Gina Rodriguez Is Using Her Emmys Campaign Money to Send a Student to College
Gina Rodriguez deserves to be considered for an Emmy for her role as Jane Villanueva in The CW’s Jane the Virgin. But while other stars are launching pricey campaigns to try to clinch a nomination, Rodriguez is spending the money CBS TV Studios has allotted for her to fund a college scholarship for an undocumented high school student.
“FYC is a bizarre dance,” Rodriguez told The Hollywood Reporter. “Whatever you do requires an insane amount of money.” (FYC refers to “For Your Consideration” campaigns, which are meant to highlight shows to voters.)
That’s why, this year, she decided to use the funds provided to her by the studio to make a difference. “Our show has always jumped at any opportunity to help me do something for the Latinx community,” she explained to THR. “So I asked my showrunner, Jennie [Snyder Urman], if we could do something different with the money this year.” That’s when they came up with the idea for the scholarship.
The actress worked with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles to find the perfect eligible student, a young woman who is headed to Princeton University and will now have all four years of her tuition covered.
Rodriguez explained why she chose to go public with her decision to use her Emmy campaign fund for the scholarship, saying, “It’s taboo to talk about the money being spent, but it’s the reality. I think sharing this might inspire other people to do something similar. You can desire recognition and, at the same time, decide to not play in the confines of the game as it’s set up.”
What do you think about Gina Rodriguez using her Emmy campaign money to send a student to college? Let us know @BritandCo!
(photo via Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
