Star Mario Lopez is proud of his Hispanic roots, saying that without them, he would not have known what it takes to be achieve his goals.

"My parents ... are Mexican immigrants from Culiacan. ... From them, I learned about love for my family and the importance of working to achieve your dreams," Lopez said in an interview with EFE.

The "Extra" host says family values were especially engraved in his upbringing.

"My roots have been essential because they inculcated in me the fact that family is the number one priority," Lopez said in Spanish "with a bit of an American accent," according to EFE.

Now, the 41-year-old has kids of his own. Lopez is making efforts to make sure that both of his kids know the language of their culture.

"Gia, 4, is taking Spanish classes and Nico, 18 months, talks in Spanish," Lopez said.

Eventually, Lopez hopes to do a work of his own in Spanish.

"I can't say who I'd like to work with because there's so much talent, but I'd certainly like to do something in Spanish," he said.

Recently, Lopez released his first memoir, "Just Between Us."

"I've dedicated it to my family and to the people who have supported and inspired me over the years," Lopez said.

"Just Between Us" details various intimate details of Lopez's life from his first kiss and losing his virginity young, all the way to his two-week-long marriage that ended after raunchy photos of Lopez at his bachelor party emerged.

"I feel like you need to be completely honest, and unfiltered and put it all out there, and I did," Lopez told Fox News Latino. "Everything from my romantic life, my love life to my professional life, where I come from, being a child of immigrants, being born and raised in Chula Vista."

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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.

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