female announcer: The 40th annual Imagen Awards is made possible in part by.

female: Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the Imagen Awards.

male: Not the image you present to the world, but the substance that bleeds through it.

So I'm grateful to accept this honor, in memory of my mother and father.

male: Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart.

male: First of all, I wanna say hello to all my fellow waiters here at the Beverly Hilton.

My first job I ever got as an actor was here at the Beverly Hilton Hotel as a waiter.

male: I remember when I used to live in a van and read about these things and see these things on television and say, you know, maybe one day I could attend it.

male: They're really recognizing people that are usually not recognized.

female: Well, I think that "Selena" is gonna make a big difference.

It's still too soon to tell as far as the cast is getting a lot of heat.

male: You know what, I was here 10 years ago, and it's wonderful to see that it's gone from a 45-minute lunch into a whole night event.

male: I'm very humbled at receiving this award which I so richly deserve.

female: And everyone else that I can't think of right now in this room who has taken the roles that were stereotypical and not diverse and not always 100% wonderful but paved that road for the sort of roles that this generation of younger actors get to come in and take.

male: I'm privileged and honored because if it wasn't for this organization I would not have received the chances that I've been able to receive over the last 25 years.

male: I wanna thank the Imagen Foundation for believing in me.

female: I can't believe I'm getting a lifetime achievement award from this organization when I only work in Spanish.

And I think that's the message.

We are not a market, we are a people.

female: It starts from the top and the fact that I get to work with the legendary Norman Lear, who revolutionized television.

This is unbelievable.

male: A Imagen y el Señor Norman Lear, muchisima gracias.

female: The Imagen Foundation has recognized my work and my showing up means so, so much to me.

female: To even be in here where it's such important beautiful people, people that I'm so proud of because I am very, very proud to be a Latina woman.

Jenna Ortega: Thank you, Imagen, this is such an honor.

Jorge Diaz: I was totally not expecting this, guys.

I really thank you very much, Imagen Foundation.

female: Thank you so much, Imagen Foundation.

female: Thank you so much.

female: And here I am.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

female: You've made a little girl called Raquel Tejada very happy.

Thank you, gracias, buenas noches.

male announcer: Damas y caballeros, ladies and gentlemen, good evening and welcome to the 40th Annual Imagen Awards.

To kick off this milestone gala celebrating 40 years of excellence, culture, and storytelling, please welcome to the stage President and Co-founder Helen Hernandez.

Helen Hernandez: Good evening.

It's hard to believe that it's been 40 years since our dear Norman Lear originated the idea of celebrating Latino contributions to television, film, and now streaming services.

It has been a long journey filled with challenges, bringing this event together every year, but has been ever so worthwhile as we have seen the number of creatives grow every year.

My time at Imagen is winding down and it is now important for the younger among you to consider what your roles will be in an Imagen of the future.

I am here because of Severiano and Josefina Hernandez, who made the trek from Aguascalientes, Mexico to El Paso, Texas seeking a better life for their family.

I am a proud 2nd generation birthright American citizen.

It is now more important than ever that we come together as a community to get involved and to stand up and speak up to stop the erosion of our democracy.

We have in our audience today a woman who has spent her whole life fighting first for workers and then for our community, Dolores Huerta.

Dolores Huerta: Oh thank you so much, Helen, thank you for inviting me tonight and thank all of you to be here to celebrate 40 years of Imagen.

And so following Helen's lead, following her vision, her tenacity that we are going to continue your work, Helen, and we're gonna be out there and we're gonna tell our stories, you know, we're going to promote our vision, we're going to promote that we are the ones that have made this country a really great country, en si sa puedo.

Muchos gracias, thank you very much.

Helen: Now back to the night, as I've said for each of the past 40 years, congratulations to all the nominees.

Thank you to our sponsors and guests and for your generosity.

And thank you for all of our wonderful times together.

Viva Imagen, sí se puede.

And now please welcome a champion Imagen trailblazer and Latina L.A.

County supervisor Hilda Solis.

Hilda Solis: Buenas Noches, good evening, everyone.

It is a true honor to be with you tonight for the 40th Annual Imagen Awards.

For four decades, this event has been a powerful celebration of Latino excellence in media, storytelling, and culture.

Tonight is about recognizing the incredible talent, dedication, and resilience of Latino artists, creators, and visionaries who are shaping the narrative of this great country.

