In my circle of friends, I've always been loud and funny and talkative. But as soon as I step out of that circle, I get very quiet and introspective. I don't want the spotlight on me.

You know, you may not be born in Puerto Rico, but Puerto Rican is definitely born in you.

I don't call myself Latin, I call myself Puerto Rican.

The racism, the sexism, I never let it be my problem. It's their problem. If I see a door comin' my way, I'm knockin' it down. And if I can't knock down the door, I'm sliding through the window. I'll never let it stop me from what I wanna do.

A lot of women feel ashamed to be weak.

I am a positive person. I never think of the glass as half empty. I just keep pushing forward.

I did not try to conform to anybody's ideal of what a Latin celebrity or movie star should be. I took a lot of hits for it.

I didn't appreciate Brooklyn until I left it.

I get bored in Hollywood.

I started lying about my age when I was 18 to be older. When I turned 21, I started lying that I was 18. It's a weakness in me.

I want to be in shape.

I was very willing to take on controversial roles that people didn't really want to look at.

I'm a lucky gal.

If we can't look at the good, bad and ugly of who we are, we are never going to progress as people - ever.

In movies, you shoot out of sequence, so the issue of reality is really taken out of it.

We all like indie directors - heck, I even married one... but we're divorced now.

You can learn steps, but you cannot learn how to boogie.

As an actor, you may do things that aren't politically correct. Unless you're an actor who only does things for political reasons. I believe if we don't do the good, bad, and the ugly, we're not going to progress.

As far as a Latin explosion, I'm sorry, I'm the only Latino who's going to say it, but there is no Latin explosion. I'm sorry. Four or five top box office people do not make it an explosion, and it's disgusting to me that people will perceive it that way.

Certain people who care about me a lot have said 'You don't play the game, and if you don't play the game, you don't get picked for the team all the time.