Nuyorican Actress Rosie Perez’s 5 Best Movie Roles & Where to Stream Them
Rosie Perez. Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
Born Rosa María, you know her best as Rosie Perez. The Nuyorican actress is close to celebrating three decades in this business. And she’s truly done it all. After her auspicious debut in Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing, Perez has worked on the big screen (earning an Oscar and a Golden Globe nomination in the process), on TV (doing the requisite Law & Order episode as well as co-hosting The View), and even on Broadway (appearing in Terrence McNally’s The Ritz and Larry David’s Fish in the Dark, among others). And while her chops as an actress are undeniable, she’s also a vocal activist. She’s advocated tirelessly for Puerto Rican rights, HIV/AIDS prevention, as well as education services in the New York City area.
With her recent role in NBC’s Rise putting her back in the spotlight, we wanted to pay tribute to one of the best Latina actresses of her generation. You may wish to reduce her to a tut-tutting New Yawker with an attitude, but the following five performances show her range, showing she can hold her own against the likes of Javier Bardem, John Leguizamo, Jeff Bridges and Woody Harrelson whether in a tear-jerking drama or in an explosive B-movie.
