Sometimes, it’s not just about what happens. It’s about what’s said when something happens. Words make the world go round sometimes, and they help us not just remember specific things, but capture a feeling as well. Who can’t quote their favorite movie or TV show? Who hasn’t been blown away by a specific line from a book?
But to celebrate 2025, we’re looking beyond that. We’re looking at big moments in entertainment and what the people involved in them said at that specific moment. Or, perhaps, we’re looking at tiny things that made us look at a particular person, or project in a different light. Either way, as the year ends, here are the quotes we haven’t been able to stop thinking about from this year, and why exactly they’re memorable.
If you kept up with Cardi B’s trial, then you know that about 90% of what she said on the stand could make it onto this list. It was gem after gem after gem. But perhaps none as amusing as Cardi B’s response when she was asked about her hair. “Yesterday you had black hair, short hair. Today it’s blonde and long. Which one is your real hair? Or are they both real?” the attorney asked. “They’re wigs,” Cardi B replied with a laugh. Duh implied.
Cardi B’s court case took a strange turn when the plaintiff’s lawyer started asking about her hair.
"Which one is your real hair? Or are they both real?" — Plaintiff’s lawyer Ron Rosen
“I am a proud child of immigrant parents with dreams and dignity and hard-working hands, and I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award. And I know I will not be the last.” - Zoe Saldaña
Zoe Saldaña’s win as Best Supporting Actress for Emilia Pérez was not just an important moment for our communities, it brought about a truly emotional speech from the actress. And though, after a lot of people wanted to focus on the many controversies surrounding the movie, it’s worth pointing out that not many Latines have been where Saldaña was. And that’s worth celebrating.
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“I see an artist who brings the world to Latin culture with the same strength and passion that kept me going and allowed me to never give up.” - Rita Moreno
For Bad Bunny, receiving the Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century Award was already a big deal. But receiving it from the hands of Puerto Rican icon and EGOT Rita Moreno? And with Moreno putting as much heart into her words as she did? We were all a little emotional, and so were Rita Moreno and Bad Bunny. Perfect moment.
Amaya “Papaya” Espinal really made Love Island USA Season 7 worth watching. The 25-year-old Dominican and cardiac nurse from New York City quickly became a fan favorite because of her personality and delivered quite a few one-liners we were talking about for days. I mean, we’re still talking about them now.
“Hell, no, I’m a lazy 50-year-old bougie bitch!!” - Pedro Pascal
We love our celebrities with a little bit of self-awareness! And Pedro Pascal has always seemed like someone who really understands his privilege and does his best to speak out for causes he believes in. Which is why hearing him express this in such a funny way actually cracked us up. This wasn’t a public moment, but it reflects so much of what we know and love about Pedro.
“If it takes away your dignity, you need to go.” - Fátima Bosch
Fátima Bosch won Miss Universe way before the crown was placed on her head. She won it on one of the first days of the tournament, after she refused to take being called “dumb” and berated in public by Nawat Itsaragrisil, the Thailand pageant director. Bosch stood up and fought back, and then walked out of the room and explained herself to reporters. Several other candidates walked out with her. And the message was clear: respect us, or we leave.
Nawat Itsaragrisil, director of the MGI pageant, faces criticism after publicly reprimanding and asking security to remove Miss Mexico from sash ceremony in Thailand.
Fans get a little overzealous at times. We’ve seen it, and Rachel Zegler clearly has too. But the actress went viral this year for an exchange that happened after one of her Evita shows at the London Palladium. In the exchange, a fan gets upset at her bodyguard and Zegler calmly steps in and defends him, pointing out he’s just doing his job. We love a down to earth star.
Rachel Zegler helps diffuse a situation involving a fan and her bodyguard at the ‘Evita’ stage door:
Imagine being invited to sing the “Star Spangled Banner” at Dodger Stadium and then be told by the Los Angeles Dodgers you cannot sing it in Spanish. That’s what happened to Colombian-Dominican artist Nezza, who posted about it on Tik Tok. The best part? Nezza went and sang it in Spanish anyway, for our communities. And she sounded like a queen while doing it.
“This is a very European story told in an extremely Latin point of view. At one point I was like, ‘That is a lot, man. Is this too much?’ and [Del Toro] is like, ”Look, cabrón, it is not an accident that my Victor’s real name is Oscar Isaac Hernández [Estrada].’” - Oscar Isaac
Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein had a very distinct Latine flavor to it. And it’s not just because Frankenstein was played by Oscar Isaac. But to hear Isaac describe the making of the film–in which he and Del Toro apparently communicated strictly in Spanish–is to love the collaboration, and the end result, even more. Because yes, gothic horror can be like a telenovela sometimes!
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“Montoya, por favor.” - Sandra Barneda
This one might be cheating a little bit, but host Sandra Barneda yelling “Montoya, por favor!” became a meme this year after Temptation Island: Spain had Montoya ran to the house where the women were at after finding out his girlfriend had been unfaithful. It wasn’t just him running, it was the cameraman and the host. Top tier reality television, would watch again, especially after this Latino duo turned it into a dembow banger.
