Gina Rodriguez plays a powerful role on the CW’s hit show Jane the Virgin, and in many ways art imitates life for the rising star. Winning the Golden Globe for best actress in a comedy for that role is seemingly just the tip of the iceberg.
“The same way Jane is transforming in her life about finding out what’s real and what’s important and what makes her grounded–what’s a priority [and] what’s necessary in her life and who she wants to be–so am I,” Gina Rodriguez said during a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “There was a transformation that happened where Jane was like, ‘I do want this child; why am I talking like I don’t? I don’t want to be the woman that goes into this pregnancy with resentment or any kind of ill will toward my child.’ It’s the same way I am understanding the woman I want to be in all of this. I want to soak up every moment; I want to soak up every day; I don’t want to worry about tomorrow. And I want to make sure that I focus on the work because that’s what got me here. You know, they make jokes when I come on set, like, ‘Oh, Miss Golden Globe winner!’ But I still have to prove I’m worth that. If anything more so now, I have to show them they made the right decision.”
Rodriguez also spoke during her interview about the upcoming second half of the Jane the Virgin’s first season. What can fans expect?
“On her family. When we left Jane, she made a very big decision about dropping the lawsuit, which had felt uncomfortable to her. Her backing down from the lawsuit was about remembering what matters to her, which is really family. She has been such a militant disciplinarian [at times], and she really had to think, “Why am I doing this? To teach somebody a lesson? Over my family being safe–my grandmother being safe? Why am I the one who has to be that teacher?” That wasn’t right. We all do — we realize that we may have made a mistake, may need to re-evaluate what we’re doing. So when we come back, after Abuela [Ivonne Coll] fell down the stairs, you’re going to see just how much family means to [Jane], and just how much Michael [Brett Dier] is in love with Jane and the things that Michael will do to protect Jane,” Rodriquez explained.
Gina Rodriguez dished about Jane’s choice of Rafael over Michael.
“I really like that dichotomy of where her safety zone is, because you’ll be able to understand why she makes certain decisions when it comes to men–because of her fear. Jane has legitimate, real fears and doesn’t want to mess up. She’s got this thing about her where she’s so afraid of messing up, of missing out, of losing, of hurting someone that she holds tight. She’s going to go through a point where she’s introducing Rafael to her life–to her family–and has to make risky choices. That’s very new for Jane,” Gina said.
#JaneTheVirgin's Gina Rodriguez on Jane's Risky Future, Tackling Immigration http://t.co/QIR7OrLH9T @HereIsGina
— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 19, 2015
And she talked about the topic of immigration with regard to Jane to Virgin.
“Having an actress on our show, Diane Guerrero, who has spoken very openly about her situation with immigration and losing her family, I think it’s important to have these social commentary episodes that you’re not beating people over the head with it. Nobody likes to be beat over the head with anything. And I really like the fact that they integrated something so valuable and so important in our daily lives,” Rodriguez said.
It really does seem like there is way more to Gina Rodriguez’s Jane than a made-up character for a TV show. And even though that show is Jane the Virgin and just happens to be a new hit for the CW, that girl is way too savvy to not let art imitate life–and vice versa.