Players. (L-R) Gina Rodriguez as Mack, Augustus Prew as Brannagan, Joel Courtney as Little and Damon ... [+]
Gina Rodriguez has made a big name for herself in Hollywood, taking on roles in all types of genres - from sci-fi (Annihilation) to thrillers (Awake, Miss Bala) to action comedy (Spy Kids: Armageddon). But rom-coms and comedy seem to be where she stands out the most.
"Comedy just has the best parts of what life is about," says Gina. "You can feel so deeply, but you can also live so lightly. And so for me, comedy is the best space to play in."
Gina exudes a fun vibe and positive energy - not only on-screen, but in person, as she talks about her latest project, the Netflix film Players, in which she plays Mack, a sportswriter who has spent years orchestrating "hook-up plays" for herself and her friends, until she realizes she wants more.
"You're seeing the actual journey of somebody deciding to change the way she's been moving through the world," Gina explains. "It's just not serving her anymore. The lack of connection is really starting to wear down on her, and she wants love and she wants connection. She wants a relationship. She wants to stop playing games. But the problem is that she started with a game."
As the story unfolds, Gina's character begins to reassess her approach to relationships when she falls for Nick (Tom Ellis, of Lucifer fame) a hunky, intellectual war correspondent, while her best friend Adam (Damon Wayans Jr.), who is obviously in love with her, waits in the wings, always looking out for her.
Players. (L-R) Gina Rodriguez as Mack and Tom Ellis as Nick in Players.
"I love romance," says Gina. "I just love the idea of somebody thinking about you before you're there, someone thinking about you while you're not there. I think that's my love language."
As an executive producer on Players, Gina also emphasizes her commitment to diversity and inclusivity in storytelling, highlighting the importance of building and being part of a talented team.
"The best thing I could have done is put myself in places where I am surrounded by people that are better than myself," Gina shares. "I surround myself with people that are stronger and funnier and have a better vision and a clearer vision and have done more so that I can learn."
Through her production company, I Can and I Will, Gina wants to amplify underrepresented voices and champion diversity in the industry.
"We live in a world that is nothing but beautiful diversity," she states. "I want to make art that reflects reality. If you see any of my projects, there's going to be somebody you relate to. I cannot be a voice for everyone in any one community, so the idea of uplifting other voices is essential."
Gina hopes audiences see that reflected in this film and all of her projects.
Players drops on Netflix on Valentine's Day, just in time to spark a conversation about love, relationships and embracing one's true self.
