Gina Rodriguez, who rose to fame for playing the part of Jane Villanueva on the acclaimed series "Jane The Virgin," is starting her work as a producer with a couple of new projects lined up.
The 33-year-old actress has founded her own Production Company where she hopes to create stories of underrepresented communities. The organization, named "I Can and I Will," wants to share art that displays diversity front and center in an effort to make Hollywood more inclusive. In order to do so, the company is starting development of two new projects at CBS and the CW featuring Latinos.
For years this is all I wanted to do. Bring Latino stories to the screen to create love, tolerance and empathy. LATINOS STAND UP! https://t.co/3AU6ysD6P1
— Gina Rodriguez (@HereIsGina) September 6, 2017
Untold stories
Rodriguez, who's of Puerto Rican descent, is very passionate about fighting to end the lack of diversity in Hollywood, and that's why she has made it her mission to help Latino stories get a platform. Last year, after the Oscars failed to nominate any actors of color, she decided to create the hashtag "Movement Mondays" on Instagram. This movement is meant to showcase artists of different cultural backgrounds in order to create more support for them and their work.
But this time around she has her own production company, and she's ready to get to work.
Rodriguez is producing a new project with the CW named "Illegal" and based on the life of Rafael Agustin. Agustin was born in Ecuador, but he moved at a young age to the United States with his family, where he grew up undocumented.
Deadline explains that the series will be a "light one-hour about sixteen-year-old Rafael", and about how his life changed when he found out his immigration status.
Agustin wrote the project and described it as an "undocumented family sitcom." Rafael is also a co-executive producer of the new show.
IT'S OFFICIAL @HereIsGina and I sold our first TV show based on my life as a former undocumented student #DefendDACA https://t.co/OQVdGhcStJ
— Rafael Agustín (@MrRafaelAgustin) September 6, 2017
The other project, "I Can and I Will" is a drama that will feature a Latina doctor who opens a clinic in her home to help her neighbors after she immigrates to Miami and is not permitted to practice medicine.
According to Variety, the show will be based on the format of "Dr. Illegal," a German TV series (2015) about a doctor who practices medicine illegally in order to help people looking for asylum at a hostel.
Words of wisdom
In line with Gina's beliefs, the name of her production company originated from advice given to her by her father.
In January of 2015, during her acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, the actress shared the touching words of her dad, "My father used to tell me to say every morning, 'Today is going to be a great day. I can and I will.' Well, Dad, today is a great day. I can and I did." At the ceremony, Rodriguez won "Best Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy."
