PERSON: Rosie Perez

Self-employed

Actress

Born Rosa Maria Perez on September 6, 1964, in Brooklyn, New York, Rosie Perez has enjoyed success as both an actress and a choreographer. Both of her parents were Puerto Rican. Her mother Lydia had been a singer and her father Ismael Serrano was a merchant marine. According to some reports, her mother was married to another man when Perez was born.<br> <br> Perez may be known for her quick-talking characters, but she struggled with her speech early on. “I had such a bad speech impediment as a result of the emotional trauma I was going through in my life,” she told T magazine. Perez spent time in foster care and had a troubled relationship with her mother. She found some escape from her woes in dance, enrolling in a special program for inner city kids.<br> <br> Still school was a tough place for Perez. As she explained to Hispanic magazine, “In Brooklyn, I was the nerd. I was the one who used to have to run home from school getting beat up. And the only reason I know how to fight is that I got tired of getting beat up.” Perez eventually moved in with an aunt who proved the love and support she needed.<br> <br> After high school, Perez went out to Los Angeles for college. She wanted to study to become a marine biologist. Purely by accident, she got into acting. Director Spike Lee saw her in a nightclub and hired her for the 1989 film Do the Right Thing. This movie explores what could happen when racial tensions explode on a hot summer day.<br> <br> — biography.com