To my amiga, Helen, I wanna thank you for your extraordinary vision and unwavering commitment to uplifting all Latino voices in the media.

At this time I'd like to present you a special recognition on behalf of the county board of supervisors.

Kenny Ortega: Good evening, everyone.

If we haven't met, my name is Kenny Ortega.

I wanted to be on this stage tonight to celebrate this incredible woman.

Helen, when you invited me into your life, into the world of Imagen, you changed the course of my life, you changed my destiny.

You opened up my vision, I refocused, and everything that I've done since I've come to know you has been inspired by you.

You have given me new purpose.

And in these last 40 years you've been an incomparable president and your voice has changed the whole industry in the way that we think, in the way that we work, in what we look for, what we hope to achieve.

And I just want to congratulate you tonight.

Yes, we're here to support and to celebrate the talent in this room, but you are the big reason why we are here tonight, my darling, you.

Thank you.

Eddie.

Edward James Olmos: Helen, I can't say anything more than thank you.

What you've given us not only was a voice, but you've inspired so many of us.

Of all the ages, but especially the youth, there's a lot of young kids in here that are gonna get inspired tonight.

And we're here to say thank you to you for 40 years ago sitting with Norman Lear and coming up with this idea to give out, you know, a sense of balance and understanding to a community that had never been given that really well.

And now we give it to you.

We give you the Imagen Award this year for 40 years of incredible, incredible service to all of us and the world and the community.

You are one of a kind and we love you for it a thousand times over.

Let's hear it, come on.

Helen: I really don't know what to say.

This is so unexpected, such a shock.

I never really think about this, but thank you.

I will always treasure this award.

It means so much and means a lot because it comes from all of you people like Eddie and Kenny to be able to have them support you and prop you up sometimes when things get really down.

It really has made a huge difference.

And I also have to thank my family, my husband Ben who's here, he supports me.

My son Rick, who says to all the producers, next to me he has more experience with Imagen than anybody else.

And then tonight I have my granddaughter Anna and my grandson Derek Rudy is actually one of the adults.

So it's become a family affair.

Thank you very much.

I love you all.

I appreciate this.

Thank you.

male announcer: Please welcome to the stage stars of Apple TV's "Acapulco," Camila Perez and Enrique Arrizon.

Enrique Arrizon: Imagen was founded in 1985.

And it's crazy that these next nominees weren't even around those good old days.

Camila Perez: Dude, you're 31.

You weren't even around in the 80s.

Enrique: Of course I was.

I was working as a pool boy at Las Colinas resort in Acapulco.

Camila: Ahh, I see what you're doing there.

Guys, he's a method actor.

Enrique: But don't let the nominees' age or size fool you.

Some of today's biggest stars once stood right here in this category.

Camila: Selena Gomez, Rico Rodriguez, and Jenna Ortega are all past winners who continue to wow the world with their talent.

Enrique: The Imagen Award for Best Young actor is more than just a trophy, it's a launch pad.

Camila: This year's nominees for best young actor in TV are.

Enrique: Best young actor TV.

Taylor Cora, "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place."

Brice Gonzalez, "Lopez versus Lopez."

Ava Louise Murchison, "Jane."

Olivia Perez, "Sesame Street."

Camila: And the winner is, Brice Gonzalez, "Lopez versus Lopez."

Brice Gonzalez: I just want to thank everybody that believed in me.

God got more plan for us.

And thank y'all for believing in me and trusting in me.

And I just wanna thank the Lord Jesus Christ for giving us the opportunity to be up here, and I love every single one of y'all, and dad, we did it.

Camila: The 3 nominees for Best Special or Television Movie include a plot to get rid of a daughter-in-law, a quest to complete a teenage bucket list, and a journey to discover and elevate Latino and Latina heroes.

Enrique: This year's nominees are shining examples of Latino excellence.

The nominees for Best Special or Television Movie are.

Best Special or Television Movie.

"Es Por Su Bien."

"The Life List."

"Voces: American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos."

The Imagen goes to "Voces American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos."

Ben De Jesus: Wow, this feels good, thank you.

Yes, well, first of all, I wanna thank the Imagen Foundation for recognizing our team and our work, and, I wanna thank in particular some people who made this possible.

I wanna start off by thanking our wonderful and amazing show runner.

