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Michelle Rodriguez Profile |
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Birth Date: July 12, 1978
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Birth Place: Bexar County, Texas, USA
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Birth Name: Michelle Marie Rodriguez
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Height: 5'6"
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Biography |
Michelle Rodriguez was born in Bell County, Texas on July
12, 1978. Her father's profession in the army made for a
rather nomadic lifestyle for the Rