For us to showcase this character who is a core member of the ensemble, who’s not going anywhere, who is happy, who has friends, a chosen family that she loves, and who is successful in her life, is something I never saw growing up on television. I never thought a happy ending could be for me. And now I am playing someone who is out, who is bi, and who is going to succeed. There’s a beautiful line that Captain Holt, played by Andre Braugher, says in the show. He says, “Every time someone says who they are, it makes the world a better, more interesting place.”
Stephanie Beatriz accepts the GLAAD Media Awards for Brooklyn Nine-Nine
stephanie beatriz
Not to say that my story is the same as Rosa’s at all. It’s not. But there were things that we wanted and thought would be really important — like the word itself: bisexual. To me, that’s an important word in my coming out. I know that not all people are totally celebratory of that word because it’s from a time where it was like these two genders — that’s all there is. And now there’s a lot more flexibility and fluidity in sexuality, which is why sometimes I gravitate toward the word queer as well. For me, bisexuality includes people that are trans, it can include people who identify in different kind of ways. But for Rosa, there was a point for her where she heard that word somewhere along the line and she saw herself in that word, so for her, it was important for her to identify in that way. I suggested that that word was really important to Rosa and that it also would be really important to the bi community to have that word said aloud on TV. Not just a suggestion that she dates girls now, but a clarity on this character: This is who I am, and I’d like you to know it — and accept it.
Stephanie Beatriz on Rosa coming out (x)
Gina Rodriguez tagged [Melissa Fumero and I] in this Facebook post, and was like ‘I’m so proud of these Latinas that are killing it!’ And I was like, ‘Oh my god! I guess I’ll friend Melissa.’ And we were friends on the internet before we even met in real life.
Now, I had a google alert for Brooklyn Nine-Nine because I had auditioned and then gone for a screen test, and then gone for a second screen test, and I was waiting to hear… And I had a google alert, and it came up that Melissa had been cast in the show.
And I was so happy to see a Latina on the show, but also so devastated, because I knew… I knew there was not going to be any network that would cast both of us as ensemble leads on a show.
So I cried a lot. And I was devastated. And I showed a couple of friends at the time and I was like *imitates crying noise*, ‘I’m really happy for her but I really wanted that show.’
It was like two days later when I got the call, and I was gobsmacked.
The world is fucking changing.
And it’s such a testament to the show that they cast both of us! And not only us, but also Terry Crews and Andre Braugher – two black men in positions of power. It was sort of an amazing thing to see.
But yeah, now me and Melissa are real life friends.
