Ever since Zaz was murdered (via ice sculpture!) in Chapter 2, the heart of the melodramatic intrigue of "Jane the Virgin" has been the hunt for Sin Rostro. As tension built around the show's most intense plot thread, it seemed possible that almost any of the secondary characters could have been the "man without a face." That is until the most recent episode, when her identity was finally revealed.
SPOILER ALERT if you have somehow had the self-control to not catch up to "Jane the Virgin," Season 1, Chapter 12.
"Sin-Rosetro," the narrative text spelled out screen, taunting us for not realizing sooner that it was Rose all along. The masculine pronouns threw everyone off track, including actress Bridget Regan, who only found out she was the big bad villain before shooting Chapter 11. HuffPost Entertainment spoke to Regan to find out what she plans to do with the character and what we can expect from the rest of the season.
Did you have any idea Rose was Sin Rostro?
I had no idea. There were these bets going on on set. Some of the cast thought it could be me, but they also thought it could be Emilio or Lachlan. There were theories about everyone. It wasn't until our amazing show runner Jennie [Urman] told me, and I just fell off my seat. I thought I might work for him. I got little hints here and there, but typically, I was right there with the characters -- you know, our detectives, Michael and Nadine, as they were looking for him. "I just always assumed Sin Rostro would be a man."It was always "Maybe he is here or he is this person." I just always assumed Sin Rostro would be a man. And I was thrilled that Jennie decided it was going to be a woman.
When exactly did you find out?
When we were in the middle of shooting Chapter 11, and right before we shooting Chapter 12, which had the reveal in it.
Ah, so right before!
Literally right before! Right before the table read. I walked in and everyone yelled, "Oh, my God!" It was so fun.
How does this change your conception of Rose? There's so much going on with her, there had to be some other story there.
I agree. I totally agree. I thought, "Why did this woman give up practicing law to be an interior decorator?" It didn't add up. Once I found out about her being Sin Rostro all of the pieces came into place, and it all really made sense for me.
What are you most excited about in being able to play with this side of the character?
In the next episode of the show, Chapter 13, I have a major telenovela moment. I just fell in love with it. Remember, only the audience and our narrator know. Meanwhile, the rest of our cast is putting together that it is Emilio, which is Rose's plan: to frame her husband, kill him and say that he fled the country, so they can continue searching for him and she'll be innocent. So, that plan's carrying on, but Michael does a little more digging and he finds out something that Rose didn't know. When he reveals this to her, it puts a hiccup in her plan and she is forced to improvise.
Were there any clues that it would be you? I was screaming when it said "Sin-Rosetro" on the screen.
I know! It seems so obvious now. The biggest hint was Disgusting Tom looking right at me in Chapter 5, when we found the bell boy with the cork screw in his neck. In one take, we did Disgusting Tom coming back to life, and he says "Sin Rostro" while looking straight at me. That was my biggest clue.
You brush off the letters spelling out the reveal. I think that's the most direct interaction of a character and the type.
Yes, I think that worked so well. It was scripted that I was going to brush off the letters. It's funny, because on the day, I actually did get a lot of cement on me! It was really fun to see how it all came together with brushing off the reveal.
So, the narration and type is usually scripted rather than added in during the editing process?
That was absolutely scripted. All of our "Latin lover" narration and the type across the screen is scripted. And when we're scripted, we say a lot of them out loud, so that we give enough time for them in the scene. It was written that I smoothed my shirt, wiped it off and then cooly turned around and walked back down the street while whistling my tune. David Rosenthal wrote that script, and I just loved that this was my first chance to directly work with the type in such a juicy reveal.
I also loved the whistling.
That was a throwback! There was a love scene with Luisa and Rose in the hotel room, when we first see that they really can't stay away from each other. It's in Chapter 3. Her and I are making love in the hotel suite and she leaves to get some doughnuts, our post-coital snack, and Rose whistles that tune. It's a theme that we're going to see with Rose more. She's a whistler.
Tell me more about the affair with Luisa. Is that real or is Rose using her?
Oh, yeah. That is 100 percent real. I mean, that's what's most interesting about playing Rose. She has conflict, and these very inconvenient, real feelings for Luisa, and I love that these two women can't stay away from each other. There's this chemistry between them that's undeniable. Coming up in Chapter 14, we get a really great flashback sequence and get to see where they met. I just adore Yara Martinez [who plays Luisa]. She's the best, I love working with her.
The core of this show is the mix between the telenovela elements and authenticity. Is the relationship with Luisa what gives lends that to Rose, despite being a murderous drug kingpin?
Yes, that's conflict. She's got this master plan and Luisa comes into play, and it's a manner of how she deals with these feelings. We see that Rose is not one to mess with. When Luisa threatened to tell her father, my husband, Rose got her committed into a mental institution. She does not mess around.
How does the Sin Rostro reveal change the way you conceptualize Rose?
The last scene that we got to see, when I was burying my husband in cement [Laughs] -- Sorry, I can't even say it! I got to really play with the size of the show. There's such fun in playing the telenovela, and playing this woman on a mission, and getting to drown him in cement. I feel like we got to see some of Rose in this woman whose plan is going along as she hoped. I just love "Jane the Virgin" for these great female characters, and having them being in charge.
Yes! We have the Villanueva matriarchy, we have so many scenes with Jane -- and obviously Gina Rodriguez is amazing ...
That woman! She is happiness. Positivity radiates out of her and it trickles down to the rest of the cast. I also think it's Jennie. She is balancing the hilarity of the telenovela "I've been working in television for 10 years, and during 'Jane,' I've been directed by more women than I have in my entire career."and the authentic heart of the show with grace and ease. And I just love how many women I've gotten to be directed by as well. I've been working in television for 10 years, and during "Jane the Virgin," I've been directed by more women than I have in my entire career. That feels really appropriate for a show that's female-driven and it's reassuring that "Jane the Virgin" is tipping the scales in the other direction.
It really shows that the changes come from the top. We have so many great roles for women in the show, and now to have the big bad villain be you is amazing.
Yes! There are so many reasons to love "Jane" and everything that it is. It's been such a great experience for me working with this cast. I mean, the men are phenomenal, too. I shouldn't leave them out! There are incredible men as well. I just think there's something really refreshing about the show, and having Rose be this big bad villain is really rewarding and fun. Even I had to take a moment with it. I really always assumed it would be a man!
This interview has been edited and condensed.