Rita Moreno Defends Actors Getting Political at Award Shows, Cites ‘Freedom of Speech’

West Side Story star Rita Moreno has shared her opinion about politics in award acceptance speeches, and as is the case any time the subject of politics comes up, it’s bound to be divisive. On Saturday night, Moreno was present at the PGA Awards to accept the Stanley Kramer Award for her social justice work. The actress, who recently wowed critics once again with her role in West Side Story, was clearly very happy to be there as she did a little dance on her way to the podium.

On the stage, Moreno spoke about Kramer, the namesake of her award. Per THR, she referred to the filmmaker as someone who “never shied from matters of social justice and equity in his body of work,” commenting on how honored she was to receive the award in his name. Moreno also commented on how she was personally there to witness the famous speech delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963, making her especially feel that speaking out on injustice on a public platform is important.

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“I am not a person of religious faith, but for me, film has often been a sacred text that has spurred me to follow what [Abraham Lincoln] called the ‘better angels of our nature.’ In 1963, I sat on Abraham Lincoln’s steps, only a few feet from [Dr. King]. I was there… Thanks to an invitation from Harry Belafonte, I was there to hear the preacher’s dream. In seasons when profits fall silent and statesmen reign, thankfully, filmmakers keep on preaching and never stop advocating for matters of equity and justice.”

Moreno spoke about her role in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story remake, a film that’s up for Best Picture at the Academy Awards this month. She praised the way the filmmakers told this story “with integrity, fleshing out of characters and respecting ethnicities” in a meaningful way. But while a career in Hollywood hasn’t been easy, Moreno had always taken the time to advocate for the real-world issues that were important to her, and she feels honored to have it recognized by being given the humbling award.

“I am 90 now. And working for a lifetime, and this business has taken tenacity and hard work. Advocating for issues of social justice for the last 60 years has been exhausting, exhilarating and life-giving. Had it not been for those sets and the fire set inside me as a young woman, I would certainly not be here tonight receiving this wondrous honor.”

Rita Moreno Says Getting Political at Award Shows Is an American Right

This all led up to Rita Moreno offering her point of view on actors speaking about politics and other hot-button issues when accepting awards at major award shows. This has often been criticized by some viewers insisting that entertainers need to “stay out of politics,” though others are supportive of it for similar reasons to those outlined above. As Moreno explains:

“We are in the throes of yet another award season, and some in our tribe have been known to use a spotlight to advocate for issues addressed in their nominated works — climate change, universal health care, voting rights, and LGBTQ advocacy, and many, many others. And I know that in some audiences, that has been known to create, how shall I say — a mild discomfort? For others, heart palpitations. ‘After all, who are these actors, these Hollywood types think they are, huh? Citizens in a democracy?’”

To those people, Moreno has a blunt but harsh response.

“Well, f*** ’em. Freedom of speech belongs to all of us actors. And let’s not forget comedians are patriots, too — just look in the direction of Mr. Zelensky in Ukraine. Thank you, and I promise I’ll be more charming on another occasion.”

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