- Mateo Gloriano Rogelio Solano Villanueva
- — Jane and Rafael naming their son in Chapter 22
Jane Villanueva Cordero is the main character on CW dramedy Jane the Virgin. She is portrayed by Gina Rodriguez.
Character
Jane is a bright, passionate young woman, who dreams of becoming a writer. She grew up with her very young mother and Abuela, and loves her family deeply. Jane's grandparents are immigrants from Venezuela and were not in touch with their family back home. Consequently, Jane sometimes felt lonely growing up and hopes for her son Mateo, to grow up with a big, extended family.
Jane is a romantic, who daydreams of telenovela romances and finding her true love. She likes to plan her life, sometimes down to the last detail and is scared of losing control and taking risks in her life, which sometimes stops her from following her heart.
History
Before the show
2001
Jane's mother, Xiomara Villanueva, was 16 when Jane was born. In order to protect the baby's father, Xiomara lied to her mother, Alba, telling her she didn't know who the father was. She maintained that lie into Jane's adulthood, until Jane found out the truth about her father. When Jane was ten, Alba, her grandmother, introduced her to the world of telenovelas. She also taught Jane that her virginity was like a flower - once crushed, it cannot be uncrushed. Influenced by her grandmother, Jane promised she would remain a virgin until marriage.
As a little girl, Jane used to play make believe with her mom and pretend she was getting married. She would be the bride, and Xiomara would be the groom. Still, no matter how much she loved her mother, Jane still felt curious about her father and wanted him to be a part of it. As a child, Jane took on adult sensibilities in her relationship with her mother - taking care of her, reminding her to be careful when out on dates and playing mediator between Xiomara and Alba whenever they fought. It was from an early age that Jane's talent for writing developed. She wrote her first short story when she was ten, discovering a magical new world.
Jane has always been a dedicated student, her lowest score being 98% on an spelling test – but only because she had used the British spelling of a word, a cause she would argue on the following day. It was then that she learned from Alba to forgive, after an incident where she broke Alba's favorite earrings after using them without her permission. Alba then told her that, as her flesh and blood, there's nothing Jane can do that Alba wouldn't forgive. And, like every other child, Jane was terrified of needles.
2006
In 2006, Jane had a quinceañera. Jane couldn't wait for her quinceañera and she even wrote a list of things to do on her party. She danced with a handsome boy who she thought was great, but she was wrong. When Xiomara saw her date kissing another girl she grabbed the mic and started singing. Although embarrassed, Jane acted as if it didn't bother her and continued on with the party.
Sometime in high school, Xiomara started dating the father of Stephanie, one of Jane's classmates. Stephanie was popular and, when Xiomara broke up with her father, she turned everyone against Jane. Jane would later give this as the reason why she wanted to teach middle schoolers, so she could stop them from becoming mean girls. At age 15 Jane didn't like to listen her grandmother and mother fight so she would always write a letter to Alba in Xiomara's name when they got into a huge fight, apologizing and asking Alba never to mention the fight again.
2010
Jane was nearly nineteen when she first kissed Rafael. She worked at a tennis bar's restaurant when they met: she was closing the bar when he arrived late, but he sweet-talked her into letting him in after hours. There was a spark between them when they first met. They talked for hours and he promised he would call her again, but he never did, and Jane was heartbroken. When Jane was nineteen she graduated high school and she was celebrating. She already had all the plans for her future and she attempted to make them happen. Jane told Alba and Xiomara that when's she's thirty she sees herself happy, with her first novel published and married with no kids yet.
2012
Jane and Michael meet at her 21st birthday party.
During the show
2014/2015
TBA
2016/2017
In February 2017
2020
TBA
Family
- Main article: Mateo and Jane
Mateo is Jane's blessing in many, many ways. He was not a planned child for Jane (as Jane likes to plan her life in strict detail), he is her miracle and his entire existence, from the beginning, has given Jane the courage to risk her heart, to test herself, explore and experience life. Mateo's life is Jane's first foray away from her safety net, into a world of adventures – everything she could only dream of and loves writing about.
- Main article: Alba and Jane
Alba is Jane's grandmother. It was Alba who first instilled in Jane the idea of staying a virgin until her wedding night, saying a virginity lost was like a smashed flower: it can never go back to what it once was. Alba found Jane's prescription and was hurt by the idea that her granddaughter had broken her vow; when Jane told her she was accidentally inseminated, Alba revealed to her that she ordered Xiomara to have an abortion and later regretted it, for Jane is the most important person in her life. She also adds that the baby will be the most important person in Jane's life. For Alba, there's nothing that Jane could do that she couldn't forgive her for.
- Main article: Xiomara and Jane
Xiomara is Jane's mother. She conceived and gave birth to Jane when she was sixteen. Xiomara decided she wanted to keep the baby and lied to her mother about the fathers identity to protect him. For the same reason, Xo never told Jane who her father was either. She was with Jane when Jane found out she was pregnant and thought Jane was the Immaculata. Xiomara later tells Jane she can choose not to have the baby; saying it helps to have options. Jane knows her mother loves her, but she also knows that becoming a young mother somewhat derailed Xo's life in several ways and doesn't want a child of hers to feel the same thing. Xiomara and Jane share a loving, close and supportive relationship. Xiomara often would break up with boyfriends in order to protect Jane from them. Jane, however, points out that doing that meant Xiomara used her as protection to keep herself from being hurt.
