Eloise Mumford
Actress Eloise Mumford at a 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' fan screening in New York Fan Feb. 6. Getty

Dakota Johnson may be the female lead in “Fifty Shades of Grey,” playing the virginal college student Anastasia “Ana” Steele, but she’s not the only female character on-screen in the highly-anticipated romance feature. On Friday, audiences everywhere will be introduced to actress Eloise Mumford who plays Ana’s best friend and roommate, journalist Kate Kavanagh in the film. Ahead of the movie’s release, get to know the 28-year-old “Fifty Shades” star.

1. She has been on TV since 2008 -- While “Fifty Shades” is Mumford’s first big film role — she also starred alongside Miley Cyrus in “So Undercover” in 2012 — she has done a fair amount of work on television in recent years. You may recognize Mumford from her roles in “Crash,” “Lone Star” and “The River.” She also starred in the made-for-TV movie “Christmas with Holly.”

2. She has a thing for Ryan Gosling -- During a recent interview with the “Today” show’s Kathie Lee and Hoda Kotb, Mumford admitted to having a crush on "Drive" star Ryan Gosling. The actress made the confession when asked who her “Christian Grey of Hollywood” is. Unfortunately for Mumford, Gosling is taken by another actress, Eva Mendes.

3. She’s on social media -- Like many of her “Fifty Shades” co-stars, Mumford is also active on social media. Her Instagram account — currently at 16,100 followers — includes everything from selfies with her fans, to food and flowers. Mumford, a Tisch School of the Arts graduate, also frequently posts updates her Twitter page @eloise_mumford.

4. She has supportive parents -- “Fifty Shades” is set in Seattle, Washington, a place Mumford probably knows a thing or two about. She was raised in Olympia, Washington, by her parents, Tom Mumford and Nancy Smith.

In an interview with the “Today” show, Mumford revealed that her parents have been incredibly supportive and excited about her role in “Fifty Shades.” Despite being grateful for their enthusiasm, the actress said she is glad she won’t be screening the romance flick with them. “I have to admit I’m kind of glad I won’t be sitting next to them, but I’m very excited for them to see it,” Mumford said with a smile.

5. She can relate to Kate -- While some actors may find it difficult to relate to their characters, Mumford said she had no issue finding similarities with her “Fifty Shades” role. “I feel like I have so much in common with Kate,” Mumford said during a recent interview with Huff Post Live. “She’s very tenacious, she doesn’t take any crap … She is bold, she’s a very, very good friend and I would like to think that I have all of those traits in common with her.”

“Fifty Shades of Grey” premieres in the U.S. on Friday.