By Emily Hoff
If you were one of the nearly 12.2 million viewers who tuned in to watch Grease: Live on Sunday, January 31st, you saw Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer knock it out of the park when she played Danny Zuko’s saucy ex-girlfriend Cha Cha. In our exclusive celebrity interview, she opens up about this fun role, discusses her other current projects (she’s got an EP on iTunes!), and shares her best relationship advice and top four commandments for moving on after a break-up.
Celebrity Interview: Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer Talks About Playing Cha Cha in Grease:Live
You could say the actress has been prepping for this opportunity since she was a little girl. She loved Grease growing up and shares, “I used to go around the house singing ‘Hopelessly Devoted to You’ at the top of my lungs.”
Performing a live show is much different than filming your typical television show or movie. “It was very much like preparing for a Broadway show — except instead of getting to perform for months or years, we only get to do it for one night,” the actress explains. “There are a lot of technical aspects that needed to be worked out beforehand. It really was about working out the kinks instead of figuring it out on the day of the show.”
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Gonzalez-Nacer, who was originally up for the role of Frenchy, knew Cha Cha wasn’t going to be the audience’s favorite, but that didn’t take away from the fun of playing the bad girl. “I realized pretty early on that confidence was key with playing Cha Cha, and I am really grateful for this experience, because in my search for Cha Cha, I was able to find myself more and tap into what confidence means to me.”
She adds, “This has been such an incredible experience, and I miss everyone already!”
Grease: Live Actress Opens Up About Her Personal Life and Shares Relationship Advice
So does the former star of The Fresh Beat Band have a real life Danny Zuko? “I do not. I’m currently single and loving it!” the actress shares. Still, she knows what she wants in a future partner: Her top three qualities are “honesty, integrity, and positivity.”
Unlike her character in Grease: Live, she knows a thing or two about gracefully moving on after a break-up. “I think the best thing you can do is to fall in love with your life again. Sometimes, we lose sight of our own life, so it’s great to do the things you did before you were in a relationship and love,” the actress reveals. “Do things that inspire you and focus on what you want instead of dwelling on what went wrong.”
Along those same lines, Gonzalez-Nacer shares her top four post-break-up commandments: “Thou shall not cyber-stalk your ex on social media. Thou shall not compare yourself to their new love interest. Thou shall stop all forms of communication with your ex until you have properly healed. Thou shall focus on your life.” She could easily add relationship expert to her already-expansive resume!
Related Link: Five Ways To Cope With A Relationship Breakdown Just Like The Celebs
Once you’ve moved on after a tough break-up, it’s tempting to try to be friends again, but Gonzalez-Nacer says that’s not always the best idea. “I think it’s important to ask yourself why you want to remain friends and be really honest with yourself,” the single celebrity explains. “What I have found to be true is that in every instance that I have tried staying friends with an ex, one or both parties end up wanting something more, and it can get messy and confusing.”
Just because Grease: Live is over doesn’t mean we’ve seen the last of Gonzalez-Nacer. Her single ‘Classy,’ under her artist project, Ava Gold, was just featured on ESPN and is now on iTunes. “I’m going to be in the studio finishing up my EP, and I have a new music video coming out next month for one of my songs,” she says.
Keeping us on the edge of our seats, she adds, “I also have some upcoming shows in Los Angeles and a couple really exciting projects that I can’t talk about quite yet, but I’ll be posting updates on my social media!”
It’s no surprise that the talented star has a clear vision of her future. “I see myself happily married, doing great humanitarian work, working with the best, and being considered one of the best in the industry,” she reveals in our celebrity interview. “I could list all the specifics, but in a nutshell, I want to continue striving for greatness, be happy, and do what I love.”
To find out more about Yvette, follow her on Twitter @avagoldworld.
