Gina Rodriguez Reveals Which Movie Inspired Her To Become An Actress

In an interview at The Hollywood Reporter’s roundtable along with comedy actresses Lily Tomlin, Rachel Bloom, Allison Janney and Niecy Nash, "Jane the Virgin" star Gina Rodriguez revealed which film made her want to become an actress.

Rodriguez explained that she had been a salsa dancer for 10 years, from seven to 17 years old, and she knew she wanted to be on stage and perform. “I saw ‘Dirty Dancing’ and I was like, ‘No, no...I gotta get inside that screen and I gotta dance with Patrick Swayze (God rest his soul)… But I just would always be like, catch me!”

When Tomlin was asked why and when she started caring about money, she said now, “Lots of practical things come into play.” Rodriguez echoed the sentiment explaining why she’s still at the stage where she does not really care. “I definitely don't, either. I was nowhere to turn down projects before Jane, and I did. I grew up poor, and money is only good for one thing, and that's spending. It doesn't fill my integrity. So I feel you on that."

Just like Helen Mirren recently thanked Jennifer Lopez and the Kardashians for redefining beauty standards, Rodriguez explained how she should have valued her curves before. “When I was 16, I had a big booty, and then I grew up, and now everybody is trying to get booties like the Kardashians, and I'm like, ‘Wait, I had it all along,’” the actress said laughing. “But hey, I'm glad it's trendy now. Because I play a virgin on TV, what I get is people desiring to tell me their specific sexual orientation or if they're currently having sex or if they are themselves a virgin.”