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[0:00] Linedy Genao: Hello, everybody.

[0:12] Linedy Genao: Welcome to Entre Acts, your favorite podcast, Ya Tu Sabes. I'm Linedy Genao and I'm so excited to announce our first and debut guest.

[0:23] Linedy Genao: She is an Olympian, a two-time Olympic medalist. No big deal. I've literally never been in the presence of an Olympian. So, Ya Tu Sabes, I'm freaking out. Is an actor, a two-time New York Times best-selling author, NBC analyst. Listen, all my Dancing with the Stars fans, rise. She won the mirrorball trophy on season 23 of Dancing with the Stars. Is a national speaker and advocate for mental health, children's rights, women's empowerment, and Hispanic heritage. And speaking of, is a Latina that is inspiring us all and that I admire so much and is making her Broadway debut right now. And Anjulia, please, please, please, mi gente, welcome Laurie Hernandez.

[1:05] Laurie Hernandez: What an introduction. I'm really, really, really grateful that you're here. I'm so like giddy to be on this couch right now. This is such a crazy moment for me.

[1:16] Linedy Genao: I like it. It's a party. Y'all, I have to tell you, I opened my Instagram a random day and I saw Laurie Hernandez started following you. And I said, que, que, que, que, que? I immediately like died and I messaged her and I was like, hi, what an honor.

[1:34] Laurie Hernandez: Oh my God. I love the, um, hi. Hi, what an honor. Like, how do you even know me? And please tell us how, like, tell, you know, tell all of us how we made this connection.

[1:43] Laurie Hernandez: Yeah. So we have a mutual friend, Maiga Vidal, who is like a composer, playwright, you, you kind of name it. I feel like she does everything. But I met Maiga through NYU and there is a musical that she's been working on and you were a part of singing one of the tracks.

[2:01] Linedy Genao: That was a couple of the tracks.

[2:02] Laurie Hernandez: Yeah, yeah, yeah. A couple. I'm, listen, that was on my Spotify rap. So.

[2:05] Linedy Genao: Oh my God. Well, what an honor to have you here. Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule with Aunt Julia and everything like that. So before we start, I love to play a little icebreaker game, a little game of dominoes. You know, dominoes is big in our culture.

[2:21] Laurie Hernandez: I haven't played dominoes in so long.

[2:23] Linedy Genao: Me neither. And I actually don't really know how to actually play dominoes.

[2:25] Laurie Hernandez: But we're going to play it.

[2:26] Linedy Genao: I also don't know how to actually play dominoes. I don't know. Don't get mad, Abuela. But we're going to play it the entre-axe way.

[2:31] Linedy Genao: Okay. So we're going to shuffle and you're going to pick, we're going to do four questions. You're going to pick a domino, sum up the number of that one domino and that will pertain to an icebreaker question.

[2:40] Laurie Hernandez: I love it. Are we ready? Shall we begin?

[2:43] Linedy Genao: Here we go. Is it time?

[2:44] Laurie Hernandez: Yes.

[2:45] Linedy Genao: Nine.

[2:46] Laurie Hernandez: Nine. Here we go. Travel through time. What era would you visit?

[2:51] Laurie Hernandez: I hate, I've been watching a lot of Bridgerton lately. So I feel like the Regency era would be really fun to just, I just want to pop in there. I also, it would be a dream to like hear the strings version of like Gasolina and Come Down as the diamond of the season. Like that's just, that concept is really funny to me.

[3:12] Linedy Genao: No, no, that, that would be a vibe. That would be a vibe.

[3:15] Linedy Genao: Okay, next one.

[3:18] Linedy Genao: Oh, here we go. Seven.

[3:20] Laurie Hernandez: Is a hot dog a sandwich?

[3:27] Linedy Genao: I'm just gonna, I found that question today and I was like, that's like, is cereal a soup? Have you seen that?

[3:36] Laurie Hernandez: That's offensive.

