Naya Rivera, left, and rapper Big Sean at Shriners Hospitals for Children – Honolulu. (Star-Advertiser photo by Craig T. Kojima)
BY GARY CHUN / gchun@staradvertiser.com
On vacation with her boyfriend, rapper Big Sean, actress Naya Rivera — better known as cheerleader Santana Lopez on the Fox hit show “Glee” — paid a Friday afternoon visit to the young patients in the recreation therapy room of Shriners Hospital for Children – Honolulu.
The 26-year-old Rivera chatted and posed for photos with the patients, staff and visitors of the hospital during her brief visit while her adoring boyfriend (last name Anderson) looked on.
With a colorful welcome sign behind them, some of the therapy patients performed a simple hula to Keali‘i Reichel’s “Ka Nohona Pili Kai,” much to the delight of their star visitors.
Naya Rivera. (Star-Advertiser photo by Craig T. Kojima)
“You guys got moves,” exclaimed Anderson, and Rivera high-fived 18-year-old Vilimoni Naioko, who later even got a hug and a kiss from Rivera (Anderson gave him an approving thumbs-up).
Rivera makes it a point to visit places like Shriners whenever she travels.
“It’s important to do whatever I can,” she said. “I love meeting new people and I have a soft heart for these kids.”
The young couple are visiting Hawaii as part of a concert stop for Anderson, who will be performing as the headliner for Saturday’s “Legion of Boom” at Aloha Tower Marketplace.
After the visit, Rivera said she missed seeing Thursday’s season finale of “Glee” because she and Anderson were at a luau at Paradise Cove.
“But we plan to watch it tonight,” she said.
Rivera’s character has struck out on her own to New York City, away from her mother and girlfriend Brittany, and is making ends meet as a cage dancer.
“Santana really wants to explore New York and hopefully find a new girlfriend,” she said.
While Rivera doesn’t know what the show writers have planned for next season, it’s her wish that Santana will be out “living it up and having fun.”
“Glee” is Rivera’s most visible gig to date, after years working in episodic television. When asked what it’s meant to her, she said with a laugh “it’s the American dream. I’ve been working since I’ve been 5, but it hasn’t been consistent, until now.”
As for other side-projects, Rivera said “I’m working on my music, still,” which Anderson chimed in “… and she’s really good!” And there will be an independent film coming out in the future, “a psychological thriller called ‘Home,’ where I play the sister to Catalina Sandino Moreno’s character.”
The Hawaii visit is also somewhat of a working vacation for Anderson. Before the hospital visit on Thursday, Anderson was shooting footage for an upcoming video for the breakout track of his next album, “Hall of Fame,” coming out later this summer. The undisclosed song and video will be out by the end of the month, he said.