Rita Moreno’s path to fame in Hollywood was far from straightforward. When she was just five years old, she and her mother left their home country and traveled to the Bronx in the United States.

It was there that Moreno discovered her love for acting, singing, and dancing, using these talents to escape her chaotic childhood.

At the young age of 13, Moreno made her Broadway debut, and by the time she was in her 20s, she was fully immersed in the Golden Age of Hollywood, working alongside some of the biggest names in the industry, including Ann Miller, Yul Brynner, and Gary Cooper.

One of Moreno’s most significant roles was in the film “West Side Story,” which earned her an Oscar and made her the first Hispanic woman to win a Tony, an Oscar, a Grammy, and an Emmy.

Moreno’s beauty attracted the attention of many men, but it was her chance meeting with Marlon Brando that almost became the end of her.

Moreno and Brando first met on the set of “Desiree,” and Moreno recalls feeling a strong physical attraction to him when their eyes met for the first time.

She described the feeling as intense, like being dropped into a hot tub.

Moreno was captivated by Brando’s charm and sensuality, and the two began an eight-year relationship that was tumultuous and destructive.

Despite Brando’s many admirable qualities, Moreno saw a darker side to him that she believed stemmed from his troubled relationship with his alcoholic mother.

However, Moreno also notes that Brando had insatiable sexual needs and pursued other relationships even while he was with Moreno.

This led to a cycle of heartbreak for Moreno, who found herself unable to stay away from Brando and constantly trying to win him over from other women.

At one point, Brando even begged Moreno to sleep with him after she attempted to end her own life.

Moreno remembers the intimate moments with Brando as being earth-shattering and the mere thought of being with him as purely thrilling.

However, the glory of their new relationship quickly faded, leaving Moreno confused and heartbroken by Brando’s infidelity.

Throughout the course of their eight-year relationship, which was on and off, Brando married and had children with two other women besides Moreno, and he also carried out several other affairs.

Despite all of this, Moreno couldn’t stay away from Brando and became almost addicted to trying to win him over from other women.

In her memoir “Rita Moreno,” Moreno describes the first time she and Brando locked eyes and how her whole body flushed with heat.

She remembers how Brando spoke to her, played the drums, made love, and how she almost died from loving him.

Moreno’s memories of Brando are both passionate and painful, as he was both a captivating and irresistible lover but also a source of heartbreak and destruction.

Moreno’s rise to fame in Hollywood was not easy, but she persevered and became a trailblazer as the first Hispanic woman to win a Tony, an Oscar, a Grammy, and an Emmy.

Her encounter with Brando, while memorable and intense, was also tumultuous and ultimately damaging.

Despite this, Moreno has continued to have a successful career and is remembered as a talented and enduring actress.