[3:36] Linedy Genao: Yeah. No, it's not. Is a hot dog a sandwich? No, it's not. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. It's not soup.

[3:41] Laurie Hernandez: No, you're right. Wow, that was a good one. I don't know.

[3:45] Linedy Genao: Okay, next one.

[3:48] Linedy Genao: Oh, this is so fun. Airport three hours early or running to the gate?

[3:53] Laurie Hernandez: Running to the gate. Sorry, I was ready with that. I used to be like, oh, let me get there early. Let me figure out where the gate is. But I think I travel so much that I know where everything is now. So I'm like, I don't, I have no desire to sort of get there early.

[4:09] Linedy Genao: I love going through security and being like, it's time for the plane.

[4:14] Laurie Hernandez: As I've gotten older, I'm like that too. But growing up, my dad, if we will go to Dominican Republic, we were at the airport like three to four hours.

[4:20] Laurie Hernandez: Yeah, my mom gets really anxious. My sweet mama gets really anxious. So she's like, we should leave a day early. We should go now for next year's trip.

[4:31] Linedy Genao: That is so real. Okay, one more.

[4:35] Linedy Genao: Oh, here we go. Eight.

[4:37] Laurie Hernandez: Okay, let's pick a good one. Should you text back K or leave it on red?

[4:45] Laurie Hernandez: See, it depends. It depends. I think if you want to be petty, you text back K.

[4:51] Linedy Genao: Correct.

[4:52] Laurie Hernandez: If you truly don't want to give the time of day, ghost.

[4:56] Linedy Genao: Mic drop. That, that's real. I like to format this show as un sandwichito, like a little sandwich. Like we start with something fun in the beginning. We get into like, you know, the sentimental, like deep stuff.

[5:08] Laurie Hernandez: Yeah.

[5:08] Linedy Genao: And then we end with the other piece of bread.

[5:10] Laurie Hernandez: I love it.

[5:11] Linedy Genao: Before we start.

[5:12] Laurie Hernandez: A hot dog.

[5:12] Linedy Genao: What?

[5:13] Laurie Hernandez: A hot.

[5:13] Linedy Genao: Okay. No, go on.

[5:16] Laurie Hernandez: No, it's okay. Go.

[5:18] Laurie Hernandez: Okay, speaking of hot dogs. What do you like in between your bread? What's your perfect sandwich?

[5:21] Laurie Hernandez: Oh, my perfect sandwich is thin sliced turkey with provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, banana peppers with oregano seasoning, red wine, red wine vinegar and oil.

[5:35] Linedy Genao: What kind of bread?

[5:36] Laurie Hernandez: Just like a, like a, like a white Italian, like hoagie sub.

[5:41] Linedy Genao: That's, dang. That's, doesn't that sound so good right now?

[5:44] Laurie Hernandez: That sounds, doesn't that sound crazy? I know what I'm doing after this.

[5:50] Linedy Genao: I'm so sorry. All sound that is going to have to, whoever has to edit this after. I'm so sorry.

[6:01] Laurie Hernandez: Sorry.

[6:06] Laurie Hernandez: Dying.

[6:08] Laurie Hernandez: I'm here.

[6:08] Linedy Genao: I'm here.

[6:09] Laurie Hernandez: No, we're here.

[6:09] Linedy Genao: We're here.

[6:10] Linedy Genao: So, this show, we talk about, so entre acts, means in between, right? In between acts. So, I wanted to create a space where we talk about when we're in between, in between acts with transitional periods in our life, right? The messy middle, as artists, you know, especially being defined by our artistry, right? When we're in between jobs or just personally when you're, you know, whatever you have planned today. What, what are you doing in the in-betweens of your day? Especially, I can't wait to get into, you know, all your different career paths and what those in-betweens look like. So, I would love to hear from you. What does the in-between space mean to you?

