Gina Rodriguez Gets Golden Globe Win And Validation For Latina Actresses Everywhere

Gina Rodriguez couldn’t hold back her tears as she accepted the Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy.

It was Gina’s breakout role in Jane The Virgin that earned her the award, and thanks to critical acclaim, the show has already been renewed by the CW for a second season. For Gina Rodriguez, this award was about far more than her personal recognition or assuring that she’d have a stable acting role.

In her own words, winning meant so much more.

“This award is so much more than myself. It represents a culture that wants to see itself as heroes. [T]he nomination alone was a win for me because it allowed our culture, it allowed Latinos to see themselves in a beautiful light. [I]’m definitely part of the testament that it’s changing. It’s not only something that I see, but something I experience everyday.”

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Gina Rodriguez had spoken about the hope that her role on Jane could be used as a vehicle for real social change in how Latinos are cast in Hollywood. Rodriguez has said in the past that she aspires to be the “Latina Meryl Streep” in that she wanted to be respected for her acting prowess.

Gina has also talked about wanting to avoid the stereotype trap that greets many Latina actresses who are often expected to play maids or “fiery Latinas” due to the casual racism that still exists in the industry. She admitted that she passed on a part in Devious Maids because she wanted a non-stereotypical leading role.

“I became an actor to change the way I grew up. The way I grew up, I never saw myself on-screen. I have two older sisters. One’s an investment banker. The other one is a doctor, and I never saw us being played as investment bankers.

[I] realized how limiting that was for me.

I would look at the screen and think, ‘Well, there’s no way I can do it because I’m not there.’ And it’s like as soon as you follow your dreams, you give other people the allowance to follow theirs.

I wanted [‘Jane the Virgin’] to be a story that was going to liberate young girls and say, ‘Wow, there we are too, and we’re the doctors, and we’re the teachers, and we’re the writers, and we’re the lawyers, and I can do that too.”

It will probably be some time before Gina Rodriguez has her dream fully realized. However, with this role and this win, Rodriguez can consider herself a part of a very real push for social change and onscreen representation of Latinos.

Her win is also big for CW, which ended up being the only network on non-cable television to snag a major award. The likes of CBS, FOX, and NBC couldn’t overcome the often more no-holds-barred storytelling found this past year on networks like Showtime, FX, and even Amazon.

What’s especially interesting is that though Gina Rodriguez took part in a show that was initially quite controversial, Rodriguez was able to win over viewers with an everyday character that anyone could relate to.

And that is probably the greatest victory of all for Rodriguez.

[Image Credit: Clevver News]