Gina Rodriguez picks powerful roles over money

Gina Rodriguez will never allow herself to be held back by "limitations" in the industry.

As the Jane the Virgin actress' fame continues to grow, Gina promises she’ll never take her success for granted. In 2015 she won a Golden Globe for her performance in the hit TV show and also has big screen movies like Deepwater Horizon under her belt. And the 32-year-old, whose parents are Puerto Rican, knows just how lucky she is to be playing such powerful parts.

"My path wasn't laid out for me in my family or my culture, because there are so few of us in the industry. That's how my whole career happened," she explained to Marie Claire. "Your eyes are open; you don't know what the next answer is going to be, but you're open. And you take every opportunity that comes your way.

"I decided I was going to take roles that progressed the image of Latinos in the industry, and I was going to choose those roles over money. I wanted to make sure I was contributing positively and not allowing limitations to dampen my experiences and my journey."

Gina's parents fully supported her desire to become an actress, even when times were tough for the family. Growing up in a poor household the star remembers how there were "no extras" to enjoy, and how focused her mother and father were on their children's education. One mantra passed on by her dad Genaro has stuck with her to this day, and she even repeated it during her Golden Globes speech: "Today is going to be a great day. I can and I will."

"(When) opportunities I have now didn't seem so accessible, I still knew that I was capable of going after anything I wanted - whether or not I accomplished my goal," she recalled, noting the only thing holding a person back is themselves. "You are going to fail, but hopefully you have the opportunity to fail big. How great is it that I am given the chance to fail miserably?"

Gina is nominated for her third Golden Globe for Jane the Virgin at the 2017 ceremony.