Michaela Jaé Rodriguez on Breaking Boundaries in Beauty and Beyond

It just so comes about to be Worldwide Women’s Working day when we sit down with Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, but it doesn’t consider a devoted holiday for Rodriguez to rejoice and uplift females. The actor and singer is an achieved, boundary-breaking power herself. In 2021, her job as Blanca Rodriguez-Evangelista in the Television series “Pose” led her to come to be the very first out transgender woman nominated for an Emmy in a major acting classification. In addition to her performing credits, Rodriguez is in her next 12 months as the face of famous magnificence manufacturer Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Communicate franchise, an working experience that she claims reinforces her attractiveness philosophy.

“It wasn’t just about the makeup by itself, but how you make on your own really feel in just the make-up, and that is the most essential component,” she tells PS of her partnership with the manufacturer. “We experienced the exact method of how make-up is meant to be, which is it truly is not a mask. It can be anything that elevates you and can make you come to feel your self. It really is like a 2. of on your own.”

From working day to working day, Rodriguez’s elegance routine differs relying on her timetable. “When I’m having a working day of glam, this is what occurs,” she says, gesturing to her voluminous curls and radiant make-up seem. “Entire glam, all airbrushed products and solutions. But on a common foundation, I really don’t overdo it mainly because you want it to glance as organic as attainable.” The star mentions she loves achieving for Charlotte Tilbury’s viral Hollywood Flawless Filter ($49) for all-natural, day-to-day seems to be.

Although Rodriguez’s brand-new campaign for the Huge Lip Plumpgasm lip plumper, the newest addition to the beloved Pillow Talk collection, is all about ’80s glam makeup, she says that pores and skin care is generally her initially precedence. “I believe that is the key essential matter I took away from Charlotte,” she claims. “We appreciate a defeat, but pores and skin treatment has generally been that 1st detail for me.”

Rodriguez has also realized precious classes from fellow actors, which includes Maya Rudolph, her costar on the Apple Television+ comedy series “Loot.” Obtaining earlier acted generally in dramas, Rodriguez admits there was a discovering curve when signing up for the solid.

“It truly is quite distinct,” she says of heading from the horror-drama collection “American Horror Tale” to “Loot,” the place she performs the head of a charitable foundation trying to reign in its freshly divorced billionaire founder, performed by Rudolph. “It can be not challenging, but it is really just a unique type of mechanism. It truly is a distinct muscle that you have to use. It took a great deal, but I am happy I experienced the individuals all over me, like Maya.”

In fact, she may perhaps have manifested her costar marriage with Rudolph. “It was quite effortless due to the fact me and Maya really fulfilled a pair of decades right before,” Rodriguez suggests of constructing a rapport with the “SNL” alum. “I don’t forget telling her, ‘I’d appreciate to do a display with you.’ And then I satisfied her on established and she stated, ‘Remember when you told me you desired to do a clearly show with me?'”

However she undoubtedly has an outstanding job beneath her belt, Rodriguez remains humble and openhearted. “You will find so several points that you study from men and women who have been in the match for a very long time,” she states. “That is a single of the matters that I took absent with me, especially currently being on ‘Loot’ due to the fact I’ve by no means been in comedy. The matter that I have realized is earning guaranteed that I leave moi at the door, appear in, do the perform, and have pleasurable with the people that you are blessed to operate with.”

Whether showing up in Charlotte Tilbury campaigns or starring opposite comedy legends like Rudolph, Rodriguez values the perception of camaraderie that arrives with performing together with gals. “That is the most significant detail when you appear jointly and generate a partnership, the protection of it all,” she states. “Girls know how to retain each and every other protected mainly because we know what arrives with the territory.”

As she gears up to reprise her roles in equally “Loot” and “American Horror Tale” (new episodes of both are premiering on April 3), Rodriguez displays on the quite a few possibilities that have currently appear her way in 2024. “It is a bit frustrating, but in the finest way,” she suggests. “I’m seriously grateful this yr arrived in truly incredibly hot, and I imply, the train is speedy, I am not gonna lie. I’m keeping on as much as I can. But it is really been stunning. I’m humbled and thankful.”

Catherine Santino is a contributing author at POPSUGAR, where she addresses splendor, superstar, and culture. She began crafting in 2014 and has bylines in People, Insider, The Zoe Report, and BuzzFeed.