Soap It Up!

by Kimberly Davis Tarne | Angeleno magazine | January 26, 2012

During her three-episode run on Entourage, Genesis Rodríguez figured she’d only begun her long ascent up the Hollywood ladder. While the 24-year-old actress of Venezuelan and Cuban descent is already a household name in the soap opera world—she landed a six-year contract with Telemundo at the age of 16 and had a recurring role on Days of Our Lives—no one could have predicted just how quickly she’d cross over. Now that she’s starring in three big flicks in 2012, including this month’s Spanish-language comedy Casa de mi Padre and the rom-com What to Expect When You’re Expecting in May—it’s safe to assume that Rodríguez has officially arrived.

You grew up with a famous father, Venezuelan singer and actor José Luis Rodríguez (aka “El Puma”). How did this affect your career? I had no interest in show business because growing up, I felt like I had to share my dad with everyone. But after my first drama class at age 14, I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.

Is it coincidental that next month’s Casa de mi Padre, co-starring Will Ferrell, is a telenovela spoof? It’s funny that the first movie role that I landed here felt like I was paying tribute to everything else that I’ve done. It’s a good tribute to soap operas and a nice merge for my fans.

What to Expect When You’re Expecting premieres this May, but it’s been generating buzz for months. It’s a smaller role but I really wanted to be a part of it and the ensemble cast. The book has changed so many women’s lives—it’s a beautiful movie for families.

Favorite aspect of relocating to L.A. from your hometown of Miami? Once you have sushi here, you don’t want it anywhere else. I live for Matsuhisa.