- Main article: Rogelio and Jane
Then-sixteen-year-old Xiomara's boyfriend and Jane's father. When Xiomara told Rogelio she was pregnant with his baby, he told her to have an abortion and then walked out on her when she refused. He then went on to become a famous telenovela actor (Jane watches his telenovela, "The Passions of Santos", with her mother and her abuela). When Xiomara first saw him on screen, sixteen months before "Chapter One", she wrote to him; he took sixteen months to find her and is angry with her for having kept Jane a secret for 23 years. It was after meeting her father that Jane have decided to keep her baby. Rogelio often struggles with making a connection with Jane: over dramatic and over the top, he's a fan of grandiose gestures of affection, a trait that doesn't sit well with Jane. In order to help Jane, Rogelio gets her a position within the writing team of his telenovela, The Passions of Santos. The head writer, Dina Milagros, then gives Jane the task of writing Rogelio's character Santos' death scene. Jane at first balks at that, but Rogelio convinces her to do that and write him the greatest death scene ever. She eventually agrees and breaks down in tears as she watches the taping of said scene. Afterwards, they hug, and Jane calls him dad for the first time, thrilling Rogelio. Rogelio offers his support when Jane has to do some tests on the baby, and she's grateful for his presence.
Romances
- Main article: Michael and Jane
Jane and Michael met at Jane's 21st birthday and instantly had an attraction.[1] They started dating, trying to share each other's interests, such as Jane going camping[2] and Michael watching telenovelas and reading romance novels[3], and grew closer as Jane started sharing personal things, such as Abuela not having a green card, and letting Michael into her heart.
Once Jane discovered Michael kept secrets from her, that would have dire consequences for her unborn child and also his criminal past when Michael was a teenager, Jane fell out of love with Michael and they broke up. Slowly, they rebuilt trust, became friendly and soon found their way back to each other.[4][5] Jane is an widow due to Michael's death .[6]
- Main article: Jane and Rafael
Jane and Rafael meet in summer 2010 at a club where Jane works and Rafael plays tennis. Jane had a major crush on him, and randomly one day Rafael drops in after hours. They talk about life and dreams and share a kiss, but Rafael never calls. When they meet again, Rafael has been through illness, is going through divorce and is a different person. In an awkward situation, they reconnect and soon begin to develop feelings for each other.
After Jane ends her engagement, they get together, but both struggle with the relationship: Jane takes a lot of issue with their perceived class difference and Rafael's broken heart (courtesy of his family) leads him to end their relationship, which he later regrets. Though not a couple, they make every effort to get along to properly co-parent. While parenting works well, their relationship is strained as Rafael still loves Jane.
Friends
Lina
- Main article: Lina and Jane
Lina is Jane's best friend. They go way back and they were good friends for a lot of years. Lina has always been there for Jane and Jane for Lina. When Lina find out about Jane's situation she helped her to get through it. They once had a fight, because Jane forgot to ask Rafael whether Lina is fired. That's why Lina rolled her eyes at Jane and she said that she doesn't have to care if she's getting fired, because she has a rich daddy. But after that argument, they became friends again and Lina decided to plan a baby shower for Jane.
- Main article: Jane and Petra
Petra and Jane originally got along, as Jane thought Petra was a good wife to Rafael and would raise Jane's baby. After finding out that Petra cheated on Rafael, the escalation of Petra's actions to get money, get back at Rafael and to get Rafael back, overwhelmed Jane completely and the two were acrimoneous to say the least.
Jane and Rafael plotted to get Magda put in prison for her violent act against Alba by luring Petra with promise that Rafael was interested. Once Petra realized this and self-inseminated, Petra is not too crazy about Jane either. This continues, until the women slowly start to bond over Jane's current and Petra's impending motherhood. Although Jane's ideas of class differences and Petra's coldness gets between them, they try to work out a cordial relationship, as they're kids will be siblings. Jane aides Petra during her birth of the twins and is the first person, other than the mother herself, to meet them.[6]
Quotes
- But I've never had sex!!
- – Pilot
- We have a timeline. I haven't got my teachers degree yet, we just merged our calendars!
- – Pilot
- I'm an honors student, Michael. I can follow a recipe
- – Chapter Five
- Mateo Gloriano Rogelio Solano Villanueva
- –is Jane and Rafael naming their son in Chapter Twenty-Two
Trivia
- She likes telenovelas.
- Her favorite food is grilled cheese.
- She has been writing short stories since she was ten.
- Jane's dream is to write romance novels.
- She used to run when she was a bit younger.
- She used to work at Golden Harbor Yacht Club, where Rafael would play tennis.
- She drives a Yellow Mini Cooper (a gift from her father).
- Jane was in college for six years, while working.
- She is Venezuelan-Mexican-American.
- She speaks English to her Abuela, who replies in Spanish.
- She was subjected to mean girls in high school.
- She wrote the death scene of Santos for The Passions of Santos.
- She is best friends with Lina.
- She worked as a teacher at Our Lady of Sorrows High School.
- She has two stepsisters – Valeria and Victoria.
- She wrote a short story about her mother.
- She originally wished to be a published author by 30[7].