[6:46] Laurie Hernandez: Oh, the in-between, it definitely, I feel very lucky that I was born with a lot of curiosities and a lot of passions and most of it has to do with the arts. So, I feel like I'm always snowballing towards that, but you know, I started with like a sports gymnastics background, went to the Olympics in 2016 and then Dancing with the Stars was two weeks later and I was like, okay, I have done the same thing. I have trained in the same place with the same people doing, attempting kind of the same routine almost every single day. I was homeschooled and then all of a sudden two weeks later, I'm this 16-year-old from New Jersey who is now moved to California dancing with like the hottest guy ever. Shut up Val. Let me know. Girl, when I saw the picture, girl, we won't get into that.

[7:33] Laurie Hernandez: Jenna, respectfully. But like, like that was just, that was just a lot for like queer little me and like I just had not seen the world really. So just like, I feel like my entire foundation had shifted for that and there was a lot of like, at the end of the day, that, that was my big brother right there. Like he was just there to make sure that I was okay, make sure that I was protected, like anytime we were doing interviews and anything he was making sure that no one was like being weird to me or anything and I had gone on tour afterwards and like he still kept that protective stance of like, are you okay? Let's keep an eye on her. So I'm very grateful to Val because what a strange period in my life to be so like thrust into the media and to have so many eyes from the Olympics to dancing and then to still have someone watching out for me. So that was definitely a really big part of my like gymnastics to Dancing with the Stars transition was having Val be like, let's do this one thing at a time.

[8:34] Linedy Genao: Yeah. That's so cool to have somebody that was there to help guide you in the best way and make you feel safe and protected with that crazy transition.

[8:42] Laurie Hernandez: Yeah, so wild. Like, what is so wild? I didn't have my driver's license yet. I was like, yeah, no big deal. That's no, this is great. Sure.

[8:51] Laurie Hernandez: Oh my god, so wild. But like I remember right before we had started doing Dancing with the Stars. I don't remember who had reached out but someone had reached out and been like, okay, like women's Olympic gymnastics team, y'all can do sort of whatever you want in New York. Like, what would you like to do? And someone had brought up Hamilton and I had never seen a Broadway show before so I was like, oh, I don't like I don't really know what I'm walking into but this sounds really fun and I was just hooked. Like I, my eyes were opened. What a show to see. What a show. I'm a spoiled little gal, but like I just I had never seen anything like it and everyone, you know, was was excited and entertained, but I just had this feeling of like, I want to be up there and I didn't know how to explain it.

And again, I had only ever done gymnastics since I was five. So I didn't know what any of that looked like but I was like, oh, that's so cool. And then we did Dancing with the Stars and during Dancing with the Stars, they had a Broadway week slash night. And so all our all of our dances were like themed Broadway and I was like, oh, okay, and they gave me 16-year-old Golden Retriever for me, Chicago. So I remember having a wee little meltdown.

[10:06] Laurie Hernandez: Yeah, like I was nervous. I, they had me like trying on fishnets and I was tears. My mom was like, it's okay. It's okay. Like your dad's gonna be fine. This is a cool experience. You're gonna, you're gonna do it.

[10:18] Linedy Genao: No, how many siblings do you have?

[10:22] Laurie Hernandez: Two older siblings.

[10:23] Linedy Genao: Are you the baby?

[10:24] Laurie Hernandez: Yeah.

[10:24] Linedy Genao: But is your dad strict?

[10:27] Laurie Hernandez: My dad's pretty chill. But like the fear of like, what's my dad gonna think? I was literally like, oh my gosh, I'm going to be wearing this like mesh top. My black bra is going to be shown underneath. I have this slit in my skirt and then fishnets and I'm going to have a bob and bright red lipstick and it was really overwhelming for me and I was like, oh my god, my dad's gonna have to watch this and my mom was like, no, no, no. Your dad's cool about this. This is cool. This is a really cool experience. Yes, mom. So go mom, but I was just so overwhelmed and that was another time where like it could have been such a strange experience and I remember Val just taking, he just held it with such care of like, this is a character.

