented in the media. Let that sink in for a second.

If it's bad now, can you imagine the shitshow it must have been like back then? She has channeled that strength into becoming a trailblazer beyond showbiz, too.

If it's bad now, can you imagine the shitshow it must have been like back then? She has channeled that strength into becoming a trailblazer beyond showbiz, too.

She marched for civil rights alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., advocated for her friend Norman Lear's People for the American Way, a progressive advocacy organization, and has consistently worked to empower Puerto Ricans, urging them to vote and hold elected officials accountable. And that energy that I was talking about before, it's still there. The woman is a dynamo when she performs now,

She marched for civil rights alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., advocated for her friend Norman Lear's People for the American Way, a progressive advocacy organization, and has consistently worked to empower Puerto Ricans, urging them to vote and hold elected officials accountable. And that energy that I was talking about before, it's still there. The woman is a dynamo when she performs now,

Amazing, whether you know her from The Ritz on Broadway or West Side Story, The Electric Company. Hey, you guys! 80 for Brady or her scene-stealing role in One Day at a Time, Rita has managed to keep the same irrepressible charisma she's had since starting Spanish dance lessons in the Bronx at the age of six. There's even, by the way, a tribute Barbie doll of her in her Oscar dress.

Amazing, whether you know her from The Ritz on Broadway or West Side Story, The Electric Company. Hey, you guys! 80 for Brady or her scene-stealing role in One Day at a Time, Rita has managed to keep the same irrepressible charisma she's had since starting Spanish dance lessons in the Bronx at the age of six. There's even, by the way, a tribute Barbie doll of her in her Oscar dress.

I am so thrilled to welcome a real star like A mother, a grandmother of two, a true force of nature, and someone who is miles and miles and miles wiser than me, the wonderful Rita Moreno. Welcome, Rita.

I am so thrilled to welcome a real star like A mother, a grandmother of two, a true force of nature, and someone who is miles and miles and miles wiser than me, the wonderful Rita Moreno. Welcome, Rita.

No, you really do. That is such a good response to an intro. I want more money. Wow. Oh, Rita. Okay. Are you comfortable if I ask your real age, Rita? Oh, for sure. Today's my birthday.

No, you really do. That is such a good response to an intro. I want more money. Wow. Oh, Rita. Okay. Are you comfortable if I ask your real age, Rita? Oh, for sure. Today's my birthday.