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Frankie Rodriguez Discusses His Career Business Ventures on ‘The Big Deal’
This week on a new episode of The Big Deal, we’ve got special guest Frankie A. Rodriguez in the studio, plus exclusive coverage from the red carpet of the “Grassland” premiere! Let’s explore all the exciting moments from this episode.
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Our Special Guest: Frankie A. Rodriguez
Joining us in the studio is the one and only Frankie A. Rodriguez, best known for playing Carlos Rodriguez in High School Musical: The Series on Disney+. Frankie shared some great behind-the-scenes stories about the show, including what it was like to see co-star Olivia Rodrigo’s rise to fame.
“It was kind of crazy to see it happen in real time…it blew up overnight,” Frankie reflected.
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Frankie also opened up about how the show has shaped his own career: “It was the launching pad for everything I’m getting to do now…it’s why I’m here, right here, right now.” He talked about his dreams, saying, “I would love to be on Broadway…it would be the ultimate biggest dream possible.”
Besides being a talented actor, Frankie is also the founder of Freeland, a nail polish brand born during the pandemic. He explained how the brand started with Instagram nail-painting parties and turned into a full-fledged business. “I was so bored at home…I invited people to paint their nails with me…and to my surprise, people actually showed up.” His joy in building something creative and personal was clear: “This is mine. It’s my baby. I’m having the best time.”
He even gave us a glimpse into his personal life, sharing that he just celebrated five years with his boyfriend and fellow HSMTMTS actor Joe Serafini. “It’s like, you know, built-in best friends. It’s the best,” Frankie said about their relationship.
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Red Carpet Coverage: Grassland Premiere
Our correspondent Elijah hit the red carpet at the premiere of Grassland, a powerful film exploring the failures of the criminal justice system. The movie follows a Latina mother whose marijuana business faces trouble when her son befriends a white boy and his police officer grandfather. Elijah spoke with some of the stars to get their take on the film and its impact.
Mia Maestro expressed her excitement for the premiere at LA Live, saying, “I love LA Live…we’re really proud to be closing the festival with Grassland.” She also talked about the importance of community and friendships on set: “This cast, like Jeff, Quincy, Ravi, Sean…it was a true blessing.”
Jeff Kober shared some insightful observations about his character, a cop at the end of his career. “He’s got an idea about drugs that is not very progressive, but from a real deep, emotionally wounded place,” he said, emphasizing how the film portrays real human beings, not just villains. “There are no bad guys here. And that’s so rare.”
Quincy Isaiah highlighted the significance of representation in the film, especially for the Latina female lead. “This is a big deal…the message is strong and really has the ability to touch a lot of people.” He also hopes the film will make people feel more empathic towards others: “I’m hoping that people look at each other with a little bit more empathy…just being able to understand the person next to you is very, very important.”
Grassland tackles tough issues, and the cast made it clear they hope the film will spark important conversations about justice, compassion, and change.
This is one episode of The Big Deal you don’t want to miss! Tune in now to catch all the action!
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