Rosie Perez Says She Would Have Been ‘in a Lab Looking Down a Microscope’ If She Never Met Spike Lee (Exclusive)

Rosie Perez almost had a completely different career. 

Perez tells PEOPLE that if Spike Lee hadn’t given her a big break in Do the Right Thing, she would probably be “in a lab looking down a microscope” rather than walking the red carpet.

“Probably trying to determine which sea urchin is developing,” the 61-year-old says. “You know, I’m dead serious ’cause that’s what I was going to college for when I met him. So yeah, that’s probably where I would be.”

“He changed my life,” the Academy Award-nominated actress, who honored Lee at the Wall Street Journal Innovator Awards 2025 on Oct. 29, adds.

The Brooklyn native was studying biochemistry at Los Angeles City College, wanting to be a marine biologist, when she landed in Lee’s orbit. In a conversation with Alan Cumming for CBS in 2015, Perez recalled how she got her start in Hollywood and the night of her chance encounter with the famous director, 68.

The actress explained that she and her friends used to frequent a club in Los Angeles and, one night, a Soul Train talent scout was in the crowd.

“He saw me dancing and he said, ‘Would you like to be on Soul Train?’ And I was like, ‘Are you kidding me? Yes!'” she recalled.

Soon after, Perez and her friends went to a big party and saw lots of young women dancing, so she joined them. Eventually, Lee approached her and introduced himself. 

“He goes, ‘Hi, I’m Spike Lee.’ And I was like, ‘Who?’” she recalled.

“And he started laughing. And I was like, ‘Listen, I think this is all just effing ridiculous.’ And he says, ‘No, no, no. Tonight is fate. You’re going to remember this night. I’m doing a movie and I want you to be in it.’ ”

Perez told Lee that she was “not an actress,” but he saw something in her.

“He goes, ‘You are such an actress.’ And I said, ‘No, I’m not!'” she continued. “He said, ‘I want you to audition for this role.’ And I said, ‘I really am not an actress.’ He goes, ‘Just try.’ ”

After a little bit of convincing, she agreed to audition — and the rest is history.

Do the Right Thing was released in 1989, and in addition to Perez, featured Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Giancarlo Esposito, John Turturro and Lee himself. 

From there, Perez went on to star in White Men Can’t Jump, Untamed Heart and Fearless, to name a few. She now has 90 acting credits throughout her decades-long career.