This skill stayed with her, as she was known for learning lines quickly and never messing up on set. She called the scene where Santana confessed her feelings for Brittany one of the best moments of the season. In one chapter, by Isabel Molina-Guzmán, she is highlighted as the main example of a character that is non-stereotypical but still embodies Latinidad; is listed with Jessica Alba's turn in Dark Angel as a significant character who has main storylines not focused on race; and is noted as racially ambiguous enough, not firmly defined as white or black, to open the door for new Latina narratives. However, Kurt disagrees with their decision, but Santana insults him by telling him that Blaine broke off his proposal because Kurt is weird. [181] Singer-songwriter Demi Lovato, who played the girlfriend of Rivera's character on Glee in its fifth season, expressed similar sentiments, writing: "The character you played was groundbreaking for tons of closeted (at the time) queer girls like me and your ambition and accomplishments were inspiring to Latina women all over the world". She made the Maxim Hot 100 list in 2010, 2011, and 2012, being ranked number 27 in 2012. [68] For the awards, Rivera submitted the Glee episode "Mash Off" for consideration in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category – an episode that had generated much Emmy buzz – because it "was so well rounded. Along with John Stamos, a guest star on the show, both hosts auctioned off kisses to the crowd, raising $15,000. While leaving the studio, Mercedes and Santana sang Lauryn Hill's Doo Wop (That Thing). [192] In February 2015, Rivera announced that she and Dorsey were expecting their first child,[206] and their son, Josey Hollis, was born on September 17, 2015. Her realisation that she was in love with Brittany, and her subsequent struggles to accept herself as a lesbian, deal with being maliciously outed and having to come out to her traditional Latina family garnered widespread praise and acclaim. You didn't have to be an avid viewer of the show to understand and appreciate the magnitude of Santana Lopez". [44], As a child and teen actor between 1992 and 2002, Rivera was part of the golden age of Black sitcoms,[10] and had roles in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Family Matters, The Jersey, Live Shot, Baywatch, Smart Guy, House Blend, Even Stevens and The Master of Disguise. [67], Romero noted that while Santana starts the show as little more than "the feisty Latina trope", Rivera's performance gave her more nuance and the character ultimately confronted others for perpetuating harmful Latino stereotypes in the episode "The Spanish Teacher"; this episode notably included a duet between Rivera and the queer Latino Ricky Martin, something Romero describes as one of the show's more subtle nods to queer representation and "one of Santana's best moments of Latinx pride". [80] Discussing Emmy nominations in 2012, Collider said that Rivera was "arguably the only bright spot" of the season. Santana succeeds in persuading two twin cheerleaders to audition. Her Legacy Will Not Be Forgotten", "Announcing the Winners of the Third Annual Autostraddle Gay Emmys! Can Strictly Come Dancing and I’m A Celebrity survive lockdown? [130] Showrunner Brian Tanen described the character as "pivotal". [8] A similar confrontation, though entirely physical, occurs in the second season after Puck sings a love song to Lauren Zizes (Ashley Fink) in front of the glee club, though Santana loses badly to Lauren.[9]. (Salling was arrested in 2015 for possessing an extensive amount of child pornography, and later took his own life.). Santana comes by McKinley to help out with the school musical in "Glease" and again for Thanksgiving and to help New Directions prepare for the upcoming Sectionals competition in "Thanksgiving". [70][71][72], In 2011, Rivera won her first ALMA Award, as Favorite Female Music Artist;[73] she won two more in 2012, in the categories of Favorite TV Actress – Leading Role in a Comedy and Female Music Artist. [273] Amber Riley, under her stage name RILEY, performed a tribute to Rivera on the August 27, 2020 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Ab dieser Staffel ist Santana ein Hauptcharakter In Britney/Brittany verteidigt sie Brittany, nachdem Kurt wütend auf diese ist, weil sie keine Britney Spears Songs singen will. [11] They remained close friends for the rest of Rivera's life. [223], A lifelong Democrat,[53] Rivera performed with the cast of Glee at the White House during the first Obama administration,[236] as well as with Amber Riley and Darren Criss at his second inauguration. "[29] A month later, when interviewed by The Advocate, she reiterated this point, saying, "Maybe they’ll fall in love. She finds the show's pacing challenging, especially the dancing, and commented in June 2009 that her most memorable moment on Glee was performing the Cheerios' glee club audition piece, "I Say a Little Prayer". In "Old Dog New Tricks" she became Rachel's publicist. Naya Rivera made her so much more", "Sexuality and Teen Television: Emerging Adults Respond to Representations of Queer Identity on Glee", "Erika Abad, Ph.D. | People | University of Nevada, Las Vegas", "Latinx Spaces | Redefining Latinx Media – Revisiting Naya Rivera's Santana Lopez: The Afro-Latina who Deserved More Time", "Naya Rivera Made People Feel Seen For the First Time. [106], Rivera's debut single "Sorry", featuring rapper Big Sean, was released as a digital download on September 17, 2013. [232] In October 2012, along with other members of the Glee cast, Rivera took part in "The Biggest Show", a performance of young writers' scripts for the literacy non-profit Young Storytellers. [37] She was also listed in MTV's Best TV Characters of 2011. "[45] Billboard editor Rae Votta called it the best performance since the cast's rendition of "Don't Stop Believin'" in the season one finale, "Journey to Regionals", and stated, "Naya Rivera's powerful vocals and the strong arrangement still packs the emotional punch Glee was targeting.