Cristela Alonzo

I love the Rio Grande Valley. I always say it's home - Texas is home. I've been out in L.A. a little over ten years, and I still get so excited when I go back home. It just feels comfortable; it makes me smile. ”

I used to love 'Murphy Brown' as a kid. I didn't even understand half of the jokes that were going on, but I loved the character so much that they stood out. ”

I love basketball. I love football. And to me, I think that's a dimension that you don't see with a lot of female leads, especially. I have a genuine love for it, and I always thought it was very interesting to show that side of me. ”

I love multi-cam. I grew up in a border town in South Texas right next to Mexico, a million miles away from this world... and to me, multi-cams are just like theater. ”

I always knew, even as a kid, that my mom had a really rough life, and I always wanted to make her feel happy and to make her feel good. ”

The first eight years of my life, we lived in an abandoned diner - we were basically squatters. ”

My family doesn't understand trying to chase your dreams because they were all about survival. ”

It might sound dramatic and a little grandiose, but as a Latina, I would like to be someone that gives a voice to my culture. ”

Whatever you want to do with your life, you really got to want it. And if you want it, and you work hard, it will happen. ”

I'm not trying to represent the whole Latino community. There are too many different cultures, and Latinos will always say, 'My family doesn't do that.' ”