Gina Rodriguez is an American actress who rose to fame for her role as Jane Villanueva in the CW comedy-drama series Jane the Virgin, for which she won a Golden Globe Award in 2015. She is also known for her roles in films such as Filly Brown, Annihilation, Miss Bala, Someone Great, and Awake. But who is the woman behind the screen? What is her background, lifestyle, relationship status, and pregnancy news? Here is a brief overview of Gina Rodriguez’s life and career.
Background
Gina Rodriguez was born on July 30, 1984, in Chicago, Illinois, as the youngest daughter of Puerto Rican parents, Magali and Genaro Rodriguez. Her father was a boxing referee and her mother was a homemaker. She has two older sisters, Ivelisse and Rebecca, who are an investment banker and a doctor, respectively.
She grew up in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood on Chicago’s Northwest Side, where she learned to love salsa dancing, music, and theater. She attended St. Ignatius College Prep, where she excelled in academics and extracurricular activities. She then went on to study at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2005.
Career
Gina Rodriguez started her career in 2003 in theater productions and made her screen debut in an episode of Law & Order in 2004. She later appeared in shows such as Eleventh Hour, Army Wives, The Mentalist, and The Bold and the Beautiful. Her breakthrough came in 2012, when she played young hip-hop artist Majo Tenorio in the independent musical-drama film Filly Brown, for which she won an Imagen Award and received critical acclaim.
She then landed the lead role of Jane Villanueva in the CW series Jane the Virgin in 2014, which was loosely based on the Venezuelan telenovela Juana la Virgen.
The show was a hit among critics and audiences, and earned Rodriguez a Golden Globe Award, three more nominations, and several other accolades. She also became a role model and an advocate for the Latinx community, as she used her platform to speak out on issues such as representation, diversity, immigration, and education.
Rodriguez has also starred in various films, such as Deepwater Horizon (2016), a disaster film based on the 2010 oil spill; Ferdinand (2017), an animated comedy based on the children’s book; Annihilation (2018), a sci-fi thriller based on the novel; Miss Bala (2019), an action film based on the Mexican film;
Someone Great (2019), a romantic comedy that she also produced; Scoob! (2020), an animated reboot of the Scooby-Doo franchise; Awake (2021), a dystopian thriller; I Want You Back (2022), a romantic comedy; and Spy Kids: Armageddon (2023), a reboot of the Spy Kids franchise.
She also voiced the titular character of the Netflix animated series Carmen Sandiego (2019–21) and starred and executive produced the Disney+ series Diary of a Future President (2020–21). In 2023, she began starring in and executive producing the ABC comedy series Not Dead Yet.
Lifestyle
Gina Rodriguez is known for her vibrant and confident style, both on and off the screen. She loves wearing colorful and trendy outfits that reflect her personality and mood. She is also an advocate for body positivity and mental health awareness, as she has opened up about her struggles with thyroid disease, anxiety, and depression.
She follows a healthy and balanced diet, and stays fit by engaging in various physical activities, such as boxing, yoga, and hiking. She also likes spending time with her family, friends, and pets, and traveling to different places.
Relationship
Gina Rodriguez is happily married to her husband, Joe LoCicero, since 2019. LoCicero is an actor and a mixed martial arts fighter, who has appeared in shows such as The Bold and the Beautiful and Kingdom. The couple met on the set of Jane the Virgin in 2016, where LoCicero played a stripper hired for Jane’s bachelorette party. They became friends and then started dating.
They got engaged in August 2018 and tied the knot on May 4, 2019, at the Drummond ranch, with their wedding documented for a Food Network special. They had a romantic honeymoon in the Maldives, where they enjoyed the tropical paradise. They are now living in Dallas, Texas, where they work and enjoy their married life.
Pregnancy
Gina Rodriguez is pregnant and expecting her first child with LoCicero. She announced the news on her 38th birthday, July 30, 2022, on Instagram, where she shared a montage of photos and videos with her husband, including a clip of them showing off the positive pregnancy test.
She captioned the post, “This birthday hits different.” She received congratulatory messages from her fans and fellow celebrities, such as Viola Davis, Jordin Sparks, and Brittany Snow. She also joked that she was taking bets on whether her baby or her new show, Not Dead Yet, would arrive first. She has not revealed the gender or the due date of her baby yet.
Conclusion
Gina Rodriguez is a talented actress with a passionate voice and a personal story. She has achieved success and recognition for her roles in Jane the Virgin and other films and shows, and has used her platform to inspire and empower her fans and her community.
She has also faced challenges and hardships, such as thyroid disease, anxiety, depression, and fake news. She has overcome them with courage and grace, and has shown resilience and optimism. She is a woman who is not afraid to be herself, and who is always striving to grow and improve. She is a role model for many people, and a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry.