Rita Moreno Reveals Marlon Brando’s Negative Treatment of Her: “I Attempted to Take My Own Life”

Rita Moreno, renowned actress of West Side Story fame, recently opened up about her turbulent relationship with the late Marlon Brando.

During a candid conversation with Jessica Chastain for Variety's “Actors on Actors” series, the 90-year-old actress shared her experiences with Brando, describing him as “a bad guy when it came to women.”

Chastain had praised Moreno's talent, acknowledging the difficulties she faced in a time when Brando was receiving numerous opportunities.

Moreno first crossed paths with Brando at the age of 22 while filming the 1954 biopic Désirée, which centered around Napoleon.

Their relationship spanned almost eight years.

Reflecting on their time together, Moreno admitted that being with Brando was both exhilarating and challenging.

She confessed, “He was extraordinary in many, many ways, but he was a bad guy.

He was a bad guy when it came to women.

I was such a different person then.

I had all the makings of a doormat.”

Recalling moments of deception, Moreno revealed that whenever Brando lied, she would confront him by saying, “Marlon, look at me.”

His response would be a smirk, one she described as a “poop-eating grin.”

She had a deep understanding of him, which fueled his affection for her but also led to mistreatment.

In fact, Moreno disclosed that she once attempted suicide by consuming pills in Brando's residence.

Looking back, she acknowledged her lack of comprehension regarding the repercussions of her actions.

She didn't realize that if she were to end her life, she would also be extinguishing the rest of herself.

Although it was merely an attempt, it underscored the immense pain she experienced.

Their paths crossed again in the 1969 film The Night of the Following Day, during which Brando expressed a desire to rekindle their romance.

However, at that point, Moreno was already married and had a child.

She declined his advances, but it was evident that he had lost a significant part of himself.

Moreno characterized this as the “good Marlon” that she loved, adding that their relationship was incredibly complex.

In a previous interview with PEOPLE in 2017, Moreno referred to Brando as the “lust” of her life and admitted to keeping a photo of him in her bedroom.

That particular picture held sentimental value because Brando had occupied a significant place in her heart.

She emphasized that while Brando was her lust, her late husband Leonard Gordon was the love of her life.

The documentary Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It, available for streaming on Netflix, delves into Moreno's life, career, and tumultuous relationship with Brando.

In the film, she describes Brando as the father figure she could never satisfy, a fact she was unaware of at the time.

Despite the difficulties, he remained the man she longed to marry.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.