‘Today’: Rita Moreno Makes Craig Melvin Blush Live on Air

Rita Moreno made an appearance on The Today Show last week and she made it pretty clear who her celebrity crush is. Moreno was openly flirty with host Craig Melvin, and fans were delighted to see how Melvin responded. The two went viral for their unapologetic rapport.

Moreno was on The Today Show to accept a TODAY Icon Award in recognition of her lifetime of work, including her recent rise to EGOT status since she has now won an Emmy, Grammy, Tony and an Oscar. She was interviewed by Hoda Kotb but it was Craig Melvin who handed her the award, and she lit up as soon as she saw him. Moreno said: “And look who’s giving it to me. Hello, gorgeous… I’m intrigued here. Hi there, cutie.” Melvin was clearly taken aback and even seemed to blush a bit at Moreno’s compliments, but he soon got a hold of himself and returned the sentiment.

EGOT winner @TheRitaMoreno speaks to @hodakotb about her role in #FASTX, confirms she’s coming back for the next @TheFastSaga movie, opens up about becoming freer with age and even gets our first ‘TODAY icon award’ from @craigmelvin — which left him blushing! 😁 pic.twitter.com/k1yDurngHN

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 16, 2023

“I’ve been a fan for so long,” he said. “If I weren’t already married…” Moreno responded, “Do we give a hoot?” and she and the hosts laughed at this bald-faced flirtation. It seems like a safe bet that Moreno will be invited back on The Today Show with Melvin at some point.

Moreno turned 91 years old in December, yet she is still working at the top of her industry. She spoke with Kotb about her upcoming role in Fast X, the latest installment of the Fast and Furious franchise where she will play an important member of the family – Abuela Toretto, grandmother of Dom (Vin Diesel), Mia (Jordan Brewster) and Jakob (John Cena). She also recently participated in a documentary about her own expansive career called Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It, which has naturally inspired many fans to take a look back at her incredible achievements.

Moreno is considered one of the last performers from the “Golden Age of Hollywood” still working today. After moving from Puerto Rico to New York City, she began taking dancing lessons and found work as a voice-over actress for Spanish-language dubs of English movies. She even landed a role on Broadway and caught the attention of a Hollywood talent scout, which prompted her and her family to move to Hollywood. One of her most iconic early roles is in Singin’ in the Rain.

Moreno became the third person ever to win an “EGOT” in 1977 when she won her first Primetime Emmy Award for her performance on The Muppet Show that year. Her first Oscar came in 1962 for the movie West Side Story, her first Grammy came in 1962 for The Electric Company, and her first Tony in 1975 for her role in The Ritz. She won another Emmy the very next year for a more serious acting role in The Rockford Files, and went on to win another Grammy as well. Moreno’s other awards are extremely numerous, but some of the highlights include a Presidential Medal of Freedom from then-President George W. Bush in 2004 and a National Medal of Arts from then-President Barack Obama in 2009.

While Moreno spends much of her time now reflecting on her past achievements, clearly she is not done yet. You can see her in her Fast and Furious franchise debut in Fast X, which is in theaters now.