Growing up in Edinburg, South Texas near the Mexican border, Gabrielle Ruiz adored performing in her dance recitals. “I was a big ham,” she says. “I loved finding my dad in the audience with his humongous VHS camcorder.” When her father took her to see a local production of A Chorus Line, she was so inspired by the character Diana Morales, the experience helped shape her dreams. “She was a Latina. I felt like her and understood how she wanted to get out of where she was,” explains Ruiz. “I didn’t want to be a mom right away. I wanted to do something else.”
Then at 12, on her first trip to New York she saw the musical Big on Broadway. She watched in awe as dancers, singers and actors –– all triple threats –– performed on stage AND they were her age. “That lightbulb happened,” she recalls. “I thought, I want to do that.”
And that’s exactly what she did. Coming full circle, fresh out of Oklahoma City University she was cast as Diana Morales, for the first national tour of the revival of A Chorus Line. That lead to being in the Broadway musical In the Heights (created by Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda). She played several roles, including Nina. And who played her mother? Ruiz’s idol, Pricilla Lopez who originated the role of Diana Morales on Broadway in A Chorus Line. “She inspired me to be a performer,” says Ruiz.
These days Ruiz is earning raves as Josh’s yoga teacher girlfriend, Valencia, in the hit musical comedy series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend on the CW Television Network. Ruiz particularly adores the deliciously creative original songs in each episode. ”I love the collaboration of the music,” she says. “It feeds into the energy and craziness of what Rachel Bloom’s character, Rebecca Bunch, is going through.”
The actress shared seven cool things about herself.
She got to act alongside her idol, Priscilla Lopez.
“A month before my rehearsals for the national tour of A Chorus Line, I celebrated by seeing In the Heights on Broadway. I was 21 and had my business card in my back pocket. I stood at the stage door of the Richard Rogers Theater. My idol, Pricilla Lopez, who originated the role of Diana Morales in a Chorus Line and inspired me to be a performer, was in In the Heights. A guy named Lin-Manuel Miranda passed me. {Lin-Manuel Miranda, the show show’s creator would go on to create Hamilton.} I was clueless and naïve. I yelled out, “Priscilla Lopez, Priscilla Lopez. I’m going to be you.” She looked at me, and said, “okay” smiled and was very nice. I thought, I’ve been preparing to meet this woman for 10 years and that’s what I said?! I was mortified.
After doing A Chorus Line for a year, I was cast in In the Heights. I remember saying to myself, I have a second chance. I’m not going to be a fan. I’m going to be a colleague. I actually understudied the role of Nina playing Priscilla Lopez’s daughter, which was very special. After about two and a half years I finally told her the story and asked, “Would you mind signing my Diana Morales sneakers?” She wrote… “To Diana from Morales.” My soul was so satisfied.”
And there’s more! Priscilla Lopez, her idol, became her cat sitter … and a really good one!
“I was dating a guy who was doing a play with Priscilla at the Old Globe theater in San Diego. He was also in In the Heights. By then my relationship with Pricilla had been close. We all knew each other. I went to visit for about two weeks and took my cat. When the guy and I went out of town for a weekend Priscilla cat sat for me. I remember texting her, “how are things going?” And she replied, “oh she’s cool, we’re watching Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I clean out her litter twice a day.” I thought, twice a day? You’re better than I am! I had to learn how to take care of my cat from Priscilla Lopez.”
She was Rachel Bloom’s first girl kiss.
“I am very proud and honored. The club scene was my first episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Rachel and I hit it off right away. We improvised well and laughed a lot. Then we shot the kissing scene at the end of the week. Rachel is so hilarious and outgoing. In all her songs and scenes she doesn’t ask for permission. She’s the first one to talk about something dirty. She’s so funny in the most loving way. So when it comes out of her, you laugh and might be shocked. But you just think, okay. Rachel is a real person. She wants to talk about geeking out to musical theater. She’s just a buddy.
When we had our kissing scene, I said, ‘I’m comfortable kissing you. Are you comfortable kissing me?’ It’s never bothered me. She got a little shy and giggly. She said, ‘Gabrielle, you’re my first girl kiss.’ Then we both got squeamish and giggly. But it was so much fun. Her eyes lit up like, let’s go for it.”
She met her fiancé on Match.com
“I went to a house warming party and realized I knew 80 percent of the people. Out of that 80 percent, most of the guys were not available. I remember looking around and thinking, I’ve got to change my odds. I need to get out of my comfort zone.
I thought I would be the last person to try online dating because I’m not an introvert. I get myself out there and like to be around friends. But literally and metaphorically, I needed a screen in front of me to find my soul mate. My fiancé is not an actor. I love that I can’t do what he does. We get each other’s work, support each other and feel very lucky to understand the craziness of both our careers.”
She officially has Bieber Fever.
“Justin Bieber’s last album has completely changed my point of view. I feel like we’ve grown up together. His songs get in my head in a way that I really enjoy. I just groove to them. I was in denial about for a few months and then all of a sudden I proclaimed to my girlfriends. “I have Bieber Fever!” I think it was the “Sorry” song first. I just kept singing, “Is it too late now to say sorry…” over and over. Then I heard “Love Yourself” and “What Do You Mean.” I don’t know who he hired to mix his music but he’s doing it right.”
Being in In the Heights was transforming.
“It really solidified my pride of being a Latina. I grew up in South Texas on the border of Mexico. There’s a scene in the movie Selena where Mexicans want her to come and cross over. Her father’s monologue is a perfect description of my culture in Texas. He says the Mexicans want you to be Mexican. The Americans want you to be American. It’s exhausting. My first day at In the Heights Eliseo Roman, who is now in On Your Feet!, saw me. He said, ‘she’s a Mexicana’. No one knew that I was Mexican, except in my community. It took me the experience of getting away from my culture to love it as much.
Cher is her dream role –– all five decades.
I remember seeing Moonstruck and loving it so much. Then I learned more about Cher as a singer. She’s actually my favorite karaoke choice and also one my top people to follow on Twitter. Cher is very entertaining. I connect with her history of her major ups and major downs. Not only is she stunning, she’s very inspiring. There were a few rumors that there was going to be a musical about her. It goes to show that she’s fascinating and magical. And every time I flip through magazines and see a picture of her, whatever era she’s in, it’s by far my favorite picture. If there was ever a film or Lifetime movie made about her, I am ready to play her.
Learn more about Gabrielle Ruiz at gabrielleruiz.net . Crazy Ex-Girlfriend was just picked up for a second season. Catch up on season one here.
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