Chita Rivera, the iconic Broadway diva best remembered for her role in “West Side Story,” passed away at 91. The three-time Tony Award winner received touching tributes from the actresses who followed her footsteps in the legendary role of Anita. Rivera Moreno, who played the first-ever Anita in 1957 after Rivera, led all the actresses to honor the Broadway star.
Rita Moreno Leads A Star-Studded Tribute To Chita Rivera To Honor Her Legacy
Born in 1933, Chita Rivera made her Broadway debut in the “Call Me Madame” production. She also starred in “Mr. Wonderful,” “Can-Can,” and “Guys and Dolls.” In 1957, she made history on Broadway with her iconic portrayal of “West Side Story.” Chita Rivera is the first Hispanic and Latino-American to earn the Kennedy Center Honor. In addition, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.
West Side Story, which won six Tony Awards and two Best Musical Awards in 1958, ran for 732 performances. The show was once again revived in 1958, 2009, and 2020, with Debbie Allen, Karen Olivo, and Yesenia Ayala, respectively, for the iconic role of Anita. This show was later adapted into two film editions, one of which cast Rita Moreno in 1961 and Ariana DeBose in 2021, in the same iconic character of Anita.
In Memoriam: Chita Rivera (1933-2024), a Broadway legend and trailblazer. In this interview from 2008 Chita reflects on her formative experience in 1957's West Side Story. pic.twitter.com/hGvmyxQ9aD
— American Masters (@PBSAmerMasters) January 30, 2024
Rita Moreno, the legendary EGOT winner, shared her emotional message to the People for the Broadway diva.
“Chita Rivera is eternal. I remember seeing her for the first time in Mr. Wonderful and exclaiming, ‘Oh my god, who is that?’ When I found out that this astonishing creature was one of my people, I crowed with pride. Over the years, we were sometimes mistaken for each other which I always viewed as a badge of honor. She was the essence of Broadway. As I write this, I am raising a glass to this remarkable woman and friend. Chita, amiga, Salud!”
Debbie Allen, the first-ever black woman to win the Golden Globes Award, took to her Instagram, penning down her thoughts for Chita Rivera.
“My Mentor, My Friend, Our Goddess of Inspiration and Joy – Thank You. Every moment of your life has been a treasure of what is possible. I will miss touching you, but I will forever hear your laughter and hold that baton of power you tossed my way.”
Ariana Debose, who won an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice, and SAG Award for her iconic portrayal of Anita, took to Instagram to express her admiration for Chita Rivera and thanked her for inspiring her.
“She was a force. In truth she made me nervous. To be in her presence was to behold greatness. I always got the sense that she had great expectations, but none greater than the ones she held herself to…I am heartbroken and yet ever inspired as she showed so many of us what was possible. Rest well Queen.”
Stars such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, Victoria Clark, and Kristin Chenoweth, also, took to their social media to pay their sincere tribute to Chita Rivera and mourn her demise.
“No words to tell you what an incredible impact you have had on my life.”
-Catherine Zeta-Jones
“There was only you. Then everyone else. I looked up to you and always will admire you as a talent and mostly as a person! A kick butt woman you were. All the rest of us just wanna be you. RIP CHITA.”
-Kristin Chenoweth
“Although I never had the pleasure of working with Chita, she was the artist we all looked up to our whole lives—an immortal. She will live on forever in my heart.”
-Victoria Clark
