From Selena to Undone, Constance Marie has been the matriarch of many

[TMC]

https://tv.avclub.com/from-selena-to...mat-1839017556

George Lopez (2002-2007)—“Angie Lopez”

CM: I’m super proud of this show. George Lopez was the first Latino show in television history that made it past 13 episodes. We got to 120.

AVC: Again, it’s interesting to think that you worked on these two shows, which marked some significant milestones for Latino creatives, at the same time. And they’re two very different formats. American Family allowed you to address some things you probably couldn’t get into in a sitcom.

CM: Right.

AVC: Did you feel the burden of representation in working on two shows, especially ones that are historic for different reasons? Did you feel like there was greater pressure on you in juggling that?

CM: Honestly? I feel that in my life everyday especially in this political climate, when the reputation or the slander for an ethnicity happens constantly. I’m used to living here in America and being the only Latino person in the room. So I am often literally representing us Latinos. I was used to that while working on those shows, but I had amazing writers, amazing directors, and amazing support from networks, so yes, there was pressure. But it was more important to just do quality work, not so much just as a Latin actress, but as an actress. There’s pressure just in that. It’s so funny, my mom always said to me, “Life is pressure. You’ve just got to deal with it.”

AVC: A couple of years ago, George Lopez said he was interested in bringing the show back. If they revived it, would you be up for returning?`

CM: In a heartbeat. I think that show is very necessary right now. It would be a wonderful reflection. We need comedy. The only reason that show went away was because, at the time, everybody was saying that family situation-comedies were going the way of the dinosaur, and nobody was interested in them anymore. Single-camera comedies like Scrubs were what people were interested in making. A lot of the situational-comedies, the family comedies, went away, and it took a while for them to come back. I would totally do it, because I think we need it. We need the representation where Latinos are just regular people: regular people with family problems, and they just happen to be Latino. And that show holds up.