Sesame Street's 'Maria' announces retirement after nearly 45 years
Sonia Manzano, who has played the character Maria on "Sesame Street" for 44 years, will be stepping down at the end of the current season.
It was announced during the American Library Association annual conference via a tweet that Sonia Manzano will be leaving the show. Over her career, Manzano has won two Emmy nominations for 'Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series'. She has also involved in writing for the series since 1981, and has been awarded 15 Emmy awards for her work.
The announcement of character Maria's departure from "Sesame Street" has caused many fans to reach out to Manzano via Twitter, and her replies suggest the possibility of future guest appearances and other endeavors.
Manzano has written an autobiography, "Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South of Bronx," which is set to be released later this summer.
