November 30, 2014 by The Sumter Item

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THE SUMTER ITEM

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

www.theitem.com Cristela (Cristela Alonzo) juggles work, school and her crazy family on “Cristela,” airing Friday at 8:31 p.m. on ABC.

Comedy Star Heads Newoff Series Persistence pays in big way for comedy star By Candace Havens FYI Television

Sunday, Nov. 30 - Dec. 6, 2014

Barrera) family, and it’s a packed house along with their mom, Natalia (Terry Hoyos), Daniela’s husband, No one is more surprised than Felix (Carlos Ponce), and her kids Cristela Alonzo that she’s execuiela’s (Maria Canals-Barrera) famiBy Candace Havens Henry (Jacob Guenther) and Isabella tive-producing and starring on the ly, and it’s a packed house along FYI Television (Isabella self-titled “Cristela,” airing Friday with theirDay). mom, Natalia (Terry atNo 8:31 p.m. on ABC.surprised This last than year, The show is loosely based on Hoyos), Daniela’s husband, Felix one is more she garnered attention of the Alonzo’sPonce), real life,and although her (Carlos her kids Cristela Alonzothe that she’s execu(Jacob and Isative-producing andwas starring network when she namedonone Henry childhood wasGuenther) a difficult one. (Isabella Day). the of self-titled the top 10 “Cristela, comics to” airing watch,Friand bella Hoyos’ character has a dry wit and The show is loosely based on day 8:31thing p.m.she onknew ABC.she Thiswas last theatnext isn’t always the most encouraging, real life, although her year, she garnered the attention starring on her own family comedy. Alonzo’s but there iswas respect. “My mom childhood a difficult one. of the network when she was “When it comes expectations,” was a single mom,has anda actually Hoyos’ character dry wit named one of the to top 10 comics Alonzo, really never tryshe to and isn’tfirst always most encourtosays watch, and“Ithe next thing for the eightthe years of my life, haveshe any.was It’s something that aging, but there is respect. knew starring on hermy my family, we were squatters“My in mom was a single mom, and acown family comedy. mom always told me. She always an abandoned diner,” Alonzo says. for the first eight years of “When it comes to expectasaid, ‘Don’t expect anything or else tually “Watching TV was my way to my life, my family, we were tions, ” says Alonzo, “I really never you’ll be disappointed.’ For me, escape from having that childhood. squatters in an abandoned diner,” try to have any. It’s something it’s like everything happens for a We grewsays. up in poverty, and Alonzo “Watching TVmy was that my mom always told me. reason. Whatever the outcome, way to escape She always said, ‘Don’t expect that my mom worked doublefrom shiftshaving at a local was whatoritelse wasyou’ll supposed to be. that childhood. We for grew up 20 in anything be disapMexican restaurant about The only’ For expectation I have for the poverty, and my mom worked pointed. me, it’s like everyyears. She did double shifts for six double shifts at a local Mexican thing for ato reason. showhappens is that I want portray me days a week.” restaurant for about 20 years. Whatever the outcome, that was as me. The character in the show This also partshifts workplace She didisdouble for six days what it was be. The is very muchsupposed who I am.toWhen you acomedy. week.” Cristela has an amazing only expectation I have for the try to pretend you’re someone else, Thisethic, is also show is that I want to portray me work butpart she workplace has to put up cancharacter tell. comedy. Cristela has amazing aspeople me. The in the show with some pretty crazyanco-workers. “It’s weird. Every step as we work ethic, but she has to put up is very much who I am. When There’s the boss’ daughter Maddie moved toward this you’re show, Isomekept with some pretty crazy co-workyou try to pretend (Justine Lupe) and fellow intern ers. There’s the boss’ daughter Josh one else, people can tell.I’m here.’ thinking, ‘I can’t believe (Andrew(Justine Leeds). Alonzo relates to Maddie Lupe) and fellow “It’sapproach weird. Every as we We every step episode as her character’s drive and ambition. intern Josh (Andrew Leeds). moved toward this show, I kept people who love television, and we Alonzo relates to her thinking, ‘I can’t believe I’m here.’ “No one ever told mecharacter’s as a kid want to honor it in the best way drive and ambition. We approach every episode as that I couldn’t do anything when we can.” ever told me as a kid people who love television, and it “No cameone to limitations in regard to theto comedy, in her that I couldn’t do anything when we On want honorCristela it in theisbest being creative,” says the sixth it came to limitations in actress. regard to way weyear can.of” law school. Between “My mom put limitations on being creative, ” says the actress. On the comedy, Cristela is in school and family obligations, she’s being “My momMy put limitations on her year of law school. realistic. family was about hadsixth to juggle multiple jobs toBepay realistic. My family tween school family obliga-in- being survival and getting by. Andwas so any her way. She’sand landed an unpaid andgoing getting by. tions, she’s had to juggle multiple about kind ofsurvival luxury, like to college, ternship at Trent Culpepper’s (Sam And so any kind of luxury, like jobs to pay her way. She’s landed was antoimpossibility for us. I was prestigiousatlaw firm, but going college, was an impossianMcMurray) unpaid internship Trent always kid who her family can’t why bility forthe us.obedient I was always thepaid obeCulpepper’s (Samunderstand McMurray) attention to herpaid mom. But withto she would volunteer dient kid who attention prestigious law firm, to butwork herfor famher this,try. I had to ilyfree. can’tCristela understand why lives with hershe sister this,mom. I had But to gowith out and I knew go out and I knew wouldI’m would volunteer to work for free. Daniela’s (Maria CanalsI would havetry. regrets if I Ididn’t. Cristela lives with her sister Dan-

