In this episode, it also pays tribute to the strength of extended family relationships, as the three guest stars discussed with NBC News.
“With family, you’re already woven together,” said Guillén. “Your primos become your best friends — and when you make a best friend out of a cousin, it’s a best friend for life.”
“With Latino families, your primos are who you play with when you go to the fiestas, the quinceañeras, when you go to the birthday parties,” Guillén said. “They become your best friends growing up. They are your best friends because we kind of keep it close-knit and close to the family, because it’s a safety net.”
And this lifelong friendship, Garcia said, has turned many cousins into stand-in sisters and brothers.
“Mayan, like myself, is one of those rare Latinos that are only children,” said Garcia. “So our cousins become like our siblings, because we don’t have any others.”
For many Latinos, “Lopez vs. Lopez” is an iconic show that not only features the talent of George Lopez and his daughter Mayan, but also presents other guests and friends to viewers, including screen legend Rita Moreno.
For the three guest stars, sharing the spotlight with George Lopez and Mayan was a milestone.
“I think one of the best moments was sitting on that couch and seeing George Lopez to the left and seeing Harvey and Chelsea and Mayan and Matt [Shively, who plays Mayan’s TV husband], and feeling like how did I get here?,” Garcia said. “To be working next to them, it’s a surreal moment.”
