Everyone has been talking about me. Whether they love me, whether they hate me, whether they love to hate me, I don't really care; they're talking about me.
— Carmella
I want to make history and just show people that if you have determination and if you want to work hard enough and want something, you can make it happen.
My dad was a wrestler back in the early '90s, so it just brought everything full circle with my dad's background and my love of performing and entertainment, and now here I am in the WWE.
Summertime in New York is always a lot of fun, and I can't wait for my second 'SummerSlam.'
I'm the Princess of Staten Island. You gotta go big or go home, baby!
When I first got my ring name as Carmella, I knew I was just going to do whatever I could to create this over-ridiculous, over-the-top character that would just help me get my face, and I don't even know what I'm trying to say, but just get me out there and just show, like, 'OK, wow, we need to pay attention to this girl because she has something.'
My dad did some work for WWE in the early '90s, so I grew up watching and being in and around it. I never, ever thought it was something that I could do.
When you sign up for a reality show, you have to put your personal life out there.
I just feel so lucky and fortunate to be a part of all these 'first-evers.' Now it's getting to a point where we don't even have to say the 'first-ever' or anything like that because it's just become the norm. Before, it was, 'Oh my gosh, the women are the main event of 'Smackdown' tonight.' And now it's, 'The women are the main event.'
Being a manager for Enzo and Cass in NXT was great. I got a lot of experience with doing that.
If I could have any tag team partner, I would choose Big E.
I think you can look good and still be a champion and still fight and still be the best at what I do.
When you're genuinely having fun and enjoying yourself, people can feel that, and they want to have a good time with you.
Asuka is a force to be reckoned with. She made a statement from the moment she debuted in NXT.
A lot of the fans don't necessarily get to see what I can do, because they've seen me as the hype girl for Cass & Enzo.
Everything I do is over the top. When I do something, I want everyone to be talking about it.
I'm on 'WrestleMania!' I don't care if I'm on the Kickoff show; it was just such a great opportunity to be a part of 'WrestleMania.' It was my very first 'WrestleMania,' and a lot of people say, 'Oh, but you're on the Kickoff.' It doesn't matter: you're still a part of 'WrestleMania.'
I think, every single time I step into the ring, I try and be better than the last.
Charlotte Flair - she took my title from me. I did beat her twice; however, she beat me and took my title from me, unfortunately. But I'm gonna get it back.
Growing up, of course I was the coolest girl in the 3rd grade because I told everyone that my dad was a wrestler, and I would bring in these wrestling magazines of him, and every Saturday morning, he would be body slamming me on my bed.
I have had way more opportunity on 'Smackdown Live' than I ever did at NXT.
I was a dancer and didn't ever think I could become a female wrestler, but here I am and doing it.
After starting off in NXT and then getting here to 'SmackDown Live,' all I ever wanted to do was to create history and be a part of the women's revolution.
It's so fun because the Carmella you see on 'SmackDown Live' is so different to me. It's great to be able to portray this character in a way that I never would in real life.
I would love to see The IIconics become the first women tag team champions.
I like doing my own thing, and I like being partnered with somebody.
Bayley's my best friend. We've been friends since NXT. It sucks because she's on 'Raw' and I'm on 'SmackDown,' but we still talk every single day, and we're really good friends.
There's nothing wrong with being a Diva. If it's because I take care of myself and look good, then I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
If the fans are making a noise and reacting, then you're doing a good job.
It's really exciting to be a part of the Women's Division here in NXT.
To get up to 'SmackDown Live' and have my first match on live TV, I was so nervous.
To me, it was so exciting that after just a short time of being on my own in NXT, I proved that I could do this on my own, and I got drafted to 'SmackDown Live.'
The sky is honestly the limit, so I'm excited to see what the future holds.
I want to make history and be the first-ever SmackDown Women's Champion, and whatever I have to do to make that happen, I'm going to do it.
I have a background in dance, so I danced my entire life, since I was three years old.
It's just been such an amazing experience from the day I started on 'Smackdown.'
When I was living in L.A., first of all, I had actually tried out or submitted to be on 'Tough Enough' when I was living in L.A. and then I ended up getting, like, a few call backs, but because I had just moved out there for the Lakers, I just felt like I couldn't have done both.
I love performing, and I was a dancer and then worked in the NFL and NBA, and I loved being in front of the crowd.
I really want to show women that it is OK to have a career and put that - not necessarily first, but to put it out there. You can do it all. Is it going to be hard? Yes. Is it going to be worth it? Of course.
I'm honored to be a part of 'Total Divas' and show the world who Carmella is, not only on 'SmackDown Live' but in real life.
Anytime you're partnered with a guy in wrestling, it's exciting and different. Having James Ellsworth by my side for a while, that got people talking.
Nowadays, women are looked at as equal to the men when it comes to competing, and I think that's a really cool message to send to little girls and show them that whatever they want to do, they can set their mind to it and make it happen.
There are obviously a lot of negative connotations that go along with being a Diva. But to me, being a Diva is someone who takes care of herself, that looks fabulous, is always on point with her fashion, and doesn't care what anybody thinks.
I just love sneakers. When I first started wrestling, I was wrestling in boots, and I felt like I was trying too hard to play a wrestler. I just wanted to be myself. So when I started wearing sneakers, I felt so much better.
Never think you're too good for a role, and never take yourself too seriously.
I want to be NXT Women's Champion.
When I was in NXT, I never wrestled on a TakeOver. I didn't have too many high-profile matches: I probably wrestled about 10 matches in total on NXT TV, including the one championship match against Bayley, which was so much fun and my favorite match in NXT.