I know you're uncomfortable getting in touch with like these parts of you, whatever that means to you, but this is a character and we have to do service to the character. Like you're giggling because you're uncomfortable, but this is someone who is going through such extreme passion that they're led to do these things and like was just like handling it so well and then we started rehearsing for it and we did sell Black Tango and I remember thinking, holy moly, I have to keep doing stuff like this. So years later, I went to drama school and I graduate in May and now I'm on Broadway.

[11:34] Linedy Genao: Yes, you are making your dreams come true. That's so beautiful. Like to see that I can share that experience with you in the sense of Hamilton being your first show, right?

[11:44] Laurie Hernandez: Yeah, In the Heights wasn't my first show, but it was through Le Mano a Miranda that I saw myself represented on stage for the first time and when I saw In the Heights, I had seen other musicals from high school field trips. That was the only way that I got to see shows because I lived in Connecticut at the time and when I saw In the Heights, like my body was physically shaking because I was like, I need to do this. I need to fulfill this part of my soul. Like I can't explain. It's like a soul magnet. Like you get there and all of a sudden you're like, I don't know what's happening to me, but I'm being pulled to go there.

[12:12] Laurie Hernandez: Yeah. So I'm so happy that that was your experience and that now that's come to fruition. It's so inspiring and so beautiful.

[12:19] Linedy Genao: Oh my gosh. So what would you say are some similarities and differences on the way that you've trained, you know, what the Olympics and what Dancing with the Stars and now the way that you have to train to do eight shows a week on Broadway and such as yeah, in a physical very physical track.

[12:35] Laurie Hernandez: Oh my goodness. Let me tell you like Broadway performers are athletes. This is I am having from an Olympian y'all that is like to call it anything else is really it's kind of hilarious to me because I'm tapping into like old training habits to make sure that I can like take care of myself and the only way to give your all when you're on stage is to take care of yourself. So that way you have enough to give and it's like I am having to tap into, you know, recovery mode and making sure that like my body is ready is my brain in a good place. Like how do I continue to recover? Well, so that way I can keep enjoying this because I don't want it to ever feel tedious or ever feel and of course, you know, like you you get it more than anybody like there's going to be those days where you're like man this again and then all of a sudden you get out there and it's like a switch goes off truly, you know, and so I'm I definitely feel like I'm tapping into like old sort of gymnastics training, but the best part is like when I was competing in gymnastics, my favorite event to compete was floor because I liked the feeling of performing and I like dancing and I liked being out there and I had a lot of performance anxiety as a kid like I would go and compete and I would make mistakes on skills that I never had any problems on and like I was a big crier a big panicker like let me oh it is the worst debut night.

[14:18] Laurie Hernandez: I got comfortable with that. It was like, Oh, I salute the judges, do my little thing, you know, plastic gymnastics. Um, sometimes when I say that, people are like, what are you talking about? And I'm like, No, no, no, salute! The real ones know. But yeah, I just got to the point where once I would salute the judges, all of a sudden it went from like, oh gosh, like please nobody look at me, nobody look at me. I am going to make sure to do something so fantastic. You cannot take your eyes off of me. And it was such a fun feeling to have once I was able to access that. I was like, yeah, I have to keep performing after I retire. Like gymnastics is such a short lifespan. Now there's a lot of gymnasts out there who are like breaking that stereotype. Um, but like I retired when I was 21. My dad and I retired in the same year, joint retirement party. So yeah.

[15:09] Linedy Genao: Oh my God. I love that. First of all, I didn't know that sports psychology was a thing. So that's amazing. And how it also can transition to perform. You know, it is a performance. Like you said, on top of the athleticism, you are performing for the judges, performing for the audience, performing for millions of people like me that were watching you and rooting for you as a Latina. Oh my God. I can't wait to get into that. How inspiring. But I love that you're able to tap into that. And it's so crazy because it's inspiring me because it's reminding me that we get in our own way so much. I get in my own way so much and reminding ourselves that we need to step into our power and that we are worthy and capable and deserving because you know, I've been in this career now 10 plus years, but I still struggle.

