Stephanie Beatriz was a standout as Rosa Diaz on Brooklyn Nine-Nine but many fans noticed a change in the character in season 4. Rosa is a cold and tough cop whose personality matches her aesthetic with her typically wearing jeans, biker boots, a neutral top, and a black biker jacket, with her curly hair loose. However, Rosa’s look in Brooklyn 99 changed over the years as she became more trusting of her colleagues. As the team grew stronger together, Rosa began to let down some of her barriers, which was represented visually by her new look in season 4.
Rosa Diaz’s look progressed over Brooklyn 99‘s eight seasons, though she pretty much kept her iconic rocker-chic aesthetic. However, there were some noticeable changes to the way Rosa season 4 looked versus other seasons. She would still wear the same ensemble, but her hair, once kept long, big and curly, was more tamed and styled. She also wore softer makeup for a more feminine appearance. While these changes in Rosa may seem minor, they were incredibly significant to her wider character arc.
Rosa’s Changing Appearance May Have Had Links To Her Love Life
Stephanie Beatriz Confirmed The Change In Look Was Deliberate
Rosa’s love life throughout Brooklyn Nine-Nine is tumultuous. At first, she’s waiting relentlessly for Adrian Pimento (Jason Mantzoukas) to come out of hiding after he found out that he was in danger from Jimmy Figgis, who hired a hitman to kill him. By the time her fiancé returns, they push forward with the wedding the very next day, wanting to get it over with.
The rest of the 99 are skeptical but supportive, though, that their initial reaction was appropriate – Diaz and Pimento decide to postpone the wedding. Time goes by and Rosa eventually realizes that she really doesn’t want to be with Adrian anymore, resulting in their breakup.
Her time with Adrian is an integral factor behind the Rosa season 4 look, and it’s eventually revealed in season 5, episode 9, “99” that Rosa is bisexual and dating a woman. Rosa Diaz actor Stephanie Beatriz eventually provided insight into the change, explaining on X (at the time known as Twitter) that she intentionally altered Rosa’s look in season 4. While she didn’t reveal the precise reason for the change, she attributed it to Rosa’s character arc in the sitcom.
This means that for most of Brooklyn Nine-Nine season 4, Rosa was also coming to terms with her sexual identity, or at least with how she wanted to share it with her friends. While this wasn’t explicitly tackled during Brooklyn 99 season 4, the timeline of her relationship with Adrian and her subsequent coming out suggests that the change in Rosa’s appearance during season 4 could have been related to this aspect of her arc.
The slightly more feminine aesthetic for the Rosa season 4 look could indicate her inner hesitance to marry Adrian or even a desire to mask her bisexuality before coming out. Rosa’s sexuality in the NBC sitcom mirrors Beatriz’s in real life – this is likely the reason that Rosa Diaz actor was very involved in her character’s journey and was able to incorporate certain nuances like subtly changing her look as part of its visual storytelling.
After Rosa came out, her look returned to the way it was in earlier seasons of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Whether this is truly linked to Rosa’s sexuality will remain unknown, but the Rosa season 4 arc is still a great moment in the series.
Rosa’s Season 4 Appearance Isn’t Stephanie Beatriz’s Greatest Transformation
The Actress Who Plays Rosa In Brooklyn 99 Is Incredibly Versatile
Rosa’s season 4 change on Brooklyn 99 wasn’t Stephanie Beatriz’s greatest transformation, as some Brooklyn 99 viewers might not know that she starred as Encanto‘s main character, Mirabel Madrigal. Beatriz provides her voice for the Disney/Pixar animated film, and people are understandably shocked when they realize that the same actress who plays Rosa on Brooklyn 99 also voices Mirabel. It’s a testament to Beatriz’s versatility too, as the two characters themselves are almost polar opposites in terms of personality.
Mirabel is fun-loving and kind, and would do anything to bring her Encanto family back together — a far cry from the distrustful, no-nonsense cop she plays on Brooklyn 99. The fact that these two starkly different characters are played by the same actress is a credit to the skills of Beatriz. To be able to transform in such a way that her voice and characterization are unrecognizable from her previous roles is truly a feat. While Rosa’s season 4 appearance was certainly a departure for the character, the Brooklyn 99 actress’s transformation into Mirabel Madrigal was far greater.
Why Rosa’s Brooklyn 99 Appearance Change Is Significant
Despite The Change Being Minor It Represents A Lot For Rosa
Rosa’s season 4 change in Brooklyn 99 was never something that was directly addressed in the show but was noticeable to viewers. Now that Brooklyn 99 has ended, it feels like a pivotal moment for the character of Rosa. If the change in season 4 is due to her embracing her sexuality and gaining more self-confidence as a result, then it becomes a surprisingly powerful inclusion to look back on. Given that Stephanie Beatriz had a hand in ensuring the change in Rosa’s Brooklyn 99 look happened, it is easy to assume the two are linked.
As for Rosa’s coming out (via People), Beatriz confirms that she was set to pitch the idea of Rosa’s bisexuality only for the showrunners to approach her with the idea first. She expressed that she was thrilled for the show to be providing this kind of representation but making it more about a well-rounded character. Beatriz shared:
”
For me, the most important thing about this part of Rosa was to show that she isn’t just a steel wall. She does have vulnerabilities
.”
Rosa’s change in season 4 of Brooklyn 99 shows that her growing confidence in her sexuality impacts her overall lifestyle positively, which gives her new fulfillment, providing an important message.
Season 4 Was A Pivotal One For Rosa
The Season Put Rosa In A More Central Role For The Rest Of The Series
Brooklyn 99 was always a terrific ensemble series that was elevated by the wonderful cast of characters. However, season 4 of the show was a turning point for the character of Rosa, not just in her look, but in her position on the show. She went from being part of the supporting cast to being one of the major focuses of the show. The storylines surrounding her character became more interesting and involved, allowing for a further evolution of the character.
Without the change in her character seen in season 4,
Brooklyn 99
might never have thought to address her sexuality…
Season 4’s storyline between Rosa and Adrian was a big one for showing the layers of her character. It allowed fans to see Rosa actually wanting something beyond just catching the bad guys and it also showed her vulnerability. By the end of the season, she was involved in one of the biggest storylines in Brooklyn 99 as Jake and Rosa go to prison after being framed. These moments made the audience more invested in Rosa and fueled even more personal storylines to come.
Without the change in her character seen in season 4, Brooklyn 99 might never have thought to address her sexuality, which made for one of the most poignant storylines in the show. Once again, it offered a glimpse into her personality that audiences had never seen, forever changing the character for the better.
