Lina Santillan is a recurring character on Jane the Virgin. She is portrayed by Diane Guerrero.
Character[]
Lina is the best friend and co-worker of Jane Villanueva. They have been friends since school and are very close. Lina is a good friend, who has a very friendly, straightforward demeanor and is quick to offer her unfiltered opinions and advice.
Story[]
Season 1[]
Lina makes her mark quite quickly on the show, with a sassy reply to her new boss, Roman Zazo. She is shown never to hold back as she also tells Jane that she is certain Michael will propose on their two-year anniversary.[2] Lina's history and friendship with Jane are further underlined when they discuss Jane's disappointment in Rafael and Lina reveals that she knows all about Jane's crush on him and where they met[3].
Lina later tells Jane that she has been keeping a secret: she has been dating Billy Cordero, Michael's brother, but didn't tell Jane and Michael because the brothers don't have the best relationship. Lina apologizes for not telling her, but Jane understands[4]. Lina also divulges that she wants to get Billy a job at The Marbella, and they start working together.
Lina also meets Jane's father, Rogelio, for the first time while being their waitress at The Marbella[5]. For Frankie's birthday Lina, Jane and Luca go to Viento, Lina keeping an eye on Jane to make sure she's not too upset about everything that's going on with Rafael[5]. When Rafael is later dealt the responsibility of firing people at The Marbella, Jane and Lina experience a minor crisis in their friendship as their mutual friend Frankie is fired, and Lina suddenly feels that Jane and her astride different social strata, with Jane's newfound job security through her romance with Rafael[6].
Lina later admits to Jane that she missed her and the two make up, with Lina diving headfirst into planning Jane's baby shower[7]. Lina gives a heartfelt speech, stating that she isn't very emotional but feels that Jane's baby is incredibly lucky to have Jane for a mother[8].
Season 2[]
After Jane gives birth to Mateo, she, of course, becomes entrenched in motherhood, and Lina ends up feeling somewhat neglected and unsure of where she fits into Jane's life when Jane forgets Lina's 25th birthday. Lina and Jane do however get back on track, growing close again. Lina and Xo plan Jane's bachelorette party together and Lina attends Jane's wedding to Michael as her maid of honor. Lina confesses to Jane that she doesn't want to be working at the hotel forever and Jane getting married has led Lina to realize that she wants to do something she cares about.
Season 3[]
When Jane expresses to Lina that her sex life with Michael isn't as great as she thought it would be, Lina comes to rescue and tries to help them get back on track.[9] Lina quits her job at The Marbella and starts working at Marchesa. After Michael's death, Lina and Jane grow estranged.
3 years later
Lina lives in New York and returns to Miami, but doesn't call Jane when they suddenly run into each other. When they plan to meet up at Jane's house things are awkward and Lina leaves quickly. Fabian gets Lina and Jane to meet up, Jane then flips out at Lina for being so distant and they go to the toilets together because Lina doesn't want to reveal why she is so angry and upset at Jane in front of Fabian and Danny. In the bathroom, Jane confronts Lina about why she has been so distant and Lina then tells her the truth about why she is upset with Jane. The truth is that when she called Jane about having her first fight with Danny, Jane sort of cut her off saying it didn't actually matter, Jane then realizes that it was because she was mourning for Michael. Jane says she didn't mean to make Lina feel so meaningless, alongside this Lina says she is also sorry for not trying harder to be there for Jane. After this, the two of them bond more than ever before and they reconcile.[10]
Season 4[]
Season 5[]
Lina has been unable to get pregnant so visits Jane back in Miami asking for one of her eggs. Jane struggles with the decission, causing a brief rift between them but they eventually reconcile and Jane agrees to give her one of her eggs. However, Lina decides she doesn't want to put their friendship on the line and will instead ask one of her sisters.[11]
When she returns for Jane's wedding to Rafael months later, Lina reveals she is pregnant.[12]
Relationships[]
- Main article: Lina and Jane
Lina and Jane met each other when they were around 9 years old in school. They are seen in flashbacks performing at a talent show together[13] and in the schoolyard where Jane is talking to the other girls in their class about what it means to lose your virginity, where Lina promptly steps in to give her more, er, clinical dissemination of the event.
In present-day, the two work together at The Marbella for about 4 years before Jane quits, and are very close. Lina knows all about Jane's past, romances and is close to Jane's family as well, almost like a part of it[3]. And Jane is working hard at keeping their relationship prioritized amidst all the craziness in her telenovela-esque life.
Lina is seen to be very relaxed around Xo, almost the way she is with Jane and when the three spend time together it's more like three friends hanging out than Xo being any sort of parental figure[14]. Lina is quite sassy and Xo does seem to take note of this, but brush it off – this is early on in the series, however, when Xiomara is still balancing between her teen self and a concept of her adult self.
Relatives
Lina's family has yet to be seen on the show. Lina mentions an unknown number of sisters that are married and have children.
Romances[]
Lina and Danny met through a dating app. At first, Lina is unsure whether or not Danny is the one for her. After a good talk with Jane, Lina realizes how much she loves Danny. They are married and are currently expecting their first child together.
- Dating
In Season 2 Lina has had something going on with a guy named Nate, who she's been on a few dates with and he later shows up for her 25th birthday party[13].
Billy and Lina meet at Jane and Michael's sort-of engagement party and end up having sex in Michael's bathroom[2][4]. The two start dating following this and keep the relationship a secret for a while, as Billy is not on the best of terms with his brother. When Lina tells Jane, she apologizes and Jane forgives her but insists that they tell Michael and that he will not be happy[4]. Lina even gets Billy hired on the wait staff at The Marbella and they continue their relationship for a while[15]. They break up at some point in Season 1, but it is never remarked on.
Quotes[]
- He wants to set up your 'sweet cloud'
- — Lina to Jane[src]
Trivia[]
- She's Jane's best friend since school.
- She's very straightforward.
- She has 4 sisters, but she feels like she grew up with 5.
- Similar personality-wise to Xiomara.
- She dated Billy Cordero.
- She worked as a waitress at The Marbella.
- She can't conceive and needs an egg donor to become pregnant.
- Her sister, Jackie, donated her an egg, and now she is pregnant.[12]
Photos[]
Episodes[]
- SEASON 1 (12/22)
- Pilot • Chapter Two • Chapter Three • Chapter Five • Chapter Six • Chapter Seven • Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten • Chapter Fourteen • Chapter Seventeen • Chapter Nineteen • Chapter Twenty-One
- SEASON 2 (6/22)
- Chapter Twenty-Five • Chapter Twenty-Six • Chapter Thirty-Two • Chapter Thirty-Five • Chapter Thirty-Nine • Chapter Forty-Four
- SEASON 3 (3/20)
- Chapter Forty-Seven • Chapter Forty-Eight • Chapter Sixty-One
- SEASON 4 (1/17)
- Chapter Sixty-Nine
- SEASON 5 (2/19)
- Chapter Ninety-Five • Chapter One-Hundred
Notes and references[]
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