Today Ruby Rose turns the big three-oh so we’re using this opportunity to talk about all the reasons we’re such big fans (*ahem* obsessed) of her. She slays as Stella Carlin in OITNB and rocked the EMA’s last year as our co-host, but her off-screen story is even cooler than her on-screen one. Here are seven reasons she NEEDS to stay on your radar.

1) She made this awesome ‘Break Free’ video.

We love it and we’re not the only ones. It had four million views in its first few days of release. As we watch a leggy blonde in heels and a tight dress transform into a short-haired, tattooed, boob-bandaged girl with attitude, we are left asking a few questions. Mainly, who 'is' this hotness, and what’s she telling us? It’s all explained below.

2) Gender fluidity is a thing.

The actress, DJ, model, and TV presenter has fluctuated with how she represents herself her whole life – boy, girl, boy, girl, and finally, boy.

At age six Ruby was convinced she was a boy. She’d bind her chest with bandages because she didn’t want to grow breasts. But by her teen years she was persuaded to get into modelling and, in the process, become more feminine. She went along with it for a few years,

“Until one day I shaved my head and just went “F*@k you” to everyone who thought I need to look a certain way. And I got bullied after that.”

She thought a great way to flip the Vs to her bullies would be to get into the entertainment industry. But to do that, she felt she needed to grow her hair and look more feminine again. This worked in terms of getting jobs – she was a successful model and MTV VJ in Australia. But she wasn’t as happy as she could have been – that happened when she finally looked the way SHE wanted. Along with it came the biggest successes of her career and the realisation that being yourself should push you forward, not hold you back.

3) She CAN play "the sexy girl".

Ruby wanted to make ‘Break Free’ for years but was worried about the reaction it would get. What gave her the final push was being rejected for a part in a big American film. “It got to the director and he said: “Nah, she can’t play the sexy girl. She looks like Justin Bieber.” And that weekend…I thought…I’m going to do my own movie.”

And on the ‘can’t play sexy’ thing – we’re pretty sure 99% of the world disagrees. She has a whole lotta fans – guys, girls, straight, gay, bi, transgender – you name it. Just look at the comments on her IG account. She’s slaying.

4) She’s open about her own gender identity.

According to Ruby, she’s neither gender. “Well, if I had to choose it would be a boy…I feel like I’m a boy, but I don’t feel like I should’ve been born with different parts of my body or anything like that. I feel like it’s just all in how I dress and how I talk and how I look and feel, and that makes me happy.” And Ruby is happiest with people using female pronouns to refer to her.

She also opened the EMA’s last year with this line: “Ladies and gentlemen, and everyone in-between” and everyone went nuts, basically.

5) She’s got the best Instagram account ever.

To go from fangirl status to #obsessed in five minutes, follow her IG account for:

Her awesome social circle. She’s pals with everyone from Bieber to Ed Sheeran to Tay-Tay, obvz.

Her sense of humour.

Her looking stunning. All. The. Time.

#Fitspo.

6) She sticks up for the squad.

Ruby doesn’t take any s**t in any walks of life, but if you go after her friends, you better hide. Earlier this year when Kanye put *that* Taylor Swift lyric in his track, ‘Famous’, Ruby was DONE.

7) She’s killing it as the face of Urban Decay.

Ruby was recently announced as the new face of badass beauty brand Urban Decay. She explained her involvement in a statement saying, “Urban Decay believes in supporting individuality and personal self-expression - two values I hold very dear - because everyone deserves the freedom to explore their personality and discover their true selves.”

We’ll be watching with a keen eye (AKA stalking) to see what awesome stuff Ruby does as she hits her thirties in style. HBD RUBY!

- Louise Ashley