Yeah. I still struggle. I've been in the Great Gatsby for a year and there are moments where I'm about to have an anxiety attack before my big song and I'm like, your meal, like why? So like, what do you do when you feel that moment coming up? Cause I know for me, I'm like, I guess I just have to ride it out. Like I guess it's just going to be there while I'm out there and I have to trust that like everything is going to be okay. And just because I feel like this doesn't, it's not a prophecy that something's going to go wrong. I just feel like this, but like, what are things that you do when you're feeling like that?

[16:18] Laurie Hernandez: Our current Gatsby, Ryan McCartan, who we're going to have as a guest very soon shared this mantra with me that I say before every backstage, before I go on to sing my final song, One Way Road, it is, I am safe. This job does not define me. I have nothing to prove. I'm allowed to have fun. And then I added my own, I am trained, I am capable, I am worthy, I can do this. And I say that about three times and it works. Yes. But when I'm in, when I'm in my head, it's a struggle. And thankfully I have the song to help navigate those feelings. But me, when I get anxious, I tighten up and I'm, I'm about to belt my face off. And then I'm looking at the music, shout out to Jason Howland and Daniel Edmonds who are with me and Nick Chang who are with me every night, because sometimes they know when I'm like, and I'll look at them and they'll speed up the, like they're with me.

And so to have that support, like, you know, how you had in Dancing With The Stars, just to know that you have somebody's got you exactly. Cause when you're on stage by yourself, that too, when you're on stage by yourself, belting your face off, you see three phones. You're like, this is going to be on TikTok tomorrow. People don't even know what I'm going through. Then my anxiety gets worse and worse and worse and worse and worse. And like you said, I just have to ride through it. And then I go to my room and cry it out or do what I have to do and hope for the best the next day.

[17:31] Linedy Genao: Yeah. It's such a wild feeling to be like, I am going to go and do this thing that my body is telling me is danger. And it's not danger. That's the crazy part is like, you can't really rationalize or logic your way out of panic. It's something that is so somatic. And so like the body's going to do what it's going to do. How can I regulate physically? Because it got to the point where I would say all the right things to myself and it just wasn't landing. And I'm like, okay, this isn't working. How do I find other things? And it's so, it's so wild. And it's so nice to hear, like, I'm so sorry that you go through that. And it's really comforting to be like, I'm not the only one who's freaking the hell out, you know, but like my girlfriend went to the games in 2021 for trampoline in Tokyo and we had talked about like nerves and whatnot.

Cause I was telling her like, I do all these speaking events and I talk about performance anxiety and now it's here. I'm like a night before. And I can, I can't sleep. I can't do anything. And she was like, Hey, you know, all those things that you talk about, like you do actually experience, I forgot that I get anxious. And she had told me like, yeah, you know, when I was competing, I used to get really excited when the nerves would come because it meant I was awake. And you care and you care. It means something to you. But I was, I just had never thought of it like that. She was like the nerves kick in and I can think faster and I can react faster. And I get excited when the nerves come because it means I'm, I'm there. My body and my brain have connected. I'm awake.

[19:01] Laurie Hernandez: What an interesting take it is to be awake. Like, what does that mean? My anxiousness is so worried about what's to come. And she's like, my anxiousness or adrenaline more so is telling me I'm here in the present. Like she's, she's locking in in a different way. And I'm like, I wish I got to think about that. I got to tap into that. So right. Every time I get a little nervous, you know, it doesn't take away the nerves, but I can remember like, I'm getting nervous about what's to come. Am I going to mess up? Are people going to, am I going to embarrass myself? Is this going to go on the internet? You know, am I going to make a mistake? Am I going to, I'm a part of the ensemble. Am I going to do something wrong and mess something up for the entire piece as a whole, you know, like what am I going to do? And then also locking in and being like, I'm here, I'm in the wing and I'm just ready. Like I'm just awake. And that's all that's happening right now. Nothing else is happening.

