‘The Young and the Restless’: Noemí González Shares Devastating Story of Being Bullied by the Show’s Fans
Noemí González is set to star in a buzzy Netflix show that’s coming soon, but before this, one of her main claims to fame was The Young and the Restless. In an open letter she published recently, she talked about how certain fans made her feel while she was on the show.
Noemí González as Mia Rosales
González first began appearing on the show in November 2018 as Mia Rosales. She was the latest member of the Rosales family to come to town after Rey, Arturo, and Lola. Mia arrived in Genoa City to get back with her estranged husband, Rey. However, Rey had moved on with Sharon Newman. Mia just didn’t have a history with Rey, but she was also once involved with Arturo, the brother of Lola and Rey.
Mia and Rey got back together and renewed their vows, but she ended back with Arturo, sleeping with him not soon after this. Mia went as far as faking a pregnancy to keep Rey. In reality, she did actually end up getting pregnant and wasn’t sure if the father was Ray or Arturo. The child ended up being Arturo’s and after some drama, Mia and Arturo officially got together and the two of them ended up leaving town.
They left in May 2019, less than a year after González debuted. Arturo was back on the show for Lola’s wedding in August 2019, but Mia did not show up. González wrote a message on Instagram at the time to announce her departure. In the message, she thanked her fans and supporters.
“Yesterday was my last episode of Mia Rosales, and I want to thank everyone who tuned in, supported me, this iconic show, and the Rosales family,” she wrote. “But most importantly, a special thank you to the ones who saw me. Those of you from all over who sent me love and encouragement while I gave it my all in the soap world and met its loyal fans. Lord knows this was a crazy amazing chapter in my career that I won’t soon forget thanks to my new loyal loves. All this to say I see you, and I love and appreciate you. Stay tuned for what comes next!”
Noemí González shares an open letter about her experiences
Despite having a legion of fans who supported her, Gonzalez recently opened up about getting a lot of hate from viewers. In an open letter for Entertainment Tonight, González discussed her experiences in the industry and on the show in particular.
“I was fortunate to book the role of Mia Rosales on the iconic daytime drama The Young and the Restless,” she wrote. “I loved Mia. I would play her again, but only if I time traveled to the ‘80s when there was no social media. Because what I do not miss about portraying Mia is being bashed and ridiculed publicly for not being skinny, manufactured, or white enough for the soap opera demographic.”
This bullying at the hands of viewers impacted the actress’s confidence. “I began to second-guess my self-love, body shape, and what I found to be beautiful about myself,” she continued. “I was shaken. I stayed quiet. I kept my head down, stayed in the work. It was a very challenging time. But I am thankful for the growth, experience, and the fans I have gained who knew I did it all for them.”
Things are different for her upcoming project
Her last week of The Young and the Restless was the same week that she auditioned and booked her role on Netflix’s upcoming Selena: The Series. The show will cover the life of Selena Quintanilla. In the series, she will play Suzette Quintanilla, Selena’s sister. “For this role, I cut my signature long hair, changed my overall appearance, and learned how to play the drums — it was a full transformation if you ask me,” she wrote. “But I was ready to step up to represent Suzette and our beloved Selena.
This was a big change for the actress and allowed her to rethink how she perceives herself. In the letter, she noted that she no longer has “her long hair as a security blanket,” making her relearn what she loved about herself.
She explained, “I have a theory that because I was already aware of society’s unrealistic beauty expectations, my transformation was a journey of more self-love. Not having long hair and putting on extra body weight allowed me to feel liberated. Not having long hair will allow people to see all of me. I got more thick, more plump, and I felt good taking up more space just by existing. I began receiving more compliments than I expected and overt praise with how I was handling such a drastic transformation with grace.”
Advice for others
She ended the letter by giving advice to people who are reading. “I’ve never felt more fulfilled and beautiful. Looking back, it was the trifecta of my conscious learning, my decision to feel beautiful, but more than anything, it was my stance for personal fulfillment that has me feeling authentic, real, and satisfied. You can too.”
Selena: The Series debuts in December on Netflix.
