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Gina Rodriguez is an actor with a great deal of experience in everything from TV shows to theater productions. She also won’t be silenced when it comes to issues that she cares about, like sexism in Hollywood. In 2015, the star joined a panel of other successful women to talk about her own experiences with sexism. Rodriguez spoke about one audition where she was actually asked to don a skintight dress as part of the process. 

What did Gina Rodriguez say about an awkward audition?

gina rodriguez
Actress Gina Rodriguez speaks onstage during the Marie Claire Young Women’s Honors presented by Clinique at Marina del Rey Marriott on November 19, 2016 in Marina del Rey, California. | Rich Polk/Getty Images for Young Women’s Honors

In a 2015 roundtable interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Rodriguez opened up about her experiences with sexism in Hollywood. “I was up for a role and auditioned in character. They’re like, ‘We love her. But can she come back in with a tight black dress?’ I said, ‘That doesn’t make any sense for the character,” Rodriguez explained, according to BuzzFeed.

“They were like, ‘We need to know if you’re pretty enough to be on the cover of a magazine,'” Rodriguez added. She said the experience made her feel lesser-than and marginalized. Even though she was an industry professional at the time and was well-versed in playing a wide variety of characters.

Gina Rodriguez is open about body image and sexism in Hollywood

Rodriguez knows there’s a lot of pressure on women in the entertainment industry to look a certain way. And she’s even admitted that she’s dealt with some issues because of that. In an interview with Yahoo, Rodriguez revealed, “Of course I’ve fallen into the pressure. Of course I’ve fallen into the culture.” According to HuffPost, Rodriguez said that over time, she’s come to accept her body and understand that it’s okay not to look like a supermodel. Even in an industry that tends to glorify ultra-thinness.

“You go to television and film, and, it does add 10 pounds, and I don’t look like a skinny mini, and the truth is that’s OK too, and that is beautiful also,” Rodriguez noted. The actor doesn’t just talk the talk. She walks the walk, regularly speaking out on behalf of organizations that promote diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. According to People Magazine, she even founded her own production company, I Can and I Will, which works to create projects with minority and Latin representation in front of and behind the camera.

What is Gina Rodriguez best known for?

Rodriguez is known for her hit series Jane the Virgin, which aired from 2014 through 2019. But she got her start long before that. Rogriguez began acting in theater productions in the early 2000s, making the transition to television roles not long after. While she managed to land a number of small roles in TV shows such as Law & Order, she got her big break in 2012, when she acted in the independent film drama Filly Brown.

According to IMDb, Rodriguez earned critical and commercial acclaim for Jane the Virgin, even winning a Golden Globe Award in 2015 for her acting in the popular drama series. She’s also acted in many movies as well, including Kajillionaire, Annihilation, and Someone Great. Rogriguez has earned a reputation as a versatile performer with the ability to handle comedy scenes effortlessly. She’s also socially conscious, a fact that many of her fans and followers appreciate.

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