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Cristela Alonzo        

TV Sitcom Creator, Pixar Voice Actress, Advocacy Speaker

Cristela Alonzo is a trailblazing comedian, actress, writer, and producer, celebrated for being the first Latina to create, produce, and star in her own U.S. primetime sitcom, "Cristela." Born on January 6, 1979, in San Juan, Texas, Alonzo grew up in a working-class family, often relying on humor to navigate challenges. Her journey from poverty to becoming a cultural icon is an inspiring testament to her resilience and talent.

Alonzo's career in comedy began with stand-up, where she tackled topics ranging from family dynamics to social justice, often infusing her routines with a blend of sharp wit and heartfelt storytelling. Her big break came when she appeared as a semi-finalist on "Last Comic Standing," which led to her widespread recognition. In addition to her sitcom, she has had a successful career as a writer, penning material that highlights the complexities of her Mexican-American identity and the immigrant experience, and she was the first Latina to star in a Disney Pixar movie, where she appeared as Cruz Ramirez in "Cars 3."

In 2019, Alonzo released her Netflix comedy special, "Cristela: Lower Classy," which received critical acclaim for its honest yet humorous take on her upbringing, cultural heritage, and the American Dream. She also published a memoir, "Music to My Years: A Mixtape Memoir of Growing Up and Standing Up," further cementing her role as a voice for underrepresented communities. Alonzo continues to engage her audience through her podcast To Be Continued, where she combines sketch comedy with social commentary, and comedy tours.

Aside from her work in entertainment, Alonzo is a dedicated advocate for a variety of philanthropies focused on immigration, citizenship and economic opportunity.

News

All Jokes Aside, Cristela Alonzo Makes TV History
One of comic Cristela Alonzo’s oldest jokes involves being a child and her Mexican immigrant mother pointing to a big, fancy house and saying: “Cristela, you’re an American. You go to school, you work hard, you graduate, you make something out of yourself. And one day, you can clean that house.”
Cristela Alonzo Wants to Make America Laugh
One day in 1987, an 8-year-old girl named Cristela Alonzo was sent to the principal’s office at her elementary school in San Juan, Tex. Ordinarily a good student and a teacher-pleaser, she felt something welling up inside her that day that could not be contained. The offense that landed her, for her first and only time, in the hands of the school authorities was this: She would not stop singing the theme song of “The Golden Girls” in class.
Trailblazing Comic Cristela Alonzo Takes the Empire’s Stage on Saturday
It has been over a year since Texas-born comedian Cristela Alonzo’s self-titled ABC sitcom Cristela was cancelled after only one season. Not only was Alonzo the star of the show, she was also the creator, writer and executive producer, so the cancellation was extremely personal. “Since the show was named after me, the first thing I thought about was how I let the cast and crew down,”

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