It’s incredibly difficult to make an audience fall in love with a television character. The audience doesn’t know this person, they have an hour each week to try and hook us and convince us that they are worth our time. While it’s extremely difficult to fall in love with a character we watch week after week you can imagine how impossible it is to fall in love with a character of a show that hasn’t even premiered yet. Somehow Gina Rodriguez did that.
After one press event at the TCA’s Rodriguez managed to make America fall in love with her, and make them anxiously await the arrival of her new series, JANE THE VIRGIN.
JANE THE VIRGIN follows the life of Jane an adorable, innocent, virgin who is accidently artificially inseminated during a routinely visit with her OBGYN. Raphael, the father is also the man who gave Jane her first kiss. Hooked yet? You should be! I had the chance to catch up with the immensely talented actress about her audition for the role of Jane, her experience at the TCA’s, and what scene she’s most excited for this season.
How was your audition? What drew you to the role?
Gina Rodriguez: The role, the script, Jennie’s brilliance and ability to capture the Latino American experience so authentically is what drew me to the role. My audition was with Alyson from casting and Jennie. I was the third to go in, I felt like I nailed it, I turned to Jennie and said, “Want me to do it differently?” She responded “no it’s ok I’ll see you again”. “Promise?” She kept to her promise 🙂
What can you tell us about Jane?
Jane is smart, real and really down to earth, strong, sees the good in the world and people around her and Jane is after a life she always dreamed. Because of her upbringing she really knows her worth and refuses to allow anything or one to stop her to living a truthful dreamt life. Jane is awesome; I wish I were more like Jane.
Did you know while you were shooting it that it would blow up as much as it has? Did you ever think it would receive so much praise and support from the critics?
I like to focus on the work. It’s easy to get swept up in the love and it’s great, shoot it’s beyond great but I keep my head down, send my prayers up and focus on the work. My mom says cream always rises to the top, so I knew that if we gave it our all-only good would come. We did that and now we have great, stupendous, out of this world support. So we got to keep focusing on that, the work.
What you said at the TCA’s gained you a lot of fans. It’s not everyday people support a show so much that hasn’t even premiered yet. Why do you think people are supporting this show as much as they are?
I believe that when you do good work good things come. I believe all the people involved with this project are committed to putting out love, respect and honor in the industry and when you release that energy it comes back to you. It’s a new take on the American Latino perspective and it’s relatable to anyone, which I think is what blows people away at times. And because it’s a good show, the writing is damn good. Jennie Urman and her team of Jane writers are so talented it’s undeniable. To me that’s where the precedence is set and they set it high, so we are just working to give good performances to a project that has monster writers!
Is there a specific scene this season you are excited for the fans to see?
Man, that’s a tough one. So much good content. So much juice. So many times we got to stretch and fly as actors. The drama is so grounded in reality and heart breaking and the comedy especially anything involving my TV oops Jaime Camil is beyond hysterical. I can’t wait to see which scenes the fans like most!
Describe Jane the Virgin in 3 words!
Confident, independent badass that lives life to the beat of her own drum. That’s way more than three!
You can watch Gina tonight on the series premiere of JANE THE VIRGIN at 9:00 on The CW.
Photo Credit: Lesley Bryce Photography