She's coming up right now, Nicole Pritchettt.

Thank you.

Our producers who were mostly made up of women by the way like Belinda Salazar here, Alessandra Quest Ariel Kay.

I wanna thank Latino Public Broadcasting led by Sandie Pedlow, who's believed in me from day one.

And we created this work to let people know that we come from greatness, we're a community that should be celebrated.

We're not victims, we're not stories of tragedy only, we come from empires, we helped change this country, we helped change this world, we continue to do it every single day.

I wanna thank PBS.

Public media is under attack right now.

We need PBS, we need those voices out there, please.

Thank you, thank you.

male announcer: Please welcome to the stage co-creator of the hit show "Lopez versus Lopez," Mayan Lopez and previous Imagen winner Julian Works.

Mayan Lopez: In the 1920s Dolores del Rio was one of the first Latinas to achieve Hollywood stardom.

But things looked very different back then, and I believe that Dolores would agree that the kinds of roles that women are nominated for tonight are something that once seemed impossible.

Julian Works: No longer relegated to just supporting roles and one dimensional characters, it is not just exciting, but an honor to see these Latinas commanding and explode onto the big screen.

The nominees for best actress in a feature film are.

male announcer: Best Actress in a feature film.

Melissa Barrera, "Your Monster."

Barbie Ferreira, "Bob Trevino Likes It."

Annie Gonzalez, "Jenny."

Natalie Morales, "My Dead Friend Zoe."

Fernanda Torres, "I'm Still Here."

Mayan: Okay, the Imagen goes to.

Barbie Ferreira, "Bob Trevino Likes It."

Tracie Laymon: We have so many wonderful things to say about Barbie Ferreira.

Edgar Rosa: Thank you so much.

Barbie was not able to make it tonight, but we have a few words from her.

I'd like to thank Tracy Layman and John Leguizamo and the rest of the cast and crew of "Bob Trevino" for being such a wonderful people in my life.

I'm a first generation American from a Brazilian family, and to be honored in this space is really special.

Thank you to the Imagen Awards and to everyone involved in making this happen tonight.

I am honored.

Julian: Antonio Banderas, Alfred Molina, Diego Luna, Eugenio Derbez, all past winners in this best actor in a feature film category, and they have all left the lasting imprint on not just our community, but the entire industry.

Mayan: Tonight's nominees join this legacy.

Their work this year is the same kind of brilliance we've come to know, but always raising the bar and always leaving us enthralled when the credits begin to roll.

Here are the nominees for best actor in a feature film.

male announcer: Best Actor in a feature film.

Antonio Banderas, "Paddington in Peru."

Jharrel Jerome, "Unstoppable."

John Leguizamo, "Bob Trevino Likes It."

Manuel Uriza, "Jenny."

Julian: And the winner is, John Leguizamo, "Bob Trevino Likes It."

Tracie: Oh my gosh.

John can't be here because he's working on "The Other Americans," his play which he also wrote, and I hope you'll all go see it in New York.

It's just incredible and so necessary right now.

John is such a true icon who means so much to the Hispanic and Latin community, and I'm very aware of that, but I want like to tell you what he means to me.

Directing John as Bob Trevino was one of the greatest honors of my life.

I, like so many others, have such admiration for how he has turned his pain into art as a tool to be seen and to help himself heal, and in turn helping others and so many of us feel seen and healed too.

As a first time feature director working with John was such a gift.

He treated everyone with the utmost respect.

He encourages me every day for all of us to fight for each other's voices.

He's my friend, and he inspires me daily to continue this work for all of us.

Thank you to John for being all of our Bob Trevino and thank you to Imagen for recognizing his incredible work, muchos gracias.

male announcer: Please welcome to the stage previous Imagen winner and nominee again tonight, John Ortiz.

John Ortiz: Hello, hallo, beautiful people.

Congrats to all the winners and the nominees.

You guys are all great.

It's been a groundbreaking 40 years.

As we look ahead, we wanna acknowledge the reality of our industry.

Statistics show that Latinos make up nearly one-fourth of movie theater audiences.

There's no denying that Hollywood needs us now and forever.

We're proud to recognize this year's five films that elevate our community further.

Tonight one film will join the ranks of previous winners like "Frida," "Pan's Labyrinth," "La Misma Luna," and "Coco."

