A conversation came up at work the other day about the actresses considered to be “America’s Sweethearts.” The usual suspects were named like Sandra Bullock, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Garner. Then, Gina Rodriguez came up. I don’t think anyone agreed with me but I consider Gina Rodriguez to be in this category of America’s Sweethearts. Hear me out.
No, Gina Rodriguez does not have the accolades that Sandra, Reese and Jennifer have (yet). It could be argued that she’s not even A-list (yet.) Ask a person you know who isn’t tapped into celebrity news or who hasn’t mainlined all four seasons of Jane The Virgin and they probably don’t know who Gina Rodriquez is. But to me, Gina Rodriguez is the closest we have to a young starlet who could easily play Gracie Hart in a reboot of Miss Congeniality. For the record, I am not asking for this. I am just saying that Gina could pull it off. She’s the perfect romantic comedy leading lady. She’s beautiful, funny and relatable, and her ability to cry on cue is uncanny. All of these things are why I was so excited that Gina Rodriguez will be starring in and producing a new Netflix rom-com called Someone Great.
The movie was written and directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and this is her directorial debut. The Hollywood Reporter describes it like this:
Someone Great centers on a woman who, after a heart-wrenching break-up, decides to seek adventure in New York City with her two best friends before she moves across the country for her dream job. The story is described as being about loss, growing up and, above all, the everlasting bond of female friendships.
This is what happens when women are behind the camera as well as in front. This is why Duana yelled at me last time I worried about Gina Rodriquez’s professional prospects. Of course, she’s choosing good sh-t. This movie sounds like good sh-t. The above blurb is a synopsis of a romantic comedy and there is not one mention of a man or a love interest. It’s about a career-driven woman leaning on her girlfriends after heartbreak. I love it already. I assume there will be a male lead in there somewhere but it’s clearly not about him. They need to start filming this, ASAP.
You know what Sandra, Reese and Jennifer all have in common – other than the obvious? They have all starred in classic rom-coms. Watching them fall in love made the world fall in love with them. I’m telling you, Gina is one rom com away from solidifying her sweetheart status.
Attached - Gina at the Costume Designers Guild Awards last week.
