Justin Baldoni and Gina Rodriguez transitioned from portraying on-screen lovers to becoming best friends in real life.
Their friendship began on the set of Jane the Virgin, the hit show that debuted on The CW in 2014. Rooted in a Venezuelan telenovela, Jane the Virgin featured Rodriguez as Jane, a devoted virgin who unexpectedly finds herself pregnant due to a medical mix-up involving artificial insemination. Baldoni played Rafael, the father of her child.
As Jane the Virgin prepared to conclude after five successful seasons, Baldoni took a moment to reflect on the show’s significance in his life.
“What an enchanting journey @cwjanethevirgin was. Even during the audition, it was clear there was something exceptionally special about it,” Baldoni shared on Instagram in 2019. “It’s a longer story to tell, but from the outset, our goal was to serve through our work. Much love to @hereisgina — so proud of all the incredible work she is achieving right now.”
Baldoni continued to applaud Rodriguez as an acting collaborator, expressing in a follow-up post, “I’m incredibly proud of my soul sister @hereisgina. I’ve watched her craft magic for the past five years, witnessing the dedication she brings both on screen and off to effect positive change.”
He continued: “The business deals in between scenes, the love and respect for the crew and family, the 14 hour days and press on the weekends, the fight for representation and care to always look to cast and hire the marginalized and under-represented. She is so full of love and talent and I am so damn proud to call her a friend.”
Rodriguez was just as proud of Baldoni amid his success as a director and producer. “Justin is also one of my closest friends and we talk all the time,” she exclusively told Us Weekly in August 2024.
Keep scrolling to relive Rodriguez and Baldoni friendship: