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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Saturday 23 February 2019

Rita Moreno on playing a sassy grandma, ‘West Side Story’

By MARK KENNEDY AP: Why was her sensuality
Associated Press important to you?
NEW YORK (AP) — Rita Moreno: I think it’s be-
Moreno plays one of TV’s cause it’s not seen enough
best villains. Or is she one of on television and because
its snidest heroines? Either people have an odd no-
way, her sass grandmoth- tion of what a woman of
er on the Netflix reboot of 80 — well actually I’m 87.
“One Day at a Time” is truly I’m playing younger. She’s
a funny concoction. supposedly about 77, 78
Her Lydia wears make- something like that. And
up to bed, has a gun on you don’t see that but it ex-
hand and still is seductive ists. And that’s why I insisted
in her 80s. “I came out of that she be a sexual being.
the womb wearing stilet- AP: Are there any draw-
tos,” she purrs in a Cuban backs to playing her?
accent. The show has re- Moreno: The difficult part of
tooled Norman Lear’s old playing this particular role
sitcom for a Latin family. is that she’s very big. She’s
Moreno, one of the rare very theatrical. She’s a diva
EGOT winners, is enjoying a and it’s very easy to go too
purple creative patch late- far with that. So I’m always
ly with the show’s third sea- constantly on the look-out
son and an upcoming role and I’m always saying ‘I
in the Steven Spielberg-led This July 29, 2018 file photo shows actress Rita Moreno, a cast member of the Netflix series “One don’t think she’d say that’
remake of “West Side Sto- Day at a Time” posing for a portrait during the Netflix portrait session at Television Critics Association to the writers.
ry,” for which Moreno won Summer Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif. ‘That just seems arbitrary’
an Oscar as Anita in 1961. Associated Press or whatever. And then we
The Puerto Rican-born ac- too much fun with this Netf- interesting thing about this said, ‘I know she’s a grand- have to have a discussion
tress recently spoke to The lix character. In one scene, character is that she has a mother and I know she’s about that. Sometimes
Associated Press about her you try to hit on your own lot of negatives on her side supposed to be in her late they agree with me. And
sassy Netflix role, the regrets daughter’s boyfriend. but people love her. Peo- 70s, but she has to be sex- sometimes they’ll play
she had doing the original Moreno: She’s shameless. ple love her because of her ual. Otherwise I’m not inter- along with me.
“West Side Story” and her This woman, Lydia, is ab- foibles. ested.’ And they loved the AP: You’ll soon revisit “West
thoughts on the #MeToo solutely shameless. She’s AP: After the role was of- idea. So now they’ve really Side Story.” Any regrets
movement. vain. She’s a bit of a liar fered, you asked for some- taken advantage. Some- about the original, particu-
AP: You’re clearly having when it’s convenient. The thing, didn’t you? times I say, ‘You really want larly the way they handled
Moreno: I did ask a favor. I me to say that?’ the racial aspect?q

Whimsy and boundary-pushing

from Peter Mulvey

By STEVEN WINE
Associated Press
Peter Mulvey, “There Is An-
other World” (Righteous
Babe)
Midway through Peter Mul-
vey’s new album, he sings
about the ravages of time
on the tune “Nickel and
Dime.” It lasts 15 seconds.
Mulvey always brings to his
work whimsy and a willing-
ness to push folk boundar-
ies, and that’s the case on
“There Is Another World.”
The Wisconsin songwriter-
guitarist quotes Yeats, Ril-
ke and Greg Brown, and
that’s just in the liner notes. This cover image released by Righteous Babe Records shows
There’s also a literary bent “There Is Another World,” a release by Peter Mulvey.
to the lyrics, which can be Associated Press
cryptic or opaque but ben- Mulvey pairs his words with by violin, pedal steel, ac-
efit from imagery that’s viv- inventive arrangements cordion, clarinet and wine
id and sometimes beauti- anchored by his fingerpick- glass rims. Unusual chord
ful. On the love song “Owl,” ing and by producer Todd progressions lend further
he describes two birds who Sickafoose’s standup bass, unpredictability to the
“both dropped into the air.” with further color provided proceedings.q