[19:49] Linedy Genao: I love that. That is, that is deep. Oh my gosh. So you're dropping gems and I haven't had enough coffee. This is just, this is amazing. So I can't, so you retired from gymnastics at 21.

[20:03] Laurie Hernandez: Yeah.

[20:04] Linedy Genao: Oh my gosh. So what, what was that like mindset wise for you? You're 21, you know, you were going to, did you go to college soon after or you were already in college by the time you graduated?

[20:14] Laurie Hernandez: Uh, I went to college a year after.

[20:15] Linedy Genao: A year after. So what was that period like for you? Like, what do I do next? What, you know, was gymnastics your whole identity for you? Like, how did you navigate what, what your future, you know, was going to be?

[20:28] Laurie Hernandez: Yeah, it's a really interesting question and no one's ever really like asked me about the transition between retiring and getting to college. So when the Olympics got delayed in, uh, 2020 slash 2021 for the Tokyo games, cause of COVID, I had a full year and I was like, I don't really know what to do with myself. Like I, I can't really train right now. Everything is shut down. I don't know what to do. And UCLA was offering online, like extension courses. And I was like, well, I just have so much time on my hands. So I took an acting class and I took a writing class because I was like, I just have, so all I have is time right now. And I had like one of the best professors, his name is Eric Gold.

And I, to this day, we still email every so often where I'm like, hello, Eric. This is Laurie. I don't know if you remember me, but God knows how long ago I was in your Zoom acting class and you were one of the best teachers I've ever had. Like, it's so, it's so funny, but like, he was just so funny. Like he was just so, so sharp and so with it. And so able to give like corrections and criticism in a way that felt like you wanted to do it again. Like, yes, give me that so I can try again. It never felt like I was being torn down. And I think by the time those couple of weeks sort of ended, I don't know. I don't know if it's that I necessarily like, it's not that I checked out of gymnastics, but I was ready to do this thing that I was having so much fun doing.

And gymnastics at the time, I was just like, there was a lot that I was struggling with and I was like, I'm just not as happy and I want to stick it out. Cause I've worked so hard to try and come back a second time, but I am much happier doing this other thing. So when I retired for a lot of athletes, for most athletes, it feels really, I still felt this, like, it's really daunting because your whole identity can get wrapped up in this thing that people sort of know you for, and then all of a sudden you have to start over. Um, and that's, that's really intense and scary. And it's like, well, who am I? But before I had retired, I had an instinct of like where I might go next. And so once Tokyo didn't work out, but I ended up commentating and I was talking to my agent about it and I was like, well, I've been wanting to get into like acting and entertainment for a while and she was like, you were once not good at gymnastics and you trained and then you got real good and she was like, you don't know what you're doing.

Let's go figure it out. Like, let's go learn. Let's go learn from the best. Uh, and I was like, okay. So I sent in an application to NYU. I got in and I graduated in May and I'm a drama major and a creative writing minor. So.

[22:53] Linedy Genao: Look at, oh my gosh, I'm telling y'all, you can make your dreams come true. Yeah. You know, there's, there's a path out there for everybody. Nobody's path is the same, but I love that you had that instinct and that you went for it. You know, what do you have? So grateful. What do you have to lose? Nothing. Yeah. And it is, it is scary to like transition from one thing to the other. And also to like go from something that I was like, what a weird thing to say. And it's weird because it's like kind of true, but like to be the best in the world at something and then become not near the worst, but like near whatever the category, like untrained, I don't want to say the worst, but you're starting from zero.

I had no acting training before NYU. So going there, there was a lot of like shame and discomfort of like, please don't expect me to be good at this because I'm new here. Like, just let me learn with everyone else. And thankfully all my professors were so, you know, hands-on and just treating me like everybody else.