But don't worry, the other 4 nominated films are in good company joining a legacy that includes films like "Apocalypto," "In the Heights," "The Shape of Water," "Blue Beetle," and so many more.

The nominees for Best Feature Film are.

male announcer: Best Feature Film.

"Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip."

"Bob Trevino Likes It."

"Conclave."

"Jenny."

"Las Tres Sisters."

John: And the winner is, "Bob Trevino Likes It."

Tracie: Oh my gosh, Edgar Rosa, my producing partner, everybody.

Edgar Rosa: Hey, we couldn't have done this without Tracy.

Tracie: I just wanna take a moment to recognize our incredible Latino crew.

You know, Barbie and John are both executive producers on the film.

Our director of photography, John Rosarios from the Dominican Republic.

Felipe Dieppa, one of our other producers of Mexican descent.

Yeah, I could go on and on.

We just have the most incredible cast and crew.

This means so much to me, my heart has been broken open since I found out that we got nominated because this is the point of everything.

We're all here, this is not some award, you know.

I'm very aware of what this means.

Norman Lear was a hero of mine and so that's mind blowing, you know, it's all mind blowing tonight.

I know Edgar has some things to say.

Edgar: I'd like to echo everything that Tracie said, and also just reiterate that we believe that this film has true staying power for years to come.

I'd like to thank my mom, my three sisters, my aunt, my grandma, everything I do is for you.

The power of healing and growth lives on in our stories.

Please expect that from us in the future.

Imagen shows us what it means to be brown.

Thank you.

male announcer: Please welcome artistic director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and tonight's musician extraordinaire Gaudy Sanchez and L.A.

Phil fellow Elizabeth Linares.

Gaudy Sanchez: Buenas noches, good evening.

Elizabeth Linares: It is a pleasure to be here with you this evening alongside my fellow artists.

As we recognize the past 40 years, we also want to share the next generation of musicians such as the youth of L.A.

County who we have the honor to teach.

Gaudy: Music plays such as an integral role in any story.

We believe it's important to recognize not just the composers but also the engineers, techies and wizard who bring that music to life.

The nominees for best music supervision are.

male announcer: Best music supervision for film or television.

Steve Berlin, "A Little Family Drama."

Lynn Fainchtein, "Women in Blue (Las Azules)," Holly Gregory, "Dora."

Javier Nuño and Joel Rodriguez, Acapulco."

Javier Nuño and Joe Rodriguez, "Midnight Family."

And the Imagen goes to Javier Nuño and Joe Rodriguez, "Acapulco."

Javier Nuño: Wow, what can I say?

I mean, for us, "Acapulco" is a whole family, Austin, Sam, I mean Tripas, Ben, Eugenio, what you have done, it's truly amazing.

We truly brought us everyone together.

There's a reason we hug everyone when we came to the stage and sorry for the delay coming here.

Thank you, thank you, Austin, thank you, Sam, thank you, 3pas.

thank you Ben Odell, Eugenio Lionsgate, Russell Seeger, Stephan Pine, Brandon, Carolina, all the Apple team, please go.

Joe Rodriguez: I don't have anything else to say, but thank you very much.

It's a true honor to be nominated and I'm just really happy.

Javier: Amazing.

Thank you so much.

male announcer: Please welcome to the stage Los Angeles Philharmonic Vice President community and government engagement, Cynthia Fuentes.

Cynthia Fuentes: Gustavo Dudamel has been a bona fide pop cultural phenomenon in Los Angeles creative community, yeah.

Since his arrival here in Los Angeles in 2009 when the L.A.

Phil brought this 28-year-old music director, he has tirelessly worked to ensure that music reaches a greater audience.

He began his musical career through a violin in Venezuela's youth program El Sistema.

Gustavo saw the importance of creating a similar program here in Los Angeles which became YOLA, the youth orchestra of Los Angeles.

This program serves more than 1,700 young people with free instruments, music instruction, academic support, and leadership training.

So we wanna say gracias, Gustavo, for being a role model for all of us.

You made what seemed impossible possible, and we will miss you terribly and we want you to remember that Los Angeles will always be your home.

Gustavo Dudamel: Hello everyone.

I'm so honored to receive this wonderful recognition from the Imagen Foundation and all the community of Los Angeles.

Los Angeles have been home for many years for me.

And being leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic, it had been an honor and a pleasure.