have regrets if I didn’t. I’m here

here right now because every time an obstacle came up that scared the hell out of me, I still went forward because I knew that there was right now because every time an a chance I could attain the goal. obstacle came up that scared the Momout andofI didn’t speak for aforward long hell me, I still went time whenI knew I left home because shea because that there was didn’t understand whatthe I was doing. chance I could attain goal. Mom and I didn’t speak for a Unfortunately, she passed away long home beforetime she when saw meI left achieve anybekind cause she didn’t understand of success. But even now, I feel like what I was doing. Unfortunately, she’spassed helped away me to before get to this she shepoint. saw “I was in myany early twenties when I me achieve kind of success. But eventhat now, feel like realized weIgrew up inshe’s an abanhelped me toAlonzo get tocontinues. this point.“It doned diner,” “I was in my early my twenties never hit me because mom did when I realized that we grew up aingreat job of keeping us happy. And an abandoned diner,” Alonzo it’s that thing you’re continues. “Itwhere neverwhen hit me bea kid, everything grewjob upof cause my mom that did ayou great keeping happy. And that with, andus everything that’sit’saround thing where you’re a That’s kid, you, that’s yourwhen environment. everything that you grew up your reality. So, it wasn’t until I with, and everything that’s started comparing with around you, that’schildhoods your environother people where I’m like, ‘Oh, ment. That’s your reality. So, it no one drank This is wasn’t until Iexpired startedmilk? comparing childhoods other weird.’ Humorwith makes mepeople not take where ‘Oh, no one drank anythingI’mtoolike, seriously.” expired milk? This is weird.’ While she wanted her character Humor makes me not take anyto be authentic, Alonzo thing too seriously. ” took great pains to make sure those repWhile she wanted herwho characresent theauthentic, family wereAlonzo as well.took She ter to be great to make those wantedpains the show to besure relatable who represent to everyone, not the just family a Latinowere au- as well. She wanted the show to be dience. “Everybody in this show is relatable to everyone, not just a based on someone“Everybody I know,” Alonzo Latino audience. in says,show “and my goal was always to I this is based on someone know, Alonzo honor ”them andsays, make“and suremy thatgoal they was always honor and felt like they to were well them represented. make that they felt like So for sure me, it’s never about doingthey any were well represented. So for me, kind of stereotyping. I think that as it’s never about doing any kind long as you’re honest andthat rightaswith of stereotyping. I think something, withhonest authenticity, you’ll long as you’re and right with with authenticineversomething, go into the stereotypical area ty, never into the stereothatyou’ll you can fallgo into.” typical area that you can fall into.”

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