Rosie Perez talked about how Spike Lee transformed her life. Rosie Perez recently talked about the turning point in her life that led to her becoming a Hollywood celebrity. The 61-year-old actress stated in a recent interview with PEOPLE that she would probably have been “in a lab looking down a microscope” if Spike Lee had not given her a major break in Do the Right Thing.
“Most likely attempting to identify which sea urchin is growing,” Perez stated. “I’m serious—I was studying that when I met him in college.” Perez said, “He changed my life,” as he honored Lee at the Wall Street Journal Innovator Awards in 2025. The actress told how she was invited to perform on Soul Train when a talent scout saw her dancing at a club in Los Angeles. Spike Lee saw her on the dance floor at a large party shortly after. “Hello, I’m Spike Lee,” he says. And I thought, “Who?” Perez chuckled. “Tonight is fate,” Lee said to her. This evening will stick in your memory. I want you to appear in a movie I’m making.
