Gina Rodriguez insists she is more than just her looks.
Gina Rodriguez
The 32-year-old actress has shaved part of her hair for her role as Anya Thorensen, a lesbian paramedic from Chicago who helps save the world in upcoming action movie 'Annihilation' but she isn't upset by the dramatic change in her appearance because it is important for her work and it is insignificant in the grand scheme of things
She said: "I am not my beauty. Who I am is not my f***ing hair, and to be an actor is to transform.
"To represent a community is to commit, to give my entire all. So if I'm going to represent Latinos in the industry and in art, if I'm going to represent my little cousins in Chicago, they're going to know that I went full-out. Who are we afraid of? What are we afraid of? The worst thing that can happen is we die. Anything else you can handle."
The 'Jane the Virgin' star is comfortable with her role model status and hopes to inspire other women to "take control" and be leaders.
She told Latina magazine: "A strong leader is one who creates other leaders.
"So if I am encouraging young girls to take control of their lives, to spread kindness, then I am doing the job God put me here to do. With every attempt we make within the industry, with every project I take, it will be to advance women. Not only women of colour but all women and men."
And Gina has urged Latin stars to bond together and encourage one another more instead of being pitted against each other.
Discussing Latinas in Hollywood, she said: "We are definitely helping one another. One thing that I love about Jewish culture is that anthill effect. Every ant brings food to the anthill and everybody eats. Sadly our culture has been living the crab-in-the-barrel effect. We're so afraid there isn't enough room for all of us that we fight to get to the top. We don't need to do that. There's room for all of us. We're stronger in numbers. As Latinos, we put Barack [Obama] in office. We could do the same in making sure that Donald Trump doesn't get in office. We are that strong."
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