Telenovela moments are ingrained in our Latin culture. It’s almost synonymous with our upbringing and prime bonding moments with our family. If you grew up in the traditional Latin culture, you will likely have a memory or two of watching a certain novela with your mamá or abuela. Am I right?
From our young memories to now, it’s undeniable that telenovela moments are part of our lives. We switch from Univision to Telemundo, depending on which network has your favorite actor or actress at the moment.
In fact, in an article titled “The centrality of Telenovelas in Latin America’s Everyday Life: Past Tendencies, Current Knowledge, and Future Research,” scholars found that “in the last few decades, Brazilian and Mexican telenovelas, and to a lesser extent Venezuelan, Colombian, Argentineans, and others, have been exported to more than a hundred nations around the world.” So, it’s no wonder the same telenovela scenes and memes resonate with many of us!
From “Rebelde” to “Soñadoras,” here are five iconic telenovela moments that have become part of Latin American heritage — and our meme culture!
“Rebelde” – Mia breaks up with Miguel
Let’s start with a sad one. I know, I know, but we have to rip the bandaid off. Let’s talk about the iconic scene where Miguel and Mia call quits after Miguel cheated on her. How can we possibly forget the heartbreak that the actors Alfonso Herrera and Anahí delivered through this scene? We’re still not over it.
“Teresa” – Teresa’s catchphrases
It’s hard to choose one scene by protagonist Angelique Boyer, so let’s go with one of her iconic catchphrases. One of the most popular ones is her vengeful “entre ser y no ser — yo soy.” Heck, I even use it to get through certain situations!
“María la del Barrio” – Soraya Montenegro
Ever since meme culture was a thing, you’ve probably seen the “In Spanish” memes floating around. There’s a variation, too. We’ve seen “cries in Spanish,” “judges you in Spanish,” and the list goes on. It makes sense since the fictional villain served one of the most dramatic, hardcore roles ever. For those who haven’t watched the actress Itatí Cantoral’s scenes, do yourself a favor and press play.
“La Rosa de Guadalupe” – the wind blowing scenes
Don’t come at me saying you’ve never faked a wind blowing scene before! It’s part of our cultura. Having a breakthrough moment? Cue: the wind blowing.
“Soñadoras” – Terco
Telenovelas are over the top. So, of course, they portray peer pressure to the next level. In this particular scene, Terco, played by Diego Schoening, is the ultimate bad influence. The scene is so intertwined in our brains that it’s become a meme that we often see circulating the web. Y’all remember him offering drugs to Manuel? ¡No puede ser!