Rosie Perez

Rosie Perez was born to Lydia Perez (a merchant marine) in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Rosie is Puerto Rican. Rosie has graduated from Grover Cleveland High School in Ridgewood in Queens, New York. Later, she enrolled at Los Angeles City College. Rosie Perez was in her sophomore year of college and about to move back to New York from Los Angeles. Her friends had invited her to a party to celebrate. She accepted the invitation from Spike Lee to appear in his film Do the Right Thing (1989). This was her first big acting job. Then, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her part as Carla Rodrigo (Peter Weir’s Fearless, 1993). (She was defeated by Anna Paquin for The Piano (1993). At the beginning of my career, my Latin community was the source of most of the criticism I received. I can remember them taking me out for lunch and telling me "Can you attend lessons to tone down the accent?" or "Can you not be loud and funny during a talk-show?" My voice was always a critic. I attempted to alter it. It was my voice that I didn't want to change. My octaves dropped as I grew older I am grateful for that. Nowadays, I find it pleasing if a sixteen-year-old comes up and starts imitating me.Boxing is about overcoming your fears. It's about being strong. Floyd Mayweather could be punched. A straight punch right in the middle of his face. He would not blink. And I understand what he's doing. Who spoke of Don Cornelius watching her dancingand observing her dancing]: Don Cornelius didn't want to watch me dance - I was dancing hip hop which was a new concept to Californians. They were ignorant of hip-hop dancing. They only was aware of popping and locking. Don was as if, "No. You're one of us. I was like "What?" This is a bit bizarre. It was really strange.