-You look gorgeous.
Welcome to the show.
And you smell fantastic, by the way.
-Thank you. -You really do.
-It's just for you. -Thank -- I appreciate this.
-Look out. I'm a dirty old lady.
-Now, look -- Now... [ Laughter ]
Rita, you've been in New York City for how long now?
A couple days?
-You know, we opened last night. -The big premiere last night.
-"West Side Story" opened last night.
[ Cheers and applause ]
-Here you are from the premiere last night.
And, gosh, you look gorgeous.
-Thank you. -Yeah.
-You like the dress? -I actually really do.
I really do like the dress. -The same one.
-Oh. [ Cheers and applause ]
-Well, we're -- Hey, if it ain't broke...
-Well, hey, I slept in it, so... [ Laughter ]
I don't wear I don't wear designer dresses too often.
This is Michael Kors. The jewelry is David Webb.
I've always provided my own gown,
so this is the first time I borrowed.
-I know that you're at a very fancy hotel.
And -- -Oh, yes.
Well, you know, Disney is providing all kinds of stuff
for the whole cast,
and they put me in this extraordinary hotel.
And it has -- It's on the 40th floor,
and it has the most wonderful views.
I saw the Thanksgiving -- the Macy's Day Parade,
you know, from 40 flights up.
It's incredible. -Oh, my gosh.
And but what's interesting about it -- This just got me.
And I have a little video to show you.
I was showing -- You know, this was for my friends,
and then I thought, "You know, Jimmy might like this."
And we -- Well, let me just show you.
Can I show you a little film?
-Let's just say -- Take a video that you brought
from your hotel.
-Right, right, right. Okay, here we go.
-Showing us around. Let's take a look.
-Right. Fancy shower.
-Nice shower.
-Sweet Jesus!
It looks like it's gonna gobble me up.
-That is luxury right there. But that's what you deserve.
-But it's hilarious. It's so funny.
-You've had a legendary career.
I mean, they call you --
Who calls you about "West Side Story?"
They're redoing -- You go, "Excuse me.
I am 'West Side Story.'
Yes, what would you like to know?"
Who calls you and go, 'Hey, would you be interested --"
-Steven Spielberg called me. -Yeah.
-And he asked for permission to get my phone number.
And I said, "Yeah, you can give him my phone number."
-Yeah, sure.
-And he asked me about being in it.
And I put on my most polite voice and I said,
"You know, I certainly don't want to tell you
how to make your movies,
but, you know, I don't do cameos."
And I said, "I think it would be distracting, don't you?"
And he said, "No, no, no. It's a real part.
It's a real part."
And I play Valentina,
the Puerto Rican widow of Doc of the candy store.
Remember the candy store where the Jets hang out?
-Yes. -And I even get to sing.
It's unbelievable! I can't believe I'm doing this!
-No, I mean, let me tell you something.
It is a juicy role, and you just take it and steal it.
And I go, "Oh, my gosh."
-And the audience went nuts last night at the opening.
They went crazy. [ Cheers and applause ]
-How does that feel?
I mean, did you ever think -- You go --
Like, what's that -- Does it remind you of the premiere
of the first "West Side Story?"
-You know what it reminds me of, actually?
Which is kind of -- It's a fun story.
When we were shooting "America"
in the very first version of this
and we were -- At the end, we sent --
I think you have a picture of this.
At the very end of "America," if some of you recall it,
the girls end up -- Can we do real close?
The girls end up on the shoulder of the boy, right?
-Yeah, I remember.
-Okay, what we didn't count on, George Chakiris and I,
is that, during rehearsals,
we'd be wearing, you know, like, a T-shirt,
and I would wear a cotton skirt, and no problem.
Then we get to this,
and George Chakiris is wearing a sharkskin suit.
Really slippery.
I'm wearing a pure silk dress. Really slippery.
-Together --
-On top of -- on top of that, George's shoulders slope.
On top of that, my ass is too big for that shoulder.
[ Laughter ]
Yeah, it's funny now.
Let me show you how a girl has --
Let me show you how a girl has to hang on to a boy
when you do that kind of thing.
I mean, I'm not going to dance,
because I will get such a Charley horse,
you won't believe.
-Okay. -I'm not 89 for nothing.
So, what happens is that the guy takes the girl,
and he swings her up onto his shoulder.
And what she does, in order to hang on to him,
is literally -- Oh, I have to get in front of you.
Don't get excited. [ Laughter ]
-Who are you talking to?
Who are you talking to?
-Okay?
Are you alright, sweetie? -I am. I am.
Oh, my goodness. Wow.
-So, she has to put her leg around the back of him
and literally stick her toe into his buttock.
And it's the only way he can hold her up in the air.
-Yeah. -And we go, "Da-da-da-da-da-da.
"Olé!
Uh...oh, my God!"
-And they go -- Camera, just follow us down.
-We did about 10 or 12 takes. -Yeah.
-The dancers were ready to kill me,
because they had to do it, too.
-Well, let me just tell you, you got the Oscar,
so congratulations.
-Yeah, thank you. [ Cheers and applause ]
-I want to show everyone a clip.
Here is Rita Moreno in the new "West Side Story."
Take a look at this.
-"I want to be with you forever."
-You don't want to start, maybe, with,
"I'd like to take you out to coffee"?
-No. Come --
-I want to take you to Chock full o'Nuts
for a cream-cheese sandwich on a raisin bread?
-This ain't casual like that.
-Whoa.
"I want to be with you forever."
"Quiero estar contigo para siempre."
-"Quiero estar con...con..."
-Contigo -- "with you." -...tigo.
-Para siempre.
-Ooh, right there.
Rita Moreno! [ Cheers and applause ]
"West Side Story" is in theaters December 10th.