Gina Rodriguez will receive the “CinemaCon Female Star of Tomorrow Award,” it was announced today by Mitch Neuhauser, Managing Director of CinemaCon. CinemaCon, the official convention of The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) will be held April 11-14, 2016 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Rodriguez will be presented with this special honor at the “CinemaCon Big Screen Achievement Awards” ceremony taking place on the evening of Thursday, April 14, at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, hosted by the Coca-Cola Company, the official presenting sponsor of CinemaCon.

“Already a Golden Globe winner for her portrayal of Jane on ‘Jane The Virgin,’ Rodriguez is set to become one of most sought after actresses in Hollywood as she continues to earn rave reviews for her performances on both the small and big screen,” noted Neuhauser. “A formidable talent and an actress who is truly on the rise we could not be more thrilled to be able to honor her as this year’s “CinemaCon Female Star of Tomorrow.”

Rodriguez can be seen later this year when she stars in “Deepwater Horizon,” releasing on September 30, 2016. On April 20, 2010, the world’s largest man-made disaster occurred on the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico. Directed by Peter Berg, this story honors the brave men and women whose heroism would save many on board, and change everyone’s lives forever. “Deepwater Horizon,” is a Summit Entertainment and Participant Media present a di Bonoventura Pictures production, a Closest to the Hole / Leverage Entertainment production, Peter Berg film. The screenplay was written by Matthew Michael Carnahan and Matthew Sand from a screen story by Matthew Sand. In addition to Rodriguez, the film stars Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, Dylan O’Brien and Kate Hudson.

Rodriguez began performing at the age of seven with the salsa dance company Fantasia Juvenil before being accepted at the age of 16 into Columbia University NY-Theatrical Collaboration. After falling in love with New York, Rodriguez was accepted into NYU’s Tisch School of Arts and had four years of intense theatre training at both the Atlantic Theatre Company and Experimental Theatre Wing landing roles on the stage in works such as “Casa Blue: The Last Moments in the Life of Frida Kahlo,”. Following graduation Rodriguez booked her first lead role in the feature film “Tiny Dancer,” before breaking out with her performance as the titular character in “Filly Brown.”  Rodriguez can currently be seen playing the title role on the CW series “Jane The Virgin,” and will begin production this summer on “Annihilation” starring alongside Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tessa Thompson.

About CinemaCon
CinemaCon will attract upwards of 5,000 motion picture professionals from all facets of the industry –from exhibition and distribution, to the equipment and concession areas – all on hand to celebrate the movie-going experience and the cinema industry. From exclusive Hollywood product presentations highlighting a slate of upcoming films, to must-see premiere feature screenings, to the biggest stars, producers and directors, CinemaCon will help jumpstart the excitement and buzz that surrounds the summer season at the box office. 

CinemaCon is delighted to have both the International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA) and National Association of Concessionaires (NAC) as its tradeshow partners. CinemaCon is also delighted to have as its official presenting sponsor, The Coca-Cola Company, one of the industry’s greatest and highly regarded and respected partners in the world of the movies.

About NATO
The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 32,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and additional cinemas in 81 countries worldwide. NATO’s membership includes the largest cinema chains in the world and hundreds of independent theatre owners, too.

Additional information on CinemaCon can be found at www.cinemacon.com.