Largely directly through current day interviews with the subject at age eighty-seven, a profile of is presented, she who in many respects outwardly epitomizes the American dream in being a handful of EGOTs (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony winner) and thus successful, and achieving that dream as a somewhat visible "immigrant" to the US (not technically so in being a Puerto Rican, which is part of the US) from humble beginnings. She dispels many of thos... [more] Largely directly through current day interviews with the subject at age eighty-seven, a profile of is presented, she who in many respects outwardly epitomizes the American dream in being a handful of EGOTs (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony winner) and thus successful, and achieving that dream as a somewhat visible "immigrant" to the US (not technically so in being a Puerto Rican, which is part of the US) from humble beginnings. She dispels many of those views in a discussion of her career and her life. Beyond the want to be a movie star and being a proverbial triple threat (actor, singer, dancer) in the entertainment business, she talks about the difficulties she faced: being subjected to the proverbial casting couch and being sexually assaulted above and beyond by those in authority; being typecast in pretty, immigrant roles which required her solely to look beautiful and speak in nondescript accents, even after her Oscar win; the broadening of her career to do the work that was of interest as opposed to that may have been high profile; and the resulting view of her own non-self-worth in how she was viewed especially as a Latina in the US. She further discusses how that view of herself led to a Catch-22 in relationships, getting into them in her own negative view of herself, and they in turn exacerbating that view. Arguably the two most high profile are the long term abusive one with , and the forty-five year marriage to until his death. Her activism is also discussed which is an outcome of her life, it largely in areas of women and minority rights. [less]
