Ernesto de la Cruz I have to sing! I have to play! The music, it's not just in me, it is me!
Voiced by Benjamin Bratt 
Coco (2017) · 56 quotes
Coco (2017) · 56 quotes
2nd most-quoted character in Coco (2017): in 14 of its 56 quotes
Most scenes with: Miguel (2), Imelda (2), Héctor (2)
Seize your moment.
More lines from Ernesto de la Cruz
11 quotes Ernesto de la Cruz Ernesto de la Cruz [singing "Remember Me"]
Remember me, though I have to say goodbye, remember me!
Ernesto de la Cruz I have a great-great-grandson!
Ernesto de la Cruz One cannot deny who one is meant to be. And you, my great-great-grandson, are meant to be a musician.
Ernesto de la Cruz You're confusing movies with reality, Hector.
Ernesto de la Cruz [revealing his true colors]
Success doesn't come for free, Miguel. You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to... seize your moment. I know you'll understand.
Ernesto de la Cruz [learning that Miguel is Hector's real great-great grandson]
Wait... you're related to Hector?!
Ernesto de la Cruz Security, ayudame!
Ernesto de la Cruz [ranting against Miguel to Hector and the rest of the family]
He's a threat!
Ernesto de la Cruz I am the one who is willing to do what it takes to seize my moment... Whatever it takes. [drops Miguel]
Ernesto de la Cruz [Last words]
Nice kitty. (Pepita roars and grabs him by the waist) Put me down! No, please! I'm begging you! Stop, stop! Ow, ow! NOOOOO!!! (seeing the giant bell as he is about to crash into) NOOOOO!!!!
Scenes with Ernesto de la Cruz
2 scenes Ernesto [Backstage at the Sunrise Spectacular, Ernesto bumps into Imelda and the Riveras.] [to Imelda]
Don't I know you?
[removes her boot, and hits Ernesto across the skull]
That's for murdering the love of my life!
Ernesto Who?! Who the--
[appears around the corner]
She's talking about ME! [to Imelda, lovestruck] I'm the love of your life?
I don't know! I'm still angry at you.
Ernesto Héctor?! How did you--?
Ernesto Grandson?!
Ernesto YOU! [realized] Wait… you're related to Héctor?
The photo! [points to Héctor's photo in Ernesto's shirt pocket]
Ernesto [backs away as the Rivera family glares at him]
Uh… [runs off]
After him!
Ernesto [After Ernesto's crimes are exposed to the Land of the Dead, Ernesto straighten his hair up, unaware that Miguel's family had broadcasted his crimes and turned the audience against him]
Ha, ha! [The audience starts booing at him as he laughs nervously] Please, please, mi familia!
Audience Member #1
Murderer!
Audience Member #2
Get off the stage!
Ernesto Orchestra! A-1, A-2, A-1... [The conductor breaks his baton in half in contempt, without any words to say; singing] Remember me, though I have to s– [A tomato is thrown at his jacket] Hey! [The audience continues booing as they start throwing food at Ernesto.]
Female Audience Member
[looks up, and points]
Look!
Ernesto [On one of the jumbotrons, Pepita and Dante fly up onto the building's edge with Miguel on Pepita's back. As Miguel slides down Pepita's wing, the other Riveras hug him. The crowd cheers. Ernesto looks shocked because of his crimes being exposed. With a determined scowl, Pepita walks onto the stage, and growls at Ernesto] [chuckles nervously as he walks backwards while Pepita closes in on him]
Here kitty, Nice kitty, Big kitty. [Pepita roars in Ernesto's face, then headbutts him, sending him flying. She then catches him by his waist as she flies off] Put me down! Please! I'm begging you! Stop it, stop that! [A cameraman follows Pepita] Ow, ow! [Pepita flips him into the air, then smacks him away with her tail. The villainous musician goes flying, then notices something up ahead] No! [screams, then smacks face-first into a large church bell, then lands beneath it. Appearing to be unharmed, he looks up and gasps in horror as the bell falls on top of him… again. As the crowd cheers in jubilant, a skeleton sits beside his wife while holding two ears of corn]
Male Audience Member
[to his wife]
What did I miss?
Miguel! [they hug each other]
[Héctor surges and falls to the ground, his life force nearly gone.]
Héctor! [runs up to him] The photo… I-I-I lost it!
HÉCTOR! Héctor?!
No, we can still find the photo!
Miguel, it's almost sunrise!
[The sun begins to rise; Miguel's skeleton transformation has now reached up to his face, Héctor weakly places his hand on his face.]
No, no, no. I can't leave you! I promised I put your photo up! I promised you'd see Coco!
We're both out of time, mijo. [surges yet again]
No! No! She can't forget you!
I just wanted her to know... that I loved her. [takes out a marigold petal, surging once more]
Héctor!
You have our blessing... Miguel.
[The petal glows and they contour it toward Miguel]
No, Papá Héctor! Please!! [The dead Riveras and Dante mourn sadly] No...! [panting sadly]
Go home. [smiles and surges one final time]
I promise I won't let Coco forget you! [the petal touches him] AHH!!
[A flash of petals, and the view fades to white; Miguel wakes up in the mausoleum and flees for home with the skull guitar in hand.]
