Sam Worthington may be a man on a ledge… But Génesis Rodríguez is a star on the rise.

The 24-year-old Venezuelan American actress is making her big screen debut in Man on a Ledge, which opens in theaters nationwide today, in her quest to become Hollywood’s next big thing.

The Miami-born Rodriguez isn’t new to the world of entertainment… She’s the daughter of legendary singe José Luis Rodríguez, better known to many as “El Puma“.

Rodriguez got her start in telenovelas. She appeared in Prisionera, Dame Chocolate and Doña Barbara and quickly gained a following before setting her sights on Hollywood.

“I was working for about six years in Spanish soap operas,” says Rodriguez. “I started working at 15, turning 16, and I moved here about two years and I came out thinking I was gonna serve people breakfast and say one line and be ‘Girl Number 2.’ But, that didn’t happen, thank God. I’m blessed that I got a start with my Spanish audience and I hope they like the transition.”

Rodriguez went on to appear in one of the country’s most popular soap operas, playing Becky Ferrer on Days of our Lives. And, she later moved on to guest-star on HBO’s popular series Entourage.  Rodriguez, who appears on the cover of the latest issue of Para Todos magazine, is now starring as an in Man on a Ledge, and will appear in Will Ferrell’s Spanish-language comedy Casa de mi Padre.

“I can’t wait for people to see these movies. I can’t wait for the reactions. I can’t wait for the American and international public to get to know me better and to see my work,” says Rodriguez. “This is the most exciting time of my life and I can’t wait to share it with people and continue doing what I’m doing.”

So what’s next for Rodriguez? Sharing scenes with the former governator Arnold Schwarzenegger in the film Last Stand.

“I play an FBI agent. Me with a gun, it’s the greatest thing ever,” says Rodriguez. “Arnold is such a great guy and this is going to be such an amazing [film] for him.”

And an amazing film for Rodriguez as well… as she stakes her claim as Hollywood’s next “It girl!”