The second season of Netflix reality show I Am Georgina, which follows the life of Georgina Rodriguez, partner of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, made its debut on Friday.
The six-part series was trending in Netflix’s top 10 most-watched shows in the UAE at the weekend, and trending at number one in other parts of the world including Portugal and Brazil.
Much of the first episode is set in Dubai, and shows the moment Ronaldo surprised Rodriguez as the Burj Khalifa lit up with a special birthday message for her.
In the episode, Rodriguez says that on her birthday, which coincided with the release of season one of I Am Georgina, she had planned to watch the show on a projector screen on the beach.
“Cris overheard me and asked, ‘What are you planning?’”, she said, before revealing that he didn’t seem impressed with the idea.
“I was really annoyed, I spent like four days feeling kind of sad with Cris,” she said. “But, of course, he had already organised it all.”
Footage from the episode shows the family having a private dinner together at an undisclosed restaurant which Ronaldo reserved, with a third-floor terrace looking directly out on to the world’s tallest building.
“He booked out one of the restaurants for me. Then he organised a top-class buffet,” she said. “We sat down and a magician started performing tricks.
“Suddenly, I heard the I Am Georgina theme tune and I thought, ‘wow’,” she said, recalling the moment the special light show began.
“I tried not to cry because when I cry, the kids get upset, but between that, the hormones, the happiness, the compliments I’d received from so many people, I couldn’t help it.”
Rodriguez was pregnant with twins when the footage was shot in January 2022.
“It was a very emotional day. Well, it was and it still is, because in the end, those moments and those positive experiences stay with you,” she said. “And day after day, it’s like a thrill, like a spark that keeps you happy and active and alive.”
The series also shows moments following the loss of one of their twin babies, Angel, during childbirth.
In scenes shot in the hospital and later with Rodriguez talking to the camera, she talks about the pain of losing her son, and finding strength in her other children, including baby Bella Esmerelda, who she described as “her light”.
“I was a zombie for a long time, I was running on autopilot,” an emotional Rodriguez tells the camera.
“Every time I look at Bella, I see her brother next to her, and I ask myself ‘is that what he’d be like’.
“Honestly, I feel like I am still not ready to think about it.
“I have the ability to be positive about everything I have. But I don’t know, it’s like I still don’t accept it. And to me, he’s here.”
The series finishes before the family’s move to Saudi Arabia in late 2022, after Ronaldo left Manchester United and signed a deal to play with Al Nassr FC.
Since the move, the couple have been enjoying their life in the kingdom from a lavish suite at Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh, and have shared several snippets on social media.
Rodriguez's Saudi style — in pictures
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Since moving to Saudi Arabia, Georgina Rodriguez has added the abaya to her wardrobe, wearing one with her children at Mrsool Park on January 3. EPA -
Rodriguez wore a fitted dress to the Jacquemus fashion show in June 2022 in Arles, France. Getty Images -
Fitted, halterneck gowns are reguarly worn by Rodriguez. She selected one for the Elvis premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. AP -
She paired the look with emerald drop earrings. Getty Images -
She wore a halterneck dress to the premiere of Tár at the Cannes Film Festival 2022. Reuters -
Rodriguez in a tailored trouser suit with a statement necklace at the 78th Venice International Film Festival in September 2021. EPA -
Even off duty, Rodriguez favours lavish jewellery, such as these long earrings worn to Monaco Formula One Grand Prix in May 2019. AP -
She mixed baby blue lace with white diamonds at the 78th Venice International Film Festival in September 2021. EPA -
At the Marca Awards in July 2019, Rodriguez wore an uncharacteristically simple look. Reuters
