Even though I am very tied to and close to my heritage, I learned Spanish in college; I didn't grow up with it. Growing up in South Texas is different from Miami or L.A. where it is a necessity to speak Spanish.

There's no amount of money that would make me decide something for a career.

I find it irresponsible to go, 'She's an actress, what does she know?' That means if you're a dentist, what do you know? If you're a lawyer, what do you know? It's our profession, it's what we do. It's not who we are.

I'm naturally athletic. I've been involved in sports since I could walk. So, for me to be sedentary is just unacceptable. Not only is it great for your physical body, but it gives me more energy during the day if I've worked out. I feel better. I look better.

I have an idea of who I want to be, I have a vision of my own success.

I wanted to honor the memory of my father, who was a great opera singer and died very young, without knowing my success. As I inherited his voice, it is in recognition of that heritage.

There's nothing wrong with having goals, but obsessing over them is often counterproductive because, in reality, achieving a goal isn't always what it's cracked up to be.

Mother Teresa's detractors have accused her of overemphasizing Calcuttans' destitution and of coercing conversion from the defenseless. In the context of lost causes, Mother Teresa took on battles she knew she could win. Taken together, it seems to me, the criticisms of her work do not undermine or topple her overall achievement.