Washington [US]: Ana de Armas paid homage to her Cuban roots during her “Saturday Night Live” debut hosting performance on Saturday. As the “Blonde” star turned up on stage for her monologue, she greeted the audience in Spanish, before revealing her experience of coming to the United States.
As per Variety, “Gracias, gracias,” De Armas said to a roaring audience. “He tenido un ano increible y estoy muy feliz de estar aqui presentando el programa de esta noche.” (“Thank you, thank you; I’ve had an incredible year and I’m very happy to be here hosting the show tonight.”) “I speak English,”.
De Armas continued, “But I didn’t when I first got to the U.S. I was born in Cuba. I came to America when I was 26, and I learnt English the way everyone who comes to this country does: by watching ‘Friends.”
“Who would have thought that the best English tutor would be Chandler Bing?” De Armas joked. “I mean look at me now; could I be any better at English?”
De Armas went on to explain the hardships she faced coming to America with English as a second language.
She used the example of an acting class, “which was definitely a scam,” centred around the audition process: “There was this line, ‘I beg your pardon.’ But I had never seen or heard that phrase, so I thought this character was literally begging.”
The Academy Award nominee also gave a shoutout to Robert de Niro during her opening remarks, whom she met while working on her first movie in the U.S., titled “Hands of Stone.” De Armas elaborated on how the fellow actor visited her father at work while on a trip to Cuba.
“That was such a kind gesture, and I have bee
