Fans rave over Rita Moreno's youthful appearance at 90: 'I’m older and grateful for still being here'

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By Nika Shakhnazarova

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Rita Moreno rang in her 90th birthday on Saturday - just one day after the release of her latest film, Steven Spielberg's adaptation of West Side Story.

The film marks Rita's return to the iconic musical that won her best-supporting actress Oscar nearly six decades ago the first time it was made into a movie.

"It doesn't feel any different," she said of her milestone birthday in Deadline. "On the face of it, nothing has changed. I'm older and deeply grateful for still being here."

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Credit: Sipa US / Alamy

She noted: "And inevitably, now there is concern about what’s next after West Side Story. And anyone who tells you otherwise is a damn liar."

"I can only hope that 45 years from today, I have half the spark, passion, and love for my work, my country, and humanity; as well as, the physical and mental ability to share it," she added.

Moreno won the Academy Award in 1962, a year after the release of the 1961 original version of the musical film in which she played Anita.

While it's impressive enough that Moreno is still very much active in Hollywood, fans were even more impressed with her youthful appearance.

"I wanna look that good at 90," wrote one fan.

Another wrote: "Can I please look as fabulous as Rita Moreno or Betty White when I’m older!!? Whatever those women do, to age so gracefully… I need to know!"

While a third added: "I hope I look as good as Rita Moreno when I’m 90," before another added: "In my next life, at 50 I want to look like #RitaMoreno at 90."

In Spielberg's reimagining of the hit musical, Moreno plays Valentina, the widow of Doc who offers Ansel Elgort's Tony a new chance at a job and a life.

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Credit: Sipa US / Alamy

Moreno admitted it was "bizarre" to see DeBose play the part for which she won an Oscar almost 60 years ago. "She is a beautiful Anita in the movie," said Moreno in the interview.

"It was so bizarre because suddenly I was playing another role and she was playing Anita."

Stephen Sondheim went on to become one of the great composer-lyricists in the history of Broadway.

He died the day after Thanksgiving this year at the age of 91 and the lights on Broadway were dimmed in memoriam this Wednesday.

"I feel privileged to have been in the same generation as he," Rita told Entertainment Tonight at the West Side Story premiere.

Featured image credit: REUTERS / Alamy