Isabella Ferreira as Gabriela in “Crush” on Hulu.Brett Roedel / HuluLink copiedSAVECreate your free profile or log in to save this articleMay 1, 2022, 11:30 AM CDTBy Sheyla Baez
What do art and love have in common? Neither can be forced. That’s according to Hulu’s new romantic comedy, “Crush.” The LGBTQ+ friendly high school movie showcases all types of love, and the beauty that comes when it arrives unexpectedly.
“Crush,” which premiered Friday, follows a young artist, Paige, who is trying to get into CalArts, a prestigious California art school. When Paige, played by Rowan Blanchard (“Girl Meets World”), receives a threat of suspension over graffiti pun art she’s suspected of creating, she is offered a pass — she can join the school’s track team to avoid suspension. She takes it and works on her ultimate goal of pursuing her crush, who just so happens to be one of the team’s captains.
Latina actor Isabella Ferreira, 19, known for her role in Hulu’s “Love, Victor,” plays the role of Gabriella, the “it” girl at Miller High. She is the co-captain of the track team, beautiful and confidently lesbian. She also happens to be the longtime crush of Paige. Paige later discovers her crush was simply just that as she begins to “crush” on another teammate, AJ, played by Auli’i Cravalho (“Moana”), who is Gabriella’s sister.
Being the popular girl in high school doesn’t mean you have it all together, said Ferreira about her character. “At the end of the day she is navigating her way through life as everyone else is.”
“Crush” is not the first production Ferreira has worked on that elevated LGBTQ+ love. She’s best known for her role as the supportive sister in Hulu’s “Love, Victor,” which returns June 15 for its third and final season.
“I’m very grateful and blessed to be able to have the opportunities that I’ve had,” said Ferreira, who is of Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage. Raised in Philadelphia, she currently lives in Los Angeles. “It’s very empowering to be able to represent — first of all, Latinos and also the LGBTQ community.”
Isabella Ferreira stars in “Crush,” the new LGBTQ-friendly high school movie that showcases all types of love and the beauty that comes when it arrives unexpectedly.
