'Jane the Virgin' star Gina Rodriguez confirms engagement to longtime beau Joe LoCicero
Gina Rodriguez, best known for her starring role as Jane Villanueva in CW dramedy series 'Jane the Virgin,' has confirmed her engagement to longtime beau Joe LoCicero. There had been constant speculation over the past week over her relationship status after the 34-year-old posted a picture of her sporting a diamond ring on her Instagram on her birthday. And now, Rodriguez has finally come out to put an end to all the rumors.
"I have a very, very special man in my life. I am engaged. You’re the first people that I’ve told," she told Us Weekly. "It’s wonderful blessings like that, that make me realize that if I have an opportunity to help someone else, I want to."
She similarly told People: "I am [engaged]! He’s the f****** best. We’ve been engaged for like a month — I’ve kept it a secret for a while."
The actress is currently busy raising awareness towards a social cause she is fiercely passionate about, working alongside Always #EndPeriodPoverty and Feeding America to help donate feminine hygiene products to underprivileged women and girls in the country.
Speaking about the cause, she said: "This is important. I have been very, very blessed including being blessed with a very incredible man that understands that during my time of the month, I should be protected and cared for and loved and celebrated and he does that every single time, every single month."
"It’s really great to be a part of the campaign that makes sure all women feel that way because I have a man in my house that makes me feel that way," she continued, before adding: "I am marrying a feminist. I am marrying a man that is incredible and loving and understanding and kind and patient. I’m marrying a really incredible human being. That what it is. I met a human that like, knows he’s a human."
Rodriguez had previously revealed during an appearance on 'Live with Kelly and Ryan' that the pair met one another in 2016 on the sets of 'Jane the Virgin,' where LoCicero played a stripper. They had started dating soon after, making their relationship official and posting pictures of themselves vacationing together in Thailand.
She had said at the time: "He thought I was being nice to him because I am nice to everyone that comes on the show. So he thought I was just being super sweet to him and I thought he was just being sweet on me because I’m the lead."