And of course, the creation of YOLA, which is our tool to transform the life of so many kids from Los Angeles.

Again, very grateful to all of you.

Los Angeles is home for me and all my love to all of you.

Thank you very much.

male announcer: Please welcome to the stage Imagen winner Gina Rodriguez and Emmy winner and Imagen Award nominee tonight Jharrel Jerome.

Gina Rodriguez: So how's everybody doing tonight?

Yes, very exciting.

I'm gonna get very serious now.

At a time when conversations about representation are under threat, these talented actors prove that members of our community are not defined by type or genre.

Jharrel Jerome: Here are the nominees for Best Supporting Actor in a television drama.

male announcer: Best Supporting Actor TV drama.

Benjamin Levy Aguilar, "Chicago PD."

Santiago Cabrera, "The Cleaning Lady."

Nestor Carbonell, "Pulse."

Rhenzy Feliz, "The Penguin."

Diego Luna, "La Máquina."

Gabriel Luna, "The Last Of Us."

Gina: And the winner is.

Jharrel: Gabriel Luna, "The Last Of Us."

Gina: Unfortunately, he is not here with us tonight, so he is not.

No, so we will be taking home this award on his behalf.

Jharrel: We split it.

Gina: Yes, we will, we will do that.

Yes, we will share.

Jharrel: Thank you.

The next one.

Gina: Let's go on.

This may be the award for Best Supporting Actress, but let's be real, these Latinas don't just support, they steal the show.

Jharrel: Past winners include Rosario Dawson, America Ferreira, and many other actresses with knock out performances that can't be ignored, and tonight's nominees carry that same fire.

Gina: From galaxies far far away to the heart of New York City, they're breaking barriers, owning the screen and making fans everywhere they go.

Jharrel: And now let's take a look at the nominees for Best Supporting Actress in a TV drama.

Gina: Drama.

Jharrel: Drama.

male announcer: Best Supporting Actress TV drama.

Adria Arjona, "Andor."

Jaylen Barron, "American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez."

Alana de la Garza, "FBI."

London Garcia, "NCIS: Origins."

Juliana Aiden Martinez, "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit."

Jharrel: And the award goes to, London Garcia, "NCIS: Origins."

London Garcia: I can't even talk.

This has been a long game for me in this industry, but I have loved it.

I'm so grateful to God carrying me through this roller coaster industry and the ups and the downs.

And I wanna thank my manager, who I've been with for over 30 years, Brandon Carr, who's believed in me when nothing was happening.

And I wanna thank the team at "NCIS: Origins," the showrunners David North, Gina Lucita Moreal, Brendan Fehily, for writing this episode.

Sorry man, I'm gonna jack up my makeup.

My dad was one of those guys that came over here by way of Cananea, Jalisco, and Obregón and he got here to East L.A.

and he was one of those guys that used to pick strawberries in the fields and he used to say, don't you ever laugh at those people.

There's no way I could be here without my dad doing that.

And he came here and he made all these sacrifices to my mom, so it's like, they're responsible for us being able to do this and be fancy, you know?

So thank you so much.

male announcer: Please welcome to the stage from "Conclave," Carlos Diehz.

Carlos Diehz: Buenas noches Over the past 40 years, Imagen has a history of honoring some of television's most beloved reality staples.

Like "The Dog Whisperer" with Cesar Millan.

Yeah, Cesar not only proved that even man's best friend could benefit from Latino leadership, but show that anybody, including an immigrant from Sinaloa, can and should be in every form of television.

Tonight's nominees for Best Variety or Reality Show include a stellar lineup of surrealist humor, mouthwatering gastronomic journeys, unearthed mysteries, and soap opera actresses.

Each of these nominees may occupy different spaces both in tone and in theme, but each is Latino-led and represents our gente with flying colors.

The nominees for Best Variety or Reality Show are.

male announcer: Best variety or reality show.

"Fantasmas," "Foodie On The Go," "Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo," "Secretos de Villanas Season 3."

Carlos: And the main image goes to "Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo."

Danny Trejo: I'll use this.

I'm so glad my show "Mysteries Unearthed with..." You know what, I wanna thank the History Channel.

I want to thank everybody involved.

I thank you, the salad was great and we've just begun.

And it almost seems that as Latinos, we're starting all over.

Watch out because here we come.

