The Secret of the River is available on Netflix, and since its debut, fans have been eager to learn more about its star, Trinidad González.
Netflix has been on a roll with releases recently as fans flock to watch projects like the first half of Outer Banks Season 4.
First hitting the streamer on October 9, The Secret of the River is an eight-episode series centered on two kids from a village in Oaxaca, Mexico who form an unlikely friendship after witnessing a horrible tragedy and keeping it a secret.
At the center of this story is 29-year-old Trinidad González, who is from Tabasco, Mexico and has the chance to share her home culture with a broad audience.
Meet Trinidad González - Biography Details
Trinidad Gonzalez Is a Model
As noted by Them, Gonzalez (who stands 6'1") spent years working as a model before she transitioned to the screen.
In 2019, she moved to Mexico to pursue her modeling dream and quickly signed with the Supa modeling agency. From there, she moved to London to continue her work while also starting her journey into transitioning (González is transgender).
She also spoke with Vogue about her jump into this industry (roughly translated from Spanish), noting how she was "always very closed in that world" when she lived in Tabasco. She "always wanted to be a model," leading her to take that leap and follow her dreams shortly before her 24th birthday:
"I was always very closed in that world and I got tired of living this cycle. It was the step towards a freedom that I was looking for, the thrill of what I had always dreamed of. I had always wanted to be a model and I decided to trust myself. There are always people who tell you not to run away from your reality, but I ran towards freedom."
Trinidad Has Always Loved Fashion
González has had a love and passion for fashion since her youth, as she detailed later in her interview with Vogue.
"I always liked fashion," the model/actress stated as she explained how she always wanted to get more involved in that world when she saw the women in her family dress up and explore styles:
"I always liked fashion, seeing the women in my family getting ready, doing their nails and hair, was something I saw myself reflected in and identified with, I always wanted to do it, have long hair, play with my clothes and I couldn't live it as is, so I reflected myself a lot in them to live this side of fashion."
She saw more of this in the magazines sitting in the waiting room of her aunt's dentist practice, seeing herself in the models and identifying "with the world of modeling:"
"I have an aunt who is a dentist and has her office. In the waiting room she had magazines and I always saw myself in the female models, it was leafing through the magazines and this spark, this excitement of seeing something you like that identified me with the world of modeling."
Further explaining her love for fashion in her Supa website bio, she loves the ability to change on a whim and embrace self-expression:
"Style for me is everything, you can change whenever you want and depending on your mood. Because that's what self-expression is all about, feeling yourself. When you are comfortable with yourself, you radiate it and convey that. That is why I love to trust myself when it comes to dressing or just walking through life like a queen."
The Secret of the River Is Trinidad's First Major Acting Role
After years of modeling, González entered the world of acting for the first time with her role as Sicarú in The Secret of the River.
Her interview with Them detailed how she returned to Mexico in 2022 but struggled to find modeling gigs. She was then presented with the script for The Secret of the River, and although she was nervous about the idea of acting, the story hit a special place with her.
She noted how fear is something that pushes her forward when she is in a tough place:
"Fear drives me. It’s the force that gives me strength. I like that."
Trinidad Hopes Trans People Connect With Sicaru's Story
Per Them, González shared her hopes that people can connect with her story through The Secret of the River, where she plays Sicarú/Manuel.
She explained how she has "a very similar story" to the character, connecting deeply with the actress who played Manuel. Remembering being "very shy" in her youth, she resonated with the way Sicarú embraced being a woman and the bravery she showed in making that move:
"I think we have a very similar story. For example, the actress who plays Manuel is a super cute girl. When I first met her, she was very feminine but when I saw her dressed as Manuel, it was like a flashback. I walked like her [at that age], I spoke like her, it’s very similar to me. But I was always very shy … What I love is her bravery in saying: 'I am a woman' and treating herself like a woman. She’s a very brave girl. That’s something I applaud and I hope many people, especially [trans] girls, connect with Manuel and have the opportunity to transition at the age they feel is right."
Trinidad Wants to Keep Acting
As for González's future (per Glamour), the new actress has no intention of slowing down with her work on screen.
Previously, she admitted to being "obsessed with knowing what else was going to happen or what else [she] should do." Now, she has a more fluid approach to life, wanting to take on projects that fit well with her:
"Nowadays I continue working. Before I was a bit obsessed with knowing what else was going to happen or what else I should do, but right now I prefer that things take their course and that what should happen in my life happens and I would love for them to be projects that match me, that I am very happy to do, to meet worthy characters that make me proud."
She also expressed a need for more roles in the industry "for trans women and trans men," wanting authenticity for stories told from an LGBTQIA+ perspective:
"There needs to be more roles for trans women and trans men, and roles that go beyond just being people who have undergone a gender transition. Everything needs to be authentic and stories that fill the LGBTQ+ community with dignity."
How To Follow Trinidad González Online
Those looking to follow Trinidad González on social media can do so through Instagram.
The Secret of the River is streaming on Netflix.
