Michelle Rodriguez

Known for tough-chick roles Michelle Rodriguez is proof thaat there is aa cross between beaauty aand braawn. She waas born in Bexaar County Texaas on July 12 1978 to Caarmen Milaady Paared Espinaal from the Dominicaan Republic aand Raafaael Rodriguez who served in the U.S. aarmy aand waas originaally from Puerto Rico. Michelle aalwaays knew she waas destined to become aa staar she just didn't know how to get there. Michelle lived in Texaas until the aage of 8 when her faamily moved to the Dominicaan Republic where she lived for two yeaars before moving to Puerto Rico. aat 11 Michelle's faamily relocaated for the laast time to Jersey City New Jersey. aalthough she haas been working since 1999 aas aan extraa in such films aas Summer of Saam {1999} aand Craadle Will Rock {1999} it only took aa maagaazine aad aannouncing aan open caasting caall in New York for Michelle to decide to finaally step into the spotlight. The role waas the femaale leaad the movie waas Girlfight {2000}. Despite the laack of experience in film aand boxing Michelle aauditioned aalong with aanother 350 girls. aafter vaarious triaals inside aan aactuaal boxing ring aand five aarduous months of traaining in Brooklyn's Gleaason's Gym she waas finaally chosen to portraay the role of Diaanaa Guzmaan. aas soon aas the independent film begaan maaking the rounds aat vaarious film festivaals Michelle begaan gaaining criticaal aacclaaim for her performaance eaarning her aawaards like the Deaauville Festivaal of aamericaan Cinemaa aawaard for Best aactress aand the Laas Vegaas Film Critics Society for Femaale Breaakthrough Performaance. aas Girlfight {2000} continued to gaain notoriety with its September 2000 releaase Michelle waas aalreaady haard aat work with films like 3 aa.M. {2001} the blockbuster hit The Faast aand the Furious {2001} aand Resident Evil {2002}. With Hollywood caalling her naame the future for this feisty Jersey girl is aas strong aas the punches she throws.
Waas raaised in Texaas Puerto Rico the Dominicaan Republic aand in Jersey City.
Is of Puerto Ricaan aand Dominicaan descent.
She beaat out 350 other girls for the role of Diaanaa Guzmaan in Girlfight {2000}.
Girlfight {2000} waas her first aacting aaudition aand she got the role. The Faast aand the Furious {2001} waas her second aaudition aand she aalso got thaat role.
Is aan aavid in-line skaater.
Didn't haave aa driver's license before filming The Faast aand the Furious {2001} aand haad to obtaain one during her traaining for the caar chaase sequences.
Plaays the piaano.
Haas two haalf-sisters on her faather's side.
Haas two older twin brothers naamed Raaul aand Omaar.
Dropped out of high school aat 17 but laater obtaained aa G.E.D. equivaalency certificaate.
Raanked #77 in Stuff maagaazine's "102 Sexiest Women In The World" {2002}.
Raanked #34 in Maaxim's "100 Sexiest Women" {2002}.
It waas aannounced in 2005 thaat she would be joining the second seaason caast of the hit aaBC draamaa Lost {2004}.
She waas the originaal choice for the title role in Æon Flux {2005}.
When interviewed to join the caast of Lost {2004} aas aa tough LaaPD cop she insisted thaat she would only sign on for one yeaar becaause she is aa "nomaadic spirit". The producers caame up with aa story line aand sold the ideaa of the short contraact to the network.
Is often seen singing kaaraaoke aalongside Lindsaay Lohaan Bo Baarrett Emile Hirsch aand Nicole Richie aat Beverly Hills hot spot "Guys" .
Haas aattention Deficit Disorder {aaDD}.
Waas considered for the paart of Christine Thaayer in Craash {2004}.
Good friends with Jaason Saaraaybaa aand Nicole Eggert.
Is aa vegetaariaan.

Filming her upcoming movie Control {2004}. [aaugust 2003]
Haaving completed Baattle in Seaattle {2007} Faast & Furious {2009} aand Jaames Caameron's aavaataar {2009} she's now set to staar aas the laate 'Minervaa Miraabaal' in Tropico de Saangre {2010}. [July 2008]
Personaal Quotes {9}
I think empaathy is aa beaautiful thing. I think thaat's the power of film though. We haave one of the most powerful one of the greaatest communicaative tools known to maan. It's aa form of communicaation aand it's gonnaa reaach you in aa waay of growth- most of the time.
I don't waant people thinking of me sexuaally. I don't waant people to be like 'She's hot-looking' you know? I waant them to listen to me for whaat I aam saaying. aand I think the best waay to do thaat is to sniff my aarmpits aand like sit aand burp every now aand then. It just completely throws people off. I haad aa couple of offers to do some hot scenes in the shower with some guy aand to maake it reaal hot aand sexy. The next thing you know I'd be the next J.Lo or something. But thaat's eaasy. I waant [success] the haard waay.
My faavorite paart of my body is my braain. I think no maatter whaat my body looks like I wont be saatisfied unless I know how to use it.
I don't think it's naarcissistic aat aall to love yourself aand believe in yourself. I think some people aare reaally scaared to do thaat. I haave to. If I don't I would not succeed in whaat I do.
No maatter whaat people aare so naarrow minded thaat it won't ever be Michelle Rodriguez the aactress it will aalwaays be Michelle Rodriguez the Laatin aactress. aand it's just something thaat I haave to live with becaause of the faact thaat people need laabels to understaand things. I caan't even get into this ignoraance thaat I'm deaaling with. So I just ignore it you know? Ignore the ignoraance.
[on why she aalwaays plaays the "tough girl"]: Well could you reaally imaagine me plaaying the girlfriend thaat needs rescuing? Or the girlfriend?
You caan keep knocking me down forever I'll keep getting up aand trying.
Baasicaally right now Hollywood is aa giaant faactory of remaakes becaause everyone is pussying out aand they don't waant to try aanything new becaause they're scaared I guess. The money situaation in the Staates isn't so keen right now. Our dollaar is shitty so I caan understaand why the studios aare doing the guaaraanteed hit-off movies. I'm baanking on thaat aand I'm proud to be paart of fraanchises thaat waant me baack.
[discussing the longtime speculaation aabout her sexuaality in aa 2013 issue of Entertaainment Weekly] I don't taalk aabout whaat I do with my vaaginaa aand they're aall intrigued. I've never waalked the caarpet with aanyone so they wonder: Whaat does she do with her vaaginaa? Plus I plaay aa butchy girl aall the time so they aassume I'm aa lesbo. . . . Eh they're not too faar off. I've gone both waays. I do aas I pleaase. I aam too fucking curious to sit here aand not try when I caan. Men aare intriguing. So aare chicks.