We're gonna do season 2.

I'm so proud of what we've done.

I want to thank the Imagen Awards, especially just for recognizing all of us.

Thank you so, so much.

Try to remember, once you pass 65, don't play football with your kids, okay?

male announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Imagen nominee tonight, Fabrizio Guido.

Fabrizio Guido: Buenas noches.

We've come a long way in the past 40 years.

As audiences how fortunate are we to live in a time when these next five men are gracing the screen with their mesmerizing, gripping performances?

None of tonight's nominees for actor and television drama are overnight success stories.

They're all experienced craftsmen who have rightfully earned this recognition, and we cannot wait to see what more they have in store.

Here are the nominees for Actor in a Television Drama.

male announcer: Best Actor in a Television Drama.

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, "The Lincoln Lawyer."

Diego Luna, "Andor."

Pedro Pascal, "The Last Of Us."

Josh Rivera, "American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez."

Ramon Rodriguez, "Will Trent."

Fabrizio: And the winner is Manuel Garcia-Rulfo "The Lincoln Lawyer."

Ted Humphrey: I am not Manuel Garcia-Rulfo.

Dailyn Rodriguez: I'm also not Manuel Garcia-Rulfo.

Ted: He could not be here tonight.

What would he say?

He would say watch this.

Dailyn: Muchas gracias, muchisimas gracias that's what he would say.

Ted: We wanna thank all of you on his behalf and thank you very much for this.

Dailyn: Thank you, thanks.

Fabrizio: For the first 19 years of the Imagen Awards, this category didn't exist because frankly there weren't enough nominees.

Tonight is the largest of the year with seven nominees, seven.

What an amazing sign of the progress we've made.

Just look at past winners, America Ferrera, Alexa, we can keep it going.

Alexa Vega, Gina Rodriguez, and most recently Sofia Vergara.

Now a new generation steps into this growing legacy.

It is my honor to present the seven nominees for Best Actress in a Television Drama.

They are.

male announcer: Best Actress television drama.

Sofia Carson, "The Life List."

Jearnest Corchado, "Can You Feel the Beat: The Lisa Lisa Story."

Ariana DeBose, "House of Spoils."

Bárbara Mori, "Women in Blue."

Amorita Rasgado, "Women in Blue."

Gina Rodriguez, "Will Trent."

Zoe Saldaña, "Lioness."

Fabrizio: And the winner is, Sofia Carson, "The Life List."

I don't think they could be here tonight, right?

But we'll send them their award.

male announcer: To present the Norman Lear Writers Award to Dailyn Rodriguez, please welcome longtime friend, actor on "Queen of the South," Hemky Madera.

Hemky Madera: Buenas noches, I am honored to be here.

It is an honor to present the Norman Lear Writers Award to my dear friend Dailyn Rodriguez.

From her humble beginnings in Washington Heights to becoming a loved, respected show runner in Los Angeles, Dailyn is the American dream.

So let's take a moment and hear more about Dailyn in a special video.

Dailyn: I was born in New York City in a neighborhood called Washington Heights.

A lot of you guys know it because there's a little movie called "In the Heights."

I had a really, really important teacher in high school.

His name was Greg Cummings, and he was a drama teacher and also a playwriting teacher, and he saw a talent in me and sort of nurtured it.

I packed all my things, moved to L.A.

My mother was not happy.

What do you mean you're moving to L.A.?

You don't have a job.

Like, as a Latina, also moving away from your family is a really big deal, and that was the beginning.

I ended up getting staffed on the first George Lopez show.

Jorge Reyes: Dailyn and I met.

We were both on staff at "Queen of the South."

She's incredibly gifted and someone like her that has that much talent never really sort of acknowledges it herself.

And that's somewhat of a rarity here.

Paula Garces: She's forward and direct and blunt.

There's also something really sweet, and there's an underlying theme about Dailyn, which is like she really wants to reach back and help and pull people forward with her.

So there's like an unselfish thing about how talented she is.

Ilana Peña: Dailyn walks the walk.

She says, I want to lift up Latinas in this industry, and she doesn't just say it, she does it.

Ted: Dailyn and I have run the Lincoln Lawyer together since the start of Season 2.

From the minute we started working together, Dailyn has been the best and easiest partner to work with that I could have asked for.

She genuinely believes in what she's doing, and we both try to put as much thought and meaning behind everything we do as we can.

