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On Saturday night, Lifetime premieres another based-on-a-true-story intriguing TV movie. Alexa Vega stars as Gaby Rodriquez in The Pregnancy Project.Based on a true story from last year, the real-life Gaby did a school project, convincing the entire student body that she was pregnant, at 17 years old. Throughout the movie, which airs Saturday January 28, you see how it affects her,  the student body, her family, and another character, who is really about to become a teen mom, and what happens when all is revealed that it’s a lie.

In typical Lifetime TV movie style, the movie keeps you intrigued throughout the entire story and is a great Saturday night stay home movie.  The real life Gaby Rodriquez and actress Alexa Vegas spoke to me this week about their real life and TV movie experiences.

When speaking to Gaby on the phone in between classes, she seemed very passionate about this story. “I started this because I've seen the struggle that was going on in my family. My mom was a teen mom. My older three sister was a teen mom and my brother was a teen dad. Seeing the same issue I wanted to bring awareness to it.”

Gaby‘s story made headlines after local news picked it up, and she appeared on Good Morning America and Today. After her morning appearance, she received a call from Lifetime wanting to do a TV movie on her story. Her story also turned into a memoir, which is in bookstores now. “After I did final presentation to student body at my high school, the next day the local stations called me for an interview. Next thing I knew Good Morning America and so many other people were calling. I was shocked by everything. I just got overwhelmed. When I got back from Today show, I got an offer from Lifetime.”

Best known for her role in Spy Kids, Alexa Vegas is now 23 years old and played the role beautifully.

“I didn’t realize this was a true story. When I brought it to my mom, she had heard about it on the news what it happened. So, I started looking it up and researching who Gaby Rodriquez was, and what her story was and it’s truly amazing to see what Gaby has gone through. She is such a bright, smart, articulate young women and for her to come up with this well thought of plan at only 17 years old, and not just convince her mother, and feel confident enough to go with something has stressful and emotional as this, but to also convince your principal and your teacher, you have to have a really strong message you want to send,” says Vega after a long 24 hour shoot on a short film.

Asked about whether her experience on the set triggered any mommy tendencies, she said “I am the oldest of six kids. My mother was a young mother. She wasn’t a teen mother. I’ve grown up with a tons of mommy duties as well. I spent a lot of time talking very closely with our director and our producers to make sure I portray this exactly how they wanted it.”

Gaby was on set at times to help Alexa with the role. “I was able to talk to Gaby, and for me, the biggest day was during the actual assembly when she reveals that she is not pregnant, and Gaby was with me all day long. I asked her ‘Right before you went in, what exactly were you thinking?,’ and ‘What did you do beforehand?’ so I was able to get all these inside tips that helped me dive into it a little bit further.”

Vega married producer Sean Covel in 2010 but has no plans for children just yet. “Just wearing the belly, I started waddling and started touching it a lot, and mommy instincts kicked in. It put me in the reality of the situation. Even though I am happily married, I think it’s something that we want to wait on a bit longer. Being a teen mom is a very difficult task, but if it is something you have gotten yourself into, it’s not the end of the world for you. You have plenty of opportunities and you can still accomplish your goals. You are just going to have to work harder than everybody else. It doesn’t mean you can’t finish school, or get a good job.”

Rodriquez says she hopes to continue to help people. “I am blessed. This is my opportunity to spread my message so much further,” and as for her schooling, “I am majoring in psychology. I am thinking of child psychology, but I haven't decided yet. “

What Vega learned from the role: “We all naturally have a tendency to judge people, things that are not like our own, and different,  and especially with all those Teen Mom shows that are out there, nothing is really showing the reality of it. They are all glorifying it and doesn’t show what being a teen mom really is, and that’s what Gaby wanted to prove – not everyone has to be a statistic.”

Although Gaby says she has no plans for another book, she says it best when “you never know what the future holds.”

The Pregnancy Project airs Saturday, January 28 on Lifetime.