Gina Rodriguez on Cutting Her Signature Long Hair: "I Rediscovered My Beauty"

Updated on Aug 10, 2016 at 9:00 AM

If she isn't already, it's time to make Gina Rodriguez your celebrity role model. The 32-year-old Puerto Rican-American actress, who skyrocketed to fame following her popular role as Jane on the CW's hit TV show, Jane the Virgin, has evolved into an advocate, activist, and all-around symbol of confidence in the often cutthroat entertainment industry.

We can't get enough of her positive vibes, and as Health's gorgeous September 2016 cover star, Gina opens up about everything from her inspirational career and #MovementMondays to her crush on Tom Hardy and even her biggest fears (spoiler: the dentist is one of them!). Read on for a sneak peek at Gina's best quotes from her eye-opening interview with the magazine, and then relive her enviable Hollywood evolution.

On what makes her feel sexy: "When I'm making people laugh, I feel like a little sex goddess."
On cutting her hair: "What I realized is that I rediscovered my beauty, and it does not live in my hair. It doesn't live in makeup and it doesn't live in clothes and it doesn't live in my weight . . . . It's been awesome to rediscover part of myself where I don't have to rely on anything but my character, my heart, my mind and my intelligence, which are what make me beautiful."
On her high school days: "I looked like a little boy. I didn't get my period until I was 16. I went to school with all the wealthy kids, and I was on financial aid, and they all seemed to grow up a lot quicker than I did. So it was difficult. These kids had Mercedes at 16. It was surreal to think, 'Why isn't this my life?' But it made me work harder because I wanted it, too, and I knew I was gonna be able to get it: 'Oh, this is not my life, but it will be one day.'"
On staying grounded: "When you're blessed to live out your dreams, there is a responsibility to share your path and also excite and enlighten others. We do not live in this world alone. It disheartens me when I see artists take that for granted because I'm like, 'You've been given this platform for power, but where does your power lie? What kind of change can you create while you're given this little fraction of time on earth?'"
On #MovementMondays: "I'm not trying to change the world with it; I'm trying to inspire the little girl or boy out there who doesn't feel like he or she belongs — to remind them, 'Look at all the heroes you have to look up to.' I can use my platform to represent another community that feels like they haven't been heard. I want to generate love, positivity and support."
On her ultimate piece of advice: "All of those thoughts, 'I'm not pretty enough, smart enough, strong enough,' only exist within you. If you don't feel like you're strong enough, start working on your strength . . . Let's start breaking these thoughts down and understand where the illusion lies, where the truth lies, where your control is and what you can do to make it better. Now, when somebody tells me no, I say, 'OK, thank you. I'm gonna look for the yes. Your no doesn't end my world.'"
On managing her Hashimoto's disease: "If I can at least walk for 30 minutes a day, it's extremely helpful for my thyroid gland. Running, boxing, jump rope, and hitting the heavy bag are my workout constants. It's always been a battle for me with weight . . . It actually became a blessing because then I got to represent not only women and Latinas but also women who are dealing with this disease. I'm gluten-free, which is the most difficult thing in the world because, like Oprah, I love bread!"