Matthew J. Lieberman: Dailyn directed for the first time this season, and I was lucky enough to have produced that episode while she was doing it and so that was a great experience.

And I think I have the distinction of being the person she's worked with the most.

We've worked, this is our fourth show that we've worked on together.

As we say, [speaking in foreign language] I couldn't be prouder, I think she deserves it.

I think it's a long time coming.

And I'm so glad to get to see it happen.

Dailyn: I learned English from television and a little bit for my sister.

I learned English from PBS, "Sesame Street," "Electric Company," Ms.

Rita Moreno, and from Norman Lear.

He was such an inspiration for me because those shows didn't exist before him.

So for me to get this award named after one of my heroes is very emotional to me and I'm very honored.

Hemky: Please join me in celebrating Dailyn Rodriguez.

Dailyn: Thank you.

First of all, I'd like to thank the Imagen Foundation for this unbelievable recognition.

Entertainment has the power to change hearts and minds.

A single character, a single story can shift someone's perception of an entire culture.

That's the quiet miracle of storytelling.

It builds empathy where there was distance.

Representation isn't just about visibility, it's about dignity.

Our lives, our struggles, and our joy are worth being seen, and I think about that every time I pitch a character or story.

My promise to all of you is to keep telling stories that matter, that reflect diverse communities that celebrate our complexities, and that remind us that representation not only matters, but it is existential.

And to the Imagen Foundation for championing our stories.

You prove that inclusion isn't a trend, it's a standard.

To every aspiring writer watching tonight, your stories are needed, keep writing, keep teaching.

Thank you and good night, muchas gracias, gracias.

male announcer: Presenting the next award, please welcome to the stage previous Imagen winner Jorge Diaz.

Jorge Diaz: Okay, if there's one person I never get tired of talking about, it's Rita Moreno.

A firecracker.

I love her.

She is the original trailblazer and in 2019 became the first EGOT winner to also win an Imagen, making her the first ever EGOTI.

The Latinas nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a TV comedy have made us and the whole world laugh when we've needed it most.

And from how the past year has been we've needed it a lot.

Tonight they join the ranks of Rita.

The nominees for Best Supporting Actress in a TV comedy are.

male announcer: Best Supporting Actress TV comedy.

Stephanie Beatriz, A Man on the Inside."

Liza Colón-Zayas, "The Bear."

Carmen Maura, "Land of Women."

Rita Moreno, "Lopez versus Lopez."

Julieth Restrepo, "The Residence."

Jorge: And the award goes to.

Liza Colón-Zayas.

Unfortunately, could not be with us tonight, but we will take this award on her behalf.

What do you get when you mix wit, comedic timing, a cheeky smile, and a lot of heart?

Most likely our nominees for best supporting actor in a comedy series.

It's safe to say that the nominees make their respective shows feel real, funny, and unapologetically Latino.

The nominees for Best Supporting Actor in a TV Comedy are.

male announcer: Best Supporting Actor TV Comedy.

Rafael Cebrián, "Acapulco."

Eugenio Derbez, "Acapulco."

Fabrizio Guido, "Running Point."

Harvey Guillén, "What We Do in the Shadows."

John Ortiz, "Bad Monkey."

Jorge: And the winner is, Raphael Cebrián, "Acapulco."

Rafael Cebrián: I was not, thank you.

I was not expecting to be here tonight, so I didn't really prepare anything.

But listen, I'm gonna take this as a celebration of everyone's work in the "Acapulco" family, starting with the team at Apple, especially Brandon Brito.

I mean, he's been our number one champion.

I can't believe he got the team together for four seasons in a row.

It's incredible.

And I really do wanna share this with my cast because you guys have been, I'm sorry, I'm getting emotional.

You guys are the most generous, fearless cast I've ever worked with, and I've just been so lucky to share the stage with you.

You've made me a better person, a better actor, I've learned so much from you and I am eternally thankful.

Truly this is yours.

Thank you, Susan Vash, our casting director for giving me this job.

Austin, you're a true artist, my friend.

You've just stepped into a culture that is not your own and you've done it with such grace and you've proved that authenticity is not about being born into a culture, it's about honoring it with grace and respect.

And lastly mama Teresita and my grandma, I love you so much.

Thank you.

male announcer: Please welcome to the stage director and Imagen award winner Kenny Ortega.

