| Belita Moreno | |
| Birth Date: | 1 November 1949 |
| Years Active: | 1977–present |
| Occupation: | Actress |
| Spouse: | [1] |
| Children: | 2 |
| Education: | Southern Methodist University (BFA) |
Belita Moreno (born November 1, 1949[2]) is an American actress best known for her roles as Benita "Benny" Lopez on the ABC sitcom George Lopez and Edwina Twinkacetti and Lydia Markham on Perfect Strangers.
Moreno majored in Theatre at Southern Methodist University.[3] She continued her acting studies at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, California, where she appeared in the musical Once Upon a Mattress.[4] [5] Moreno is married to Joel Rudnick, a talent agent. The couple have two children.
Soon after Moreno arrived in Hollywood, California, to pursue her acting career, she met director Robert Altman, and landed roles in three of his films: 3 Women, A Wedding, and A Perfect Couple. She appeared in many other films, including Mommie Dearest, Swing Shift, Oh, God! You Devil, Nobody's Fool, Men Don't Leave, Clear and Present Danger and Grosse Pointe Blank.
Moreno was a regular on the long-running ABC sitcom Perfect Strangers from 1986 to 1992. Her work on television includes appearances in television movies, such as Crazy From the Heart and Death Benefit, the miniseries Tales of the City, and in numerous sitcoms and dramatic series, including The Golden Girls, Family Ties, Valerie and Melrose Place. Moreno played Benny Lopez, George Lopez's mother, on George Lopez (2002–07).
During the 1980s, Moreno was a favorite of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Beth Henley. Moreno performed in at least four premieres of Henley's plays. Henley created several roles specifically for Moreno: "Popeye" in The Miss Firecracker Contest, some dialogue of which was based on a true story told to the playwright by Moreno,[6] and "Lacey Rollins" in the two-act play The Lucky Spot. Moreno performed in Firecracker at the Victory Theater in Burbank, California in 1980, and in Lucky Spot off-Broadway at the Manhattan Theatre Club in 1987.
Moreno also appeared in Henley's 1982 Broadway premiere at the Eugene O'Neill Theater of The Wake of Jamey Foster as "Katty Foster", directed by Ulu Grosbard, and in the 1989 world premiere of Abundance, as "Macon" at the South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California.[7]
Since the early 1990s, Moreno has served as an acting coach and advisor on numerous films,[8] such as Jerry Maguire, Rush Hour 2, Almost Famous, Parent Trap, The Family Man, Crossroads and 17 Again.[9] She also appeared on Wizards of Waverly Place on Disney Desperate Housewives on ABC, and Fairly Legal on USA Network.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 3 Women | Alcira | ||
| 1978 | Remember My Name | Neighbor | ||
| 1978 | A Wedding | Daphne Corelli | ||
| 1979 | A Perfect Couple | Eleousa | ||
| 1981 | Mommie Dearest | Belinda Rosenberg | ||
| 1982 | Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again | Nurse Gonzales | ||
| 1984 | Swing Shift | Mabel Stoddard | ||
| 1984 | Oh, God! You Devil | Mrs. Vega | ||
| 1986 | Nobody's Fool | Jane | ||
| 1988 | Two Idiots in Hollywood | Dream Barbecue Mother | ||
| 1990 | Men Don't Leave | Mrs. Buckley | ||
| 1994 | Clear and Present Danger | Jean Fowler | ||
| 1997 | Grosse Pointe Blank | Mrs. Kinetta | ||
| 2005 | Barbara Jean | Marion | Short | |
| 2010 | Diary of a Wimpy Kid | Mrs. Norton | ||
| 2011 | Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules | Mrs. Norton | ||
| 2017 | Ferdinand | Shopkeeper | Voice |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman | Helen Dinsmore | 2 episodes |
| 1979 | Visions | Julia | Episode: "Ladies in Waiting" |
| 1981 | A Gun in the House | Marcie Clark | TV film |
| 1982 | Lou Grant | Cathy Short | Episode: "Fireworks" |
| 1983–1988 | Family Ties | Norma / Mrs. Pedroza / Bernice | 3 episodes |
| 1983 | Cocaine and Blue Eyes | Waitress | TV film |
| 1983 | The Powers of Matthew Star | Louise | Episode: "Starr Knight" |
| 1985 | Scandal Sheet | TV film | |
| 1985 | Robert Kennedy and His Times | Angie Novello | TV miniseries |
| 1985 | Do You Remember Love | Social Worker | TV film |
| 1985 | I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later | Ms. Farrell | TV film |
| 1985 | Crime of Innocence | Marge Kennedy | Uncredited TV film |
| 1985 | What's Happening Now! | Mrs. Jones | Episode: "The Challenge" |
| 1986 | The Golden Girls | Nurse | Uncredited Episode: "The Operation" |
| 1986 | Melba | Babs | Episode: "The Girls Are Back in Town" |
| 1986–1992 | Perfect Strangers | Lydia Markham / Mrs. Edwina Twinkacetti | Recurring role, 46 episodes |
| 1987 | Full House | Ronnie Gardner | Episode: "Our Very First Promo" |
| 1988 | The Hogan Family | Mrs. Thorne | Episode: "Close Encounters" |
| 1988 | The Slap Maxwell Story | Annie's Lawyer | Series finale |
| 1990 | Going Places | Mme. Pushnik | Episode: "Curse of the Video" |
| 1991 | Crazy from the Heart | Beebee Stiles | TV film |
| 1992 | Roseanne | Woman at Retirement Home | Episode: "Ladies' Choice" |
| 1993 | Murphy Brown | Sidney | Episode: "Games Mother Play" |
| 1993 | Major Dad | Ms. Whitlin | Episode: "Night School" |
| 1993 | Tales of the City | Alice Tolliver | TV miniseries |
| 1993 | Getting By | Marie Enright | Episode: "Turnabout Dance" |
| 1996 | Melrose Place | Gloria Bryan | 3 episodes |
| 1996 | Death Benefit | Sarah West | TV film |
| 1996 | The Bachelor's Baby | Judge Linda Farmer | TV film |
| 1996 | Common Law | Ruta | Episode: "In the Matter of: Luis in Love" |
| 2002–2007 | George Lopez | Benita "Benny" Lopez | Main role, 120 episodes |
| 2008 | Wizards of Waverly Place | Magdalena | Episode: "Quinceanera" |
| 2009 | The Eastmans | June Lynn | Unsold TV pilot |
| 2011 | Fairly Legal | Betty | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Truth Be Told | Sophia Bishop | TV film |
| 2014 | Red Band Society | Dr. Holtzman | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2015 | Family Guy | Hispanic Woman (voice) | Episode: "Peter's Sister" |
| 2019 | On My Block | Rosario | Episode: Chapter 15 |
| 2022 | Lopez vs. Lopez | Bella | Episode: "Lopez vs. Christmas" |