Rosie Perez facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rosie Perez
Perez at the New York premiere of Won't Back Down in 2012
Born	Rosa Maria Perez (1964-09-06) September 6, 1964 (age 60) Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Education	Los Angeles City College West Los Angeles College
Occupation	Actress, dancer
Years active	1983–present
Spouse(s)	Seth Zvi Rosenfeld ​ ​ (m. 1998; div. 2001)​ Eric Haze ​ ​ (m. 2013)​
Awards	Full list

Rosa Maria Perez (born September 6, 1964) is an American actress and dancer. She is known for her energetic performances in movies and TV shows. Rosie Perez became famous at age 24 when she starred as Tina in the film Do the Right Thing (1989). She also appeared in White Men Can't Jump (1992).

Her role in the movie Fearless (1993) earned her a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. This is a very important award in the film industry. She has also starred in films like It Could Happen to You (1994) and Birds of Prey (2020).

On television, Perez received nominations for the Primetime Emmy Awards for her work on In Living Color (1990–1994) and The Flight Attendant (2020–22). She has also performed in plays on Broadway. For a time, she was a co-host on the popular talk show The View.

Early Life and Education

Rosie Perez was born on September 6, 1964, in Brooklyn, New York City. Her parents were Lydia Pérez and Ismael Serrano. Her mother was from Humacao, Puerto Rico, and her father was from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.

Rosie was one of ten children. She spent some of her childhood in group homes and foster care. She was legally a ward of New York State until she was twelve years old. Her family members visited her often.

When she was in third grade, Rosie found out she had a speech impediment. She had a strict Catholic upbringing, influenced by the nuns who taught her. Later, she lived with her paternal aunt, Ana Dominga Otero Serrano-Roque. She went to Grover Cleveland High School in Queens.

Career Highlights

Rosie Perez began her career as a dancer on the TV show Soul Train when she was 19. She was studying biochemistry at Los Angeles City College but loved dancing so much that she left school. In 1988, director Spike Lee saw her at a dance club. He then hired her for her first big acting role in Do the Right Thing.

Perez also worked as a choreographer for music videos. She choreographed for famous artists like Janet Jackson and Diana Ross. She was the choreographer for the Fly Girls dance group on the TV show In Living Color. She also worked as a producer for parts of the show.

Rosie Perez made her Broadway debut in the play Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. She then had a major role in the comedy film White Men Can't Jump with Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson.

In 1993, she was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Fearless. She also voiced characters in animated films. She was Click, the camera, on Nick Jr.'s Go, Diego, Go!. She also voiced Chel in the DreamWorks Animation film The Road to El Dorado. She played a police officer in the film Pineapple Express.

In 2014, Rosie Perez joined The View as a co-host. She was on the show with Whoopi Goldberg and Rosie O'Donnell. She left the show in 2015. In 2018, she starred in the TV series Rise. In 2020, she played the superhero Renee Montoya in the film Birds of Prey. She also starred in The Flight Attendant, earning another Emmy nomination. In 2021, she appeared in the film Clifford the Big Red Dog.

Activism and Advocacy

Rosie Perez is a strong advocate for Puerto Rican rights. She also works to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.

• Her film Yo soy Boricua, pa'que tu lo sepas! (which means I'm Puerto Rican, Just So You Know!) shows her work as an activist.
• She directed a Spanish public service announcement (PSA) campaign about AIDS. This campaign was called "Join the Fight."
• US President Barack Obama appointed her to The Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA). She was sworn into this role in 2010.
• In 2000, she participated in a protest in Manhattan. This protest was against the U.S. Navy's training exercises on Vieques, an island off Puerto Rico.
• Perez is the chair of the artistic board for Urban Arts Partnership. This group helps provide arts education programs in New York City schools.

Personal Life

Rosie Perez married filmmaker Seth Zvi Rosenfeld in 1998. They divorced in 2001. She then married artist Eric Haze on September 15, 2013, in Las Vegas. They live in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.

Awards and Nominations

• (2021) NHMC Impact Awards (Outstanding Performance in a Series)

Filmography

Film

Television

Music video

Theatre

Documentary

See also

In Spanish: Rosie Perez para niños