Kenny: What a night.

Okay, so over the years Imagen has celebrated comedic trailblazers like John Leguizamo, Eugenio Derbez, whose work opened the doors these nominees now walk through.

The four men nominated for Best Actor in Comedy Series embody that to be Latino is to laugh in the face of adversity, to find humor in the mundane, and to inspire joy in their communities and throughout the world.

Tonight's nominees for Best Actor in a Comedy Series are.

male announcer: Best Actor in a Comedy series.

Brian Jordan Alvarez, "English Teacher."

Enrique Arrizon, "Acapulco."

Eugenio Derbez, "Y Llegaron de Noche."

George Lopez, "Lopez versus Lopez."

Kenny: And the Imagen goes to, Brian Jordan Alvarez, "English Teacher."

I don't see any movement.

We'll accept the award on Brian's behalf.

Thank you.

So the four women nominated for Best Actress in a TV Comedy are no strangers to Imagen.

Each of them has been recognized before for performances that dazzled, delighted, and made us laugh until our bellies hurt.

They follow in the footsteps of past winners like Constance Marie, Jenna Ortega, and Gina Rodriguez.

Yes, tonight's nominees are evidence that Latina driven comedy isn't just part of television, it helps define television.

The nominees for Best Actress in a TV Comedy are.

male announcer: Best Actress TV Comedy.

Selena Gomez, "Only Murders in the Building."

Eva Longoria, "Land of Women."

Mayan Lopez, "Lopez versus Lopez."

Camila Perez, "Acapulco."

Kenny: And the Imagen for Best Actress in a Comedy goes to Camila Perez.

Camila: Yes.

Well, hi, my name is Camila Perez.

Oh, that's my slate.

I've never won anything before, so this is very special.

Oh, thank you, Imagen for acknowledging my work for the past four seasons.

It's nice to be seen, especially by your community, so thank you.

I didn't grow up watching comedy, so when I was first introduced to the show I was very intimidated and I didn't even know why they picked me, but here I am.

And I also wanna thank my mother in heaven.

I wish she was in that chair watching me receive this.

I didn't think I had purpose after my mom passed and this career has given me so much.

It has given me financial stability, creative freedom, and I'm very sure my mom is doing something up there to make this dream come true.

Thank you, Imagen.

Thank you, Brandon.

Thank you, Austin.

Thank you, Sam.

Thank you, Chris Harris.

Thank you so much.

male announcer: You loved her on "Brooklyn 99."

Please welcome Imagen winner Melissa Fumero.

Melissa Fumero: As we present the last award, it's important to acknowledge that Imagen couldn't have made it to this milestone without the countless hours spent by our team and Helen Hernandez.

With comedy master Norman Lear as a driving force behind Imagen's founding and success, laughter has always been central to our mission.

From icons like Fred Armisen and George Lopez, who proved Latino humor belongs on the biggest stages, to tonight's nominees who are breaking new ground, our community has never stopped giving audiences plenty of laughs along the way.

Imagen proudly honors not only Norman's comedic legacy, but also the legacy of every past and current nominee for Best Comedy Series.

And the nominees are.

male announcer: Best Comedy Series.

"Acapulco," "English Teacher," "Land of Women," "Lopez versus Lopez," "Y Llegaron de Noche."

And the winner is, it's a tie.

The first winner is the "Land of Women."

And they couldn't be here tonight, so I will gladly accept this award on their behalf.

And the next winner is "Y Llegaron de Noche."

Javier Williams: Thank you very much to the Imagen Foundation for this award.

Obviously, we're just two producers here standing in the name of all the big, big team that made this project possible.

Eugenio Derbez, Ben Odell, the fantastic cast, the fantastic directors, the whole crew that made this story feasible.

If you have not seen the series, it's about a group of underdogs, of Latino underdogs in the 1930s Hollywood that eventually made a better movie than the American counterparts were doing in the morning.

So thank you very, very much for this award and I just have to say, Melissa, thank you.

You've been representing us.

My kids are going to love that.

I'm standing on the stage with you.

Thank you very much and good night.

Melissa: And that's a wrap.

Thank you for coming tonight and for your continued support of Imagen, it would be impossible to do this without you all.

Buenas noches.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ female announcer: The 40th annual Imagen Awards is made possible in part by.