Gina Rodriguez is having a career moment she never expected. The actress has teamed up with basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal to co-host ABC’s new game show, Lucky 13, and the experience has brought her closer to one of Hollywood’s biggest icons—Kevin Bacon.
Rodriguez, 40, still can’t believe she’s landed the hosting gig. “I never in a million years thought I’d be hosting a game show,” she tells PEOPLE. But what made the experience truly unforgettable was meeting Kevin Bacon, who serves as an executive producer on the show.
Recalling their encounter, Rodriguez said, “I’ve only met him once, and I thought I played it so cool.” However, when Bacon showed up on set, she couldn’t resist making her admiration known. “I told myself, ‘Now’s my chance. I’m just going to walk up to him and hug him,'” she says, clearly still excited by the memory.
In a recent Instagram clip from the Lucky 13 set, Bacon, 66, praised Rodriguez and O’Neal, 52, calling them “the perfect people to be hosting this show.” But the moment that truly floored Rodriguez was when Bacon said, “I love Gina Rodriguez.” For the Not Dead Yet star, those words were life-changing. “When he said he loved me, I died a little bit inside. Or maybe I came alive more inside,” she gushes.
The admiration goes both ways, as Rodriguez can’t help but praise Bacon. “He’s such a tremendous artist and so down-to-earth. Meeting him was a win. I love when actors remember they’re just human beings,” she shares. She feels the same way about her co-host, saying, “Shaq’s the same way. They’re both so grounded.”
Lucky 13 presents contestants with 13 true-or-false trivia questions, but there’s a twist—they must predict how many questions they’ve answered correctly to take home the $1 million prize. For Rodriguez, who admits she’s “obsessed with trivia,” the hosting role was a departure from her usual work, but a welcome one.
“I’m in this era of my life where I’m just trying new things, stepping outside the box,” she explains. Despite not being a trivia whiz herself, Rodriguez loves the inclusive nature of the game. “It’s fun trivia for everyone, from pop culture to academics,” she says. Unlike Jeopardy!, which she jokingly admits makes her feel “like such an a–hole” because she doesn’t know many of the answers, Lucky 13 is more about knowing yourself, she adds.
Hosting Lucky 13 has opened up new opportunities for Rodriguez. “It was such a departure to be a host, but it gave me skills I never thought I’d have the chance to learn,” she says, calling the experience a “tremendous gift.” Now, she’s hoping for more. “I hope I get to do Lucky 13 again. It’s been wonderful, and it’s given me wings to try things I never thought possible.”
With the success of Lucky 13 and her blossoming hosting career, Rodriguez is embracing every new opportunity—and with Kevin Bacon’s approval, she’s clearly on the right path.