[24:20] Laurie Hernandez: Yeah. My family just so, everyone is so proud and so excited. I'm Puerto Rican. So like, Boricua, but like there, there was definitely a lot of pride, but also I was 16, so I don't think I really like could grasp or process how big of a deal it was. It had been over 30 years since the last U.S. born Latina on a women's gymnastics team. Was it 1980? I read it on YouTube. 1989, I think. Yeah, I believe so. Like it was around then, but like it had been a long time. And so to be a part of that gymnastics team, I was just so excited because I was competing with girls that I had watched years prior compete at the Olympics. And I was a young girl, I'm 12 years old, you know, during the 2012 Olympics and I'm watching these athletes get out there.

And who would have thought that four years later I'd be on a team with two of them that I sat on my laptop and watched, you know, like, it's just such a crazy full circle moment, but it is very scary. It's very scary to like feel like, Oh, nobody really looks like me. And it doesn't mean I can't do it, but now everybody's watching. So I definitely feel, I think I feel the responsibility and sort of like eyes on that more now than I did when I was 16, because I recognize like the weight and how exciting it is and how much more representation we need to have out there. But also knowing that like, it's inspiring to go and do the things that make you happy. Like that is the inspiring part. It's not that I'm this like paragon or this thing, like, I don't have to take that on. I take that on by going and like following my dreams. I don't have to feel that pressure because before I was like, there's a lot of pressure.

[24:49] Laurie Hernandez: Thanks for being so vulnerable about that. That's, that's really, really beautiful and inspiring. Like as a Latina, you know, to see, I remember watching you on TV and I'm like, oh my God, her name, you know, Laurie Hernandez and to see somebody that looks like you representing so many, you know, Latins that will, you know, that aspire to be on the Olympics and whatever, whatever sport, like what does that mean to you to represent, you know, and, and to, um, represent your Latinidad and to your abuela, like what, what does your family have to say about this so major?

[26:02] Linedy Genao: Yeah, there's a lot of pressure for Elmo. I can't even imagine all that external pressure, you know, alone at starting at 12 years old. I hold. Ay, dios mio, at 12 years old, I don't even remember what I was doing. I think I discovered eyeliner. And you were on the freaking Olympics. Like that is so major. That is so major. And now you're making your freaking Broadway debut. What has been the biggest eye opener for you? What's the biggest thing you've learned so far entering this world of Broadway and doing a show a week and all of that?

[26:30] Laurie Hernandez: Yeah. Biggest thing I've learned so far. Well, actually, I don't know if it's necessarily that I learned it, but it was confirmation that I want to do it, which feels good because you never know. You know, you train and then you do this thing and all of a sudden it's like, wait, what if I hate it? Like by the end of my gymnastics career, I was like, you're going to hate it. I'm going to hate it. I'm going to hate it. I hate it. Like by the end of my gymnastics career, I was ready to be done. Sorry. Sorry. I was so tired. Everything hurt. I was like, I'm not having a good time anymore. And, you know, there's that fear of like, what if I hate it? That's a very possible thing. And I just didn't. So I learned that I didn't hate it, which is lovely and that it's quite the opposite.

I want to be out there. I want to do more of this. Like the dream is to continue doing stuff that leans into acting because this feels very, you know, it's it's a dance track. It's very movement heavy and it's not a speaking role. And there was a lot of nerves during the rehearsal process because I was like, now I get to say that I'm a trained actor, but you know what? I'm not a trained dancer or singer. Hey, hey, I don't know what I'm so we were we were doing like, you know, groovy hip hop. Jennifer Webber, who choreographed and Juliet, like there's such a groove in a pocket to the show that I was like, listen, I can do salsa. OK, I can like shake my head. So I can I can do like I can tap into my bloodline.

Yes, you can. But when it came to, you know, like hip hop or like all these different styles, I'm not trained in that. So there was a lot there was a lot of learning and figuring out. And that's why I had posted a blooper reel on Instagram because I was like, the people need to see the people need to know. Like, I can trust that they I auditioned for this and they let me in because they knew I'd figure it out. But oh, my goodness. Like, it's how long was your rehearsal process?

[28:15] Linedy Genao: Like two and a half weeks.

[28:17] Laurie Hernandez: That's fast. Really? OK, I keep hearing mixed things. I'm hearing mixed things where some people are like, oh, that's a good amount of time or people will go like, that's not any time at all. So I don't know. I don't know what it is. But gosh, I mean, I've only well, I replaced twice and Dear Evan Hansen and now the Great Gatsby. Granted, the Great Gatsby.

[28:35] Linedy Genao: So, Laurie, I have to ask you, what has been the biggest surprise for you transitioning from the Olympics to Broadway?

[29:05] Linedy Genao: I mean, you’ve done some incredible things, but what has been the biggest surprise?

[29:35] Linedy Genao: I feel like the pressure is so different, right? Like, in gymnastics, you have a routine, you have to hit those marks, and now you’re on stage, and it’s a whole different ballgame.

[30:00] Linedy Genao: How do you feel about that?

[30:25] Linedy Genao: And I know you’ve talked about performance anxiety before. How has that changed for you now that you’re on Broadway?

[30:52] Linedy Genao: I mean, it’s a whole different level of performance, right? You’re not just doing it for the judges anymore.

[31:19] Linedy Genao: You’re doing it for an audience, and they’re reacting in real-time.

[31:45] Linedy Genao: So, how do you manage that?

[32:04] Linedy Genao: I know you’ve mentioned sports psychology. Can you share a bit about that?

[32:32] Linedy Genao: What tools have you found helpful in managing that anxiety?

[32:59] Linedy Genao: And I love that you’re so open about it. I think it’s so important for people to hear that even the best of the best struggle with these things.

[33:26] Linedy Genao: It makes it feel more relatable, you know?

[33:53] Linedy Genao: And speaking of relatable, I have to ask, what’s your go-to comfort food?

[34:19] Linedy Genao: I feel like everyone has that one thing that just makes everything better.

[34:26] Linedy Genao: For me, it’s a good hoagie sandwich.

[34:34] Linedy Genao: What about you?

[35:02] Linedy Genao: And do you have a favorite Bad Bunny song?

[35:28] Linedy Genao: I feel like that’s a must-ask question for any Latina.

[35:52] Linedy Genao: It’s just such a vibe, right?

[36:18] Linedy Genao: And I love how you’re bringing that representation to Broadway.

[36:46] Linedy Genao: It’s so important for young girls to see someone like you up there.

[37:15] Linedy Genao: You’re breaking barriers, and it’s inspiring.

[37:41] Linedy Genao: I know you’ve talked about the importance of mental health advocacy as well.

[37:51] Linedy Genao: Can you share a bit about that journey for you?

[38:01] Linedy Genao: How did you get involved in that?

[38:11] Linedy Genao: And what message do you want to share with others who might be struggling?

[38:21] Linedy Genao: I think it’s so powerful to use your platform for good.

[38:45] Linedy Genao: And I know you’re still in school at NYU, right?

[39:11] Linedy Genao: How’s that balancing act going for you?

[39:21] Linedy Genao: It must be a lot to juggle.

[39:31] Linedy Genao: But I love that you’re pursuing your passion for drama and creative writing.

[39:59] Linedy Genao: It’s such a beautiful way to express yourself.

[40:09] Linedy Genao: And I can’t wait to see what you do next.

[40:19] Linedy Genao: You’re just getting started, and I’m so excited for you.

[40:47] Linedy Genao: Thank you for sharing your journey with us today, Laurie.

[41:15] Linedy Genao: It’s been such a pleasure having you on the show.

[41:43] Linedy Genao: I can’t wait to see you shine on that Broadway stage.

[42:11] Linedy Genao: And for everyone listening, make sure to catch Laurie in & Juliet!

[42:39] Linedy Genao: Until next time, remember to embrace the in-between acts of life!