Bustle Exclusive
WithPlayers,the Golden Globe winner expands her romantic oeuvre.
Shes unbothered and in charge until Selenas Dreaming of You stops her in her tracks.
The song reminds her of a recent breakup.
She pauses, takes a few calming breaths, and then begins to sing along.
Its no surprise that Rodriguez soars here.
A decade later, the actor leads ABCshit supernatural sitcomNot Dead Yet.
And this Valentines Day, she continues her long-term relationship with love stories in Netflixs new filmPlayers.
And you might call this one a friendmance, Rodriguez tells Bustle.
But still,Playerslargelycenters the squad.
Its super cool that the ringleader is this girl, Rodriguez says.
And she [has] this feminine prowess, and she takes love and sex in her control.
Thats just not seen often.
Its a dynamic that drew Rodriguez, who also serves as the films executive producer, to the script.
Mack workshops all these plays in her love life.
Have you ever borrowed any tips from a rom-com?
No, I was never that creative.
If I want something, I dont play games to get it.
I was a chameleon.
I could be anything anyone wanted me to be.
But that wasnt really sustainable.
It got me into relationships that werent good for me.
But I wish I was more of a player.
What rom-coms did you fall in love with growing up?
I lovePretty Woman.I know howcontroversialthat is now, butman,it was freakin good.
[Roberts] is so gorgeous, just effortless.
And anything Sandra Bullock is in.
She took the rom-com and made it action.
She really revised the [genre] for me and took it outside of the box.
Id also sayNotting HillandLove Actually, and old-school ones likeSleepless in Seattle.
Do rom-com auditions differ from other genres?
It doesnt change how I approach them.
My audition process is always to find the humanity in the character.
Theres nothing more convincing than [an actor] who believes the things theyre saying.
You have to love the person youre playing.
Theres so much talk about the rom-com renaissance.Someone Greatwas definitely part of that.
What do you think about the state of the genre?
Well, I think rom-coms are timeless.
We love them because we love to laugh and we love to cry.
But whats been really exciting about the genre is thatnew people have been able to tell the story.
Its coming from a new lens just as human, just as relatable.
Since youve starred in several love stories, how do you ensure to nail the on-screen kiss?
Ive had a really, really lucky journey when it comes to kissing people on screen.
Ive been paired with some pretty incredible human beings, both male and female.
The way to not make it awkward is not to get your feelings involved.
You never take it past just the kiss.
Whats your favorite romance trope?
The best friends falling in love.
I love it so much.
It never gets old.
Its like,yes,they fell in love.Yes,theyre best friends.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
