Rita Moreno Honored with Barbie Doll Ahead of 93rd Birthday

Boricua icon Rita Moreno is known for her pioneering work in the entertainment industry as a Latina. Mattel is celebrating her trailblazing legacy ahead of her 93rd birthday on Dec. 11 with a new Barbie doll created in her honor. The doll is the newest addition to the Barbie Tribute Collection and has been available for purchase on Wednesday, Nov. 20. The Rita Moreno Barbie doll wears a black and gold strapless gown with a sweetheart neckline and long skirt with metallic designs evoking the iconic looks that Moreno wore to the 1962 Oscars and again to the 2018 Oscars. Additionally, the Barbie features a sleek up-do with bangs, a style Moreno often donned in her youth, and details like black opera-length gloves, gold statement earrings, and black heels. 

The Rita Moreno Barbie doll was created by Mattel designer Javi Maebe, and Barbie worked closely with Moreno to properly sculpt a doll with her likeness. Moreno reacted to the news in a statement with Mattel, reflecting on the obstacles of sexism and discrimination she faced in Hollywood as a woman of color and hoping to inspire girls today with her story: 

“I was a girl who decided to go for it, and despite the challenges I faced, I never gave up on my dreams. That’s what I hope this doll inspires in each and every girl today: to live their life with courage and resilience so that they can make their dreams a reality. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Barbie to bring this doll to life, and I hope it serves as a reminder to embrace your limitless possibilities and pursue your passions because when you embrace them, you’re bound to go far.”

Born on December 11, 1931 in Humacao, Puerto Rico, Moreno emerged as one of the few Latina movie stars in the Golden Age of Hollywood, and her groundbreaking career spans over 70 years. She got her big break in West Side Story with her role as Anita and made history when she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1962 becoming the first Latina to win an Oscar. She’s since starred in films including 80 for Brady, In The Heights, and The King and I and in the beloved series One Day at a Time which reintroduced her to audience after its 2017 release.

She continued to make history when, in 1977, she became the third person and first Latina to become an EGOT recipient, meaning she has earned an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. There are only 21 performers in history who have achieved this status, and when she completed the EGOT at just 45 years old, she was the youngest person to EGOT until 2014 Robert Lopez achieved the feat at 39 years old. The Barbie Instagram account wrote about Moreno’s legacy as an entertainer in the post announcing the doll’s release:

“A voice for more voices 🌟 Rita Moreno has long been a star on-stage, and a heroine in real life. As the first Latina to win the venerated EGOT prize, and a fiercely outspoken advocate for representation, her most important role to date is being the role model she never had,” the caption reads. “Barbie is proud to honor the actress and activist as the newest doll in the Barbie Tribute Collection, inspiring future generations to step into the spotlight.”