Rita Moreno gets her own Barbie doll when she turns 93

Shopping for someone turning 93 is not easy. He or most likely she has everything they want or need. This can be especially true if they are an EGOT. With that kind of hardware around, do they really need another bullet?

But Mattel came up with a nice way to recognize Rita Moreno as she turns 93 on December 11th. She gets her own Barbie doll, part of the Barbie Tribute Collection. With a suggested retail price of $40, the doll will be available in the Mattel Shop starting November 20th.

Despite the twin obstacles of sexism and discrimination that she faced as a woman of color on her self-made path to stardom, Moreno emerged as one of the very few Latina movie stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age. (She was born in Puerto Rico and lived there until she was five.) In 1977, Moreno became just the third person to complete the EGOT (following composer Richard Rodgers and actress Helen Hayes). Moreno was only 45 at the time. She was the youngest person to win the EGOT until 2014, when Robert Lopez achieved the feat at 39.

“I was a girl who decided to go for it and despite the challenges I faced, I never gave up on my dreams,” Moreno said in a statement. “That’s what I hope this doll inspires in every girl today: to live their lives with courage and resilience so they can make their dreams come true. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Barbie to bring this doll to life, and I hope it serves as a reminder to embrace your limitless possibilities and pursue your passions, because when you embrace them, you’re bound to go far.”

Barbie Rita Moreno doll wears an elegant dress that echoes many of the designs Moreno has worn on the red carpet. Barbie worked closely with Moreno to sculpt a doll in the true reflection of her likeness, working with the star from initial design to final touch.

“It is an honor to celebrate Rita Moreno as the latest addition to our Barbie Tribute Collection,” Krista Berger, head of Barbie and global head of dolls, Mattel, said in a statement. “As one of the few artists to achieve EGOT status as a star, she has shattered stereotypes and barriers for Latinos in the entertainment industry and beyond.”

The Barbie Tribute Collection was designed to celebrate visionaries for their contribution, impact and legacy as trailblazers. The series started in August 2021 by paying tribute to TV legend Lucille Ball. The Tribute Collection has since recognized figures as diverse as designer Vera Wang and actress, producer, author and LGBTQ+ advocate Laverne Cox.

Moreno is not the oldest to have a Barbie doll made for her in her honor. Barbie honored Queen Elizabeth II with a Barbie Tribute Collection doll to celebrate her platinum jubilee in 2022. The queen was 95 years old at the time.

Nor is she the first Latina to have a Barbie doll made in her honor. Barbie continues to expand Latinx representation in its doll collection, including the Isabel Allende Inspiring Women doll, launching in September 2024.

Moreno isn’t even the first EGOT recipient to have a Barbie doll made in her honor. Barbie has previously honored Audrey Hepburn with a doll dressed in an outfit she wore in her iconic Oscar-nominated performance in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. In March, Barbie celebrated International Women’s Day and the brand’s 65th birthday by honoring Viola Davis and other storytellers with a one-of-a-kind role model doll made in their image. (These dolls were not available for purchase.)

Additional honors Moreno has received include the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004, the National Medal of Arts in 2009, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2013, the Kennedy Center Honor in 2015, and a Peabody Award in 2019.