Diane Guerrero isn’t quite pulling A-list attention or being stalked by paparazzi, but give the girl some time. It wasn’t that long ago that the 28-year-old’s life was in Boston and going in a completely different direction.
Guerrero is on her way to the top now. That’s evident by her back-to-back roles, first on Netflix’s prison dramedy Orange Is the New Black, followed by The CW’s breakout comedy Jane the Virgin, where Guerrero plays Jane’s BFF. Before she makes it huge and you’re just another one of the millions on her bandwagon, get to know her now and be the first to share your adoration with your friends. We have some must-know knowledge about the Colombian actress.
Diane Guerrero opens up on how her past influences her OITNB character
1) How much did she struggle before nabbing these roles?
A lot. It turns out, Guerrero was just about to throw in the towel.
“So when I got the audition, I remember I was talking to my dad, and I was like, ‘This is not going to work!'” Guerrero told Stylecaster. “I’m sure everyone will tell you when they get a part in something really special everything that happened that day, and I’m pretty sure everyone will tell you that they were ready to throw in the towel that same day, and that’s exactly how my experience went.”
2) So what was the audition like for Orange Is the New Black?
“It was cool because the breakdown [casting call] said to not wear any makeup, and to not do your hair, and to look like you just rolled out of bed,” Guerrero shared. “So I remember I just wore a T-shirt and sweatpants and put my hair up, and that was it!”
3) How does she stay cool on the red carpet?
Turns out she doesn’t. “This is why I say no to a lot of events, because I get really overwhelmed and scared, and just feel like I can’t do it,” Guerrero shared. “It’s a hassle finding something to wear and getting makeup and hair ready, and I do a lot of it myself. And then, when I am with everyone else who had their hair and makeup done, I end up feeling like, oh well, I didn’t use enough hair spray, clearly.”
4) What shows is she binge-watching?
She’s basically our television twin. “I just binge-watched New Girl,” she said. “I know I’m late to the game, but I’ve been binge-watching a lot of those shows that I let slip through my fingers. I also love Parenthood. It’s such an emotional show and I’m always thinking, ‘Can I just stop crying or can they just stop crying?’ I’m also really into Red Band Society. You’ll cry and you’ll laugh.”
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5) How has life been as a Colombian-American?
Not entirely good. When Guerrero was 14, her parents were deported back to Columbia and she was left alone in the States. “It’s something that happened where I just felt so alone and sort of abandoned,” Guerrero admitted to Fusion. “Obviously, you go through different stages of being angry at your folks, being angry at yourself, being angry at America, at your country. You go through different things and then you learn to accept it.”
6) Were there any particularly hard moments she faced on her own?
“You have no supervision, you’re kind of doing it on your own and you’re forced to just make all of these decision on your own,” she shared. “I mean, for me, picking a college was really difficult. I wish I had had my parents there kind of supervising me. But I chose well, I did OK.”
7) What’s one of the biggest celebs she’s met?
For Guerrero, it has to be Latin singer Juanes, who did the theme song for Jane the Virgin. “When he came in, I just I lost it,” Guerrero told Latina of the time Juanes dropped by the set. “And I was like, ‘Diane, just get it together, you’re fine, you’re good,’ and then he was standing right next to me!’ And all of a sudden I forgot how to speak Spanish, which was my first language — apparently, it’s not anymore. I forgot how to speak Spanish, and then all of a sudden Spanglish started coming and then that’s when I was like totally bugging out ’cause I was just bugging out. And he was so sweet to me and just so lovely, and he was telling me congratulations and I was like, ‘Umm, you’re kind of the biggest person that I’ve ever met.'”
What can we say? We’re absolutely enthralled by Guerrero’s story and her energy. We’re sure big things are ahead for this one-time craigslist-trolling actress. Jump on the bandwagon early and enjoy her ride to the top.
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