Happy Birthday to “Glee” star Naya Rivera!

Happy 25th birthday to talented actress Naya Rivera who plays Santana Lopez on Glee.

Miss Rivera has been a revelation this season as her cheerleader character comes to terms with being a lesbian and was never better than in a heartbreaking scene in which her beloved grandmother completely rejects her.

“I have to tell you a secret, a secret that I’ve kept from you for a very long time,” she tells her grandmother at her kitchen table. “Abuelita, I love girls the way that I’m supposed to feel about boys. … I want you to know me, who I really am. When I’m with Brittany, I finally understand what people are talking about when they talk about love.”

Santana is not always the most likeable character but she’s always interesting. It is to Naya’s great credit that she has made us care about Santana by showing the glimpses of vulnerability underneath the layers of toughness.