Belita Moreno facts for kids

Belita Moreno (born November 1, 1949) is an American actress. She is famous for playing Benita "Benny" Lopez on the TV show George Lopez. She also played Edwina Twinkacetti and Lydia Markham on Perfect Strangers.

Belita Moreno's Early Life

Belita Moreno was born Aurabela Moreno in Dallas, Texas. Her mother, Aurora Rodriguez, was a high school Spanish teacher. Her father, Abel Moreno, was a veteran of World War II.

Belita went to Justin F. Kimball High School. After high school, she studied Theatre at Southern Methodist University. She also continued her acting lessons at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, California. There, she acted in the musical Once Upon a Mattress. Belita Moreno is married to Joel Rudnick, who helps actors find jobs. They have two children together.

Her Acting Career

When Belita Moreno first arrived in Hollywood, California, she quickly met director Robert Altman. She got parts in three of his movies: 3 Women, A Wedding, and A Perfect Couple. She also appeared in other films like Mommie Dearest and Clear and Present Danger.

Belita Moreno was a regular on the popular ABC TV show Perfect Strangers. She was on the show from 1986 to 1992. She also acted in TV movies, like Crazy From the Heart. She appeared in miniseries such as Tales of the City. You might have seen her in other TV shows too, like The Golden Girls and Family Ties.

One of her most well-known roles was playing Benny Lopez. Benny was the mother of George Lopez on the TV show George Lopez. She played this role from 2002 to 2007.

In the 1980s, Belita Moreno was a favorite actress of Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Beth Henley. Beth Henley wrote several roles especially for Belita. One role was "Popeye" in The Miss Firecracker Contest. Another was "Lacey Rollins" in The Lucky Spot. Belita performed in these plays in California and New York.

She also acted in Beth Henley's play The Wake of Jamey Foster on Broadway in 1982. Later, in 1989, she performed in the first show of Abundance.

Since the early 1990s, Belita Moreno has also worked as an acting coach. She helps other actors prepare for their roles in many films. Some of the movies she helped with include Jerry Maguire, Rush Hour 2, Almost Famous, and 17 Again.

More recently, she has appeared on TV shows like Wizards of Waverly Place on Disney. She was also on Desperate Housewives and Fairly Legal. She even lent her voice to the animated movie Ferdinand in 2017. In 2022, she appeared in Lopez vs. Lopez, a new show.

Where You Might Have Seen Her

Belita Moreno has acted in many movies and TV shows. Here are some of her most notable roles:

Movies

• 3 Women (1977)
• A Wedding (1978)
• Mommie Dearest (1981)
• Swing Shift (1984)
• Clear and Present Danger (1994)
• Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010)
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (2011)
• Ferdinand (2017) - Voice role

Television Shows

• Family Ties (1983–1988)
• The Golden Girls (1986)
• Perfect Strangers (1986–1992) - Recurring role
• Full House (1987)
• Melrose Place (1996)
• George Lopez (2002–2007) - Main role as Benny Lopez
• Wizards of Waverly Place (2008)
• Fairly Legal (2011)
• Family Guy (2015) - Voice role
• On My Block (2019)
• Lopez vs. Lopez (2022)