Rita Moreno Absolutely Kills It With Spine-Tingling Independence Day Performance

"I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Screen legend Rita Moreno delivered a goosebump-inducing reading of “The New Colossus,” the Emma Lazarus poem written for the Statue of Liberty, during an Independence Day celebration on Wednesday. 

Backed by the Boston Pops as part of its annual July 4 “Fireworks Spectacular,” the 86-year-old described seeing Lady Liberty, then launched into an unforgettable version of the sonnet engraved in bronze on the statue’s pedestal: 

Moreno, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita in the 1962 film version of “West Side Story,” also performed a couple of numbers from the musical including a duet of “America” with Natalie Cortez, who played Anita in a Broadway revival:

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