The Sundance Film Festival has been known to make stars out of unknowns. Need evidence? Just have a look at Vanity Fair’s current Hollywood edition, which features five Sundance breakouts: Jennifer Lawrence, Elizabeth Olsen, Adepero Oduye, Felicity Jones and Brit Marling. You can now add the Chicago-born star of "Filly Brown," Gina Rodriguez, to that list.
Rodriguez gave one of the festival's most memorable performances as Filly Brown, a struggling emcee trying to make a name for herself while supporting her mother, who's in prison. The NYU Tisch School of the Arts graduate has an impressive slate of projects on her résumé, including a supporting turn in the teen dance comedy "Go for It!," but "Filly Brown" marks her first lead role and proves that Rodriguez is the real deal. That, and she can spit a mean flow.
Was this whole Sundance experience emotionally overwhelming for you?
It was out of control, it was so fantastic. It was overwhelming, not in a bad way, but in a really good way. It was like, "You like me, you really like me?"
There was all this amazing buzz leading up to the film and all this support from Sundance, and it was like, now is the time! When the audience liked it, and I had 60-year-old men and women come up to me and stop me, telling me the film turned them onto rap. It was hilarious. The last people you think would love my movie, fell in love with it. For me to win them over, was a godsend. It was super overwhelming.
How has settling back in to your life in Los Angeles been since leaving Park City?
Nobody stops me on the street anymore, telling me what a great job I did. So I’m back to auditioning, and being very honest with myself. It’s reality ... I’m back home now feeding my dog and eating $2.99 salads from Pavilions.
Do you have a favorite film that you caught at Sundance?
I didn’t get to see "Beasts of the Southern Wild," which I heard was stupendous. I also didn’t see "The Surrogate," which was on my radar.
I love the movie "LUV," Sheldon Candis’ movie. I thought it was really beautiful. I think there was something really powerful in it. I also really like "For Ellen," because I absolutely love Paul Dano. That kid can act like nobody’s business. And then outside the competition, the action movie "The Raid." You leave the movie and you want to kill a beanbag. It’s one of those ones, where you leave wanting to inflict pain on something. It has the best fight sequence I’ve ever seen. I want to do an action flick so bad.
Also Check Out: Our 20 Favorite Films from the Sundance Film Festival
So how did you get discovered for "Filly Brown"?
The directors had already seen me in the film "Go For It!" and they loved me in the film. They approached me, but the character was very different from Filly Brown. She was comedic and off the wall, whereas Filly Brown is very introverted. So I was instantly drawn by the fact that I could play something vastly different. That’s so important to me.
In the audition they had me bring in one of my spoken word pieces, which I was really excited about. Filly was written to be a spoken word artist, but I had heard rumors that they were going to make her into a rapper. So I told them I’d like to rap in the audition. I took a really big chance, and it paid off. They called me that night, asked me to come the next day. I came the next day, and they offered me the role. Three days later I was in the studio recording.
Filly Brown is one hell of a breakout role, but is there a "dream role" you’re dying to play?
There are so many. I dream big, baby. I want to do thrillers, I want to do smart David Lynch-type mysteries. Naomi Watts in "Mulholland Drive"… hello! I want to play intellectual roles like Diane Keaton in "Annie Hall." I want to do crazy action hero roles like Michelle Rodriguez in "Fast Five." I want to film with Quentin Tarantino. I want to work with Christopher Nolan. "Inception" is one of my favorite movies.
Mac or PC?
Mac, all day every day.
New York or L.A.?
That’s a tough one. If I was working on a project, New York. If I’m not working on a project, L.A. I can live in L.A. as a struggling artist. I cannot live in New York as a struggling artist.
Harry Potter or Twilight?
Harry Potter, duh!
Rock or rap?
Rap! Come on, baby!
Twitter or Facebook?
I’m going to go Facebook. I’m old school.
Justin Bieber or Justin Timberlake?
Justin Timberlake. I can’t look at Justin Bieber without feeling perverted. He’s such a baby.
Lady Gaga or Madonna?
Madonna.
Apples or oranges?
Oranges! Maybe it’s a hand fixation. I like to peel it and share it with friends. You can spread the love with an orange.
UFC or WWE?
UFC because I’m a boxing girl. I like it real.
