Rosie Perez

 Rosie Perez was born to Lydia Perez (a merchant marine) in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Rosie is Puerto Rican. Rosie graduated from Grover Cleveland High School in Ridgewood in Queens, New York. After that, she was enrolled in Los Angeles City College. Rosie Perez was just starting her second year in college, and was about to go back to New York. Her friends had brought her a going-away party. When Spike Lee proposed that she be part of his movie Do the Right Thing (1989), she accepted. This was her first major role as an actor. Then she was nominated to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Carla Rodrigo (Peter Weir’s Fearless 1993). She lost to Anna Paquin, for The Piano (1993). In the early years of my career my Latin community was responsible for much of the criticism I received. I can remember them taking me out for lunch and saying to me "Can you go to lessons to lessen your accent?" or "Can you not be funny and loud during a talk show?" I received a lot of negativity about my voice and I tried. It was my voice that I didn't want to change. As I got older my octaves slowed down Thank God. Boxing is all about taking on your biggest fears. Boxing is more about fighting for your rights. Floyd Mayweather could get punched - like clean shot down the middle of his face and he'd never flinch. And I'm aware of what he's doing. (Who has mentioned Don Cornelius's fascination with her dancing] Don Cornelius was not interested in watching me dance. I was dancing hip-hop and it was not a style that was familiar to Californians. They only knew about popping and locking, so they weren't interested in hip-hop dancing. Don was like, "No, no, no. You're an asian woman. I thought "What?" This is very strange. This is really strange.