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Krysta Rodriguez has a lot to celebrate this October. Not only is she starring in the new Netflix series Daybreak (streaming now), but as Breast Cancer Awareness month comes to a close, she can also say she has been cancer free for five years. “I went to a lovely dinner with my boyfriend Peter who’s been with me through it all,” she tells HOLA! USA of the milestone. “Nothing too celebratory, it felt good just to acknowledge it and move on!”
The 35-year-old, who plays a science teacher turned witch in a post-apocalyptic time, has done exactly that and is now excited for viewers to watch this new ‘zomcom’ (as she calls it) which is “a cross between Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Mad Max and Lord of the Flies but a comedy.”
Keep reading to see what she and co-star Matthew Broderick bonded over, if Smash could ever make its return to the small screen and her moving words of encouragement for anyone battling cancer.
HOLA! USA: Have you always been a fan of this genre? Krysta Rodriguez: “I don’t really love scary movies. I hate jumping out of my seat. That’s why I love the more comedic movies, like Shaun of the Dead or Zombieland.”
Matthew Broderick is also in it – what was it like working with him? “Working with Matthew is great! We are both from New York and work in the theater world so we had so much in common. Also, we’re the only adults around so we had to bond! He’s a great scene partner as well. We had a lot of fun with Ms. Crumble and Burr’s relationship.”
Speaking of theater, you have starred in quite a number of Broadway shows… if you could turn any movie into a show and star in it, what would it be? “Sadly I think the time has passed, but I love That Thing You Do and have always wanted to play Fay (Liv Tyler’s role in the film). My favorite movie though is Drop Dead Gorgeous, which is a cult classic that was actually directed by Michael Jann who directed most of Daybreak. So maybe we could make that one happen!”
With so many shows getting reboots or coming back, could Smash make a return? “I’m sure it could! It could be fun to see where all those characters are in their lives now. Plus, I think with the way television has evolved now, it could be a bit darker and deeper than before which I think would be cool.”
This year marked five years being cancer free. Who was your support system during that difficult time? “Definitely my parents and Peter. My mom was up every morning googling medical advancements! She got me in to see all my doctors and really took control of the situation when I couldn’t. She and Peter were both sleeping at the hospital with me the whole time.”
What words of encouragement do you have for anyone battling cancer? “Everything you have to do feels scarier than it actually is. The hardest times are leading up to things you don’t have any experience with. But once it happens, you realize it was mostly the anticipation that made you scared. You can handle whatever comes at you!”