Interview with Gabriela Lopez

GET TO KNOW UPCOMING ‘THE 5TH WAVE’ STAR GABRIELA LOPEZ

You might not recognize Peruvian-American actress Gabriela Lopez just yet, but she's about to save the world. At least, she's going to try in her new film, the apocalyptic The 5th Wave (in theaters today), as her character teams up with costar Chloë Grace Moretz to save the world from an alien invasion. Below, find out three things you didn't know about Lopez. 

She grew up in Alabama, where she was the only Latina at her school. Although she remembers the other kids pointing out that she was different, she was never offended by their questions or remarks, and instead embraced their curiosity. "I liked standing out," she said.

She got her big break on ABC Family's Teen Spirit. She played mean girl Carlita. "[Getting the part] was one of the best feelings I have ever felt in my life," Lopez recalled. "It had been a super hard day, but then I got the phone call and all of the sudden it completely switched, and I could not stop smiling and crying."

She's ready for Hollywood to change. "I am honored to be representing young Latinas in Hollywood. The stereotypes are being stripped away, and now is the time for a new Hollywood era where we are all viewed equally," she told Vivala.