After making a significant impact on Brooklyn Nine-Nine with her character Rosa Diaz, Stephanie Beatriz found herself overwhelmed by fans sharing stories of how her role helped them come out. Interestingly, playing this character also had a profound effect on Beatriz personally.
Between 2013 and 2021, Beatriz featured prominently in a widely acclaimed police station sitcom starring Andy Samberg. This series earned a name for its progressive narratives cleverly interwoven within its humorously written episodes.
One unforgettable and profound plot development was when Rosa revealed her bisexuality during the 2017 episode titled Game Night – just a short while after the character Beatriz made a similar public revelation off-screen.
However, even though Beatriz is currently a significant figure advocating for bisexual characters in media, she originally hesitated to reveal her identity due to concerns about being dismissed or disregarded.
In acting, the goal is often to embody different individuals. The fun lies in immersing oneself in these roles – yet, as you infuse elements of your own self into these characters, it’s through this process that they truly come alive. Consequently, pieces of yourself tend to seep into the personas you portray on stage or screen.
It’s never been more evident in Beatriz’s career than with Rosa. In 2016, three years into her role, Beatriz openly declared on social media about her sexual orientation by sharing a quote from Aubrey Plaza’s interview, which stated: “I fall in love with girls and guys, I can’t help it.” Beatriz affirmed this by adding: “Indeed, that’s me.
Drawing upon personal experiences, Beatriz subtly suggested Rosa’s sexual orientation in her act and collaborated closely with the writing team to develop the character’s narrative arc.
As I bravely stepped forward and openly identified myself as bisexual during my time portraying the character Rosa Diaz on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, I couldn’t help but feel an incredible sense of joy and connection knowing that a significant portion of our LGBTQ+ fanbase seemed to intuitively understand my journey.
Audience members are quite perceptive; they can grasp even subtle hints that I’ve been giving about the character Rose’s apparent sexual orientation, and they’re quick to catch on.
For Beatriz, the focus on precision in her work stems from the lack of representation experienced by queer and especially bisexual audiences, who have long been deprived of it.
For quite some time now, we yearn for representations that truly resonate with us, devoid of excessive drama. Instead, we long for portrayals that depict the ordinary joys and everyday goodness in life.
For Beatriz, it was the effect on the audience that carried the greatest weight, rather than the direct impact on her life.
Rosa’s story arc in Brooklyn Nine-Nine meant a lot to me since I had a hand in creating it, as she puts it.
What made it truly unique was hearing people share experiences like, “I watched this with my spouse, and we had a heartfelt discussion about my sexual identity,” or “I watched this with my family, and I finally came out to them,” or “Interestingly, my mom didn’t fully grasp my bisexuality before, but after watching these episodes, she gained a deeper understanding of it.” This was particularly touching.
“I do believe that television can create social change. I think it can.”
Ever since then, Beatriz has been relentless in her efforts to increase portrayals of bisexuality on-screen and dispel numerous misunderstandings associated with it.
She intentionally chooses tasks that will strike a chord with audiences, and she’s done exceptionally well, breathing new life into cherished figures from series such as Encanto, The Legend of Vox Machina, Hazbin Hotel, Twisted Metal, and many others.
“I think [television] can start these conversations with each other,” she says.
As a passionate film critic, I must confess that addressing certain aspects of this cinematic masterpiece left me utterly speechless. Humanity’s resilience in the face of adversity is a complex and deeply moving theme that demands our utmost attention. Engaging in intimate conversations with characters, their eyes reflecting the raw emotions they grapple with, was an intense experience that I will not forget easily.
Sharing the experience of watching a movie or show together, as events unfold and we develop empathy and compassion for the characters, provides an excellent foundation for meaningful discussions with loved ones.
She mentions: “Not everyone has the means to attend therapy or theater. When I was younger, I didn’t either. Instead, my primary source of understanding the world was television, which provided me with valuable lessons.
In the upcoming events, Beatriz will once again take on her character, Quiet, for Twisted Metal season 2, posing significant and highly relevant queries to its viewers.
The scripts seem to be subtly prompting us to question, ‘Is the world operating in a manner beneficial for your existence as a human? How does everything around us function exactly?’
Do you think those in authority genuinely uphold your vision for the world, as well as support you and your family in that manner? Are they truly providing this, or are they merely putting on a show with extravagant gestures?
Twisted Metal season 1 is available to watch in the UK on Paramount+. Season 2 is coming soon.
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2025-06-12 11:34