Since bursting onto the Hollywood scene with memorable performances on shows like “Nurse Jackie” and the critically acclaimed FX drama “Pose,” Michaela Jaé Rodríguez has shown her many dimensions.
The Golden Globe winner stars in the Apple TV comedy “Loot,” alongside Maya Rudolph, and “American Horror Story: Delicate,” with Emma Roberts and Kim Kardashian; both were released in April. His characters, respectively a determined director of a non-profit organization and a single mother who is probably part of a satanic cult, couldn't be more different.
In Sunday Funday, the people of Los Angeles tell us step by step their ideal Sunday in the city. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.
“It's a blessing,” says Rodríguez, who in 2021 became the first transgender artist to earn an Emmy nomination in a lead acting category. “I never thought she would have two shows at the same time. It's also a little overwhelming. “I'm not going to lie, but I'm always optimistic.”
Rodriguez, who showed off his singing and dancing skills in “Pose” and “Loot,” is also preparing to release his first studio album later this year. In December she released an Afrobeat-influenced Christmas single called “Snow Globe.”
“When the microphone is there and I put on the headphones, I meet directly with Michaela Jaé, the artist,” he says. “No Michaela Rodríguez… it's simply Michaela Jaé.
“I feel like she's some kind of entity that takes over me and says, 'This is what you have to do.' This is the message,'” adds Rodríguez, who got his start in 2011 in an Off-Broadway production of “Rent.” “I'll show up when I'm on stage, girl, but, this is [my] It's time to tell my story.”
Rodríguez, who is known for always being a protagonist both on and off the red carpet, created his ideal Sunday for us. It includes shopping at the Grove, working on music at the studio, playing video games, and going on adventures around Los Angeles with his mother.
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for length and clarity.
5:45 am: First, yescare of relatives
It's so ingrained in my body to get up at least at 5:45 or 6 am. It's probably because when I wake up in the morning, I always go to the bathroom and prepare water. [temperature] so it can start to warm up. I love putting a hot towel on my face to let my skin clean itself and then I start my skincare treatment which is the best for me, it's like a therapy for me. I take about an hour or two to do all of that before starting the day.
7 am: Meditation and demonstrations.
Once I'm done, I usually put on some lo-fi or meditation music, and take 20 to 30 minutes to meditate and just be grateful. I usually pray and send manifestations to the universe so that the creator can listen. I really just try to manifest and pray for the things I want and the things I feel need to be changed. And while all that happens, my boyfriend [Stephen Gimigliano] He's probably already up cooking some food because he cooks every morning.
7:30 am Breakfast and tea with my boyfriend.
When we're in Los Angeles, which is most of the time, we're health gurus. In the morning, he usually cooks a rich and tasty boiled egg with a little salt and pepper. Then you'll pull out some broccoli that you marinated overnight and garnish it with some onion and garlic. Normally it's because we don't want to eat a lot of breakfast.
We drink all different types of herbal teas. We've had some really specific ones that are good immune boosters. we like to go to Wild and tea [in Highland Park]. They have all natural dried herbs like lavender and cloves. We prepare all these teas ourselves and drink them every morning.
9am: Dance in my living room.
After that, girl, it's me time. I have to move. I'm always dancing at home, so I put on some music and it takes me about an hour to get all the energy out of my body because I have a lot of it. It's so liberating. It's therapeutic. Stephen comes over sometimes and encourages me, but I take that time to really celebrate the dance. I have plenty of room to do pirouettes, battements and twerk.
I've been listening to Tyla's new album over and over again. The girl is very talented. I've also been listening to Doechii; she is fantastic. I've always been a fan of Halle and Chloe, and I'm a big fan of my daughters Flo, from London. I always support my daughters, especially my girls of color. They are here disrupting the industry and I hope they continue to do so.
10:30 am: study time
For the last few Sundays I've been going to the studio and it's been very freeing for me. I write music but I have very good collaborators. Their names are Sophie Hintze and Micah Gordon. We've been trying to build this album I've been working on. We have a lot of fun when we work on music, so I'll spend about four hours there. The album is pretty much complete, so sometimes when we're in the studio we just play. New music coming out this year! I hope people like it.
2:30 pm Go out with my mom
During the week I'm pretty busy and I noticed that I don't see my mom much, so I always take time on Sundays to go to her apartment and relax with her and the puppies. I try to spend as much time as I can with her, whether we're going out the grove or this cute little place called little beast where we had dinner, or even Soho House. Those are our places and that's where we find our tribe.
My mom and I have wonderful, deep conversations about the industry, about her and I, about family, pretty much everything. Truly, she truly feeds my soul. I am very grateful to still have her, along with my parents too, but she is a great pillar.
4 pm Eat pasta at La Bestia
The little beast It is one of my favorite restaurants. Their menu is seasonal, but they have a really tasty drink called a hibiscus margarita and they align it with Tajín. I love ordering their Brussels sprouts because [douse] Brussels sprouts in a tasty vinaigrette. They also decorate it with some garlic and peppers. They have a ragu and a rigatoni that are delicious. I'm a pasta girl. If you didn't see me, you'd think I was Italian, honey. That's how much I love pasta. [laughs]. They also have butter pasta which is very good, but it's no longer in season, which makes me a little sad.
5:30 pm Play video games
On Saturdays and Sundays, I usually like to take at least two or three hours to play video games. I'm a gamer to the core. I love saying this because a lot of people say, “Oh my God. She is fashionable. She is art.” And I'm like, “I'm all that but also a nerd, so never forget that.”
I even tried to shoot Margot Robbie to try to get a role in this new “Sims” movie. I've been playing “The Sims” since I was 11 years old. I also love fighting games, so I'll be playing “Mortal Kombat” and a game called “Multiverse.” But I'm not a sporty girl at all. I'll leave that to the kids. I also love playing X-Men games and “Super Smash Bros.” It really is my safe place. I get away and it's a lot of fun to do.
Naturally I'm a PC girl, so I have “The Sims” as my top priority, like that's my dollhouse. That is my way of feeling that I am God and that I have some control over something, because we realize that we have no control. I'm a PC girl at heart, but I'll be playing a PS5 all day. That's my favorite console.
8 pm Scroll through TikTok until I fall asleep
When all of this is over, my body says, “Okay, we need to go back to the bathroom and start doing our evening skincare treatment so we can get ready for Monday.” [laughs].
The nighttime routine usually doesn't take as long as the morning routine. When I go out, I love to hit my face. Just a little beat, it doesn't hurt anyone. So after I go in, I use a makeup remover wipe and wash my face completely. Then I'll go in with a Charlotte Tilbury night serum and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Then I will use their Magic Night Cream. You're supposed to let it sit on your face so it saturates and you wake up with a beautiful glow.
I usually try to start relaxing in bed at 8 or 8:30 pm. After a [long] day, sometimes your body doesn't want to go to sleep, so I'll be on TikTok discovering ways to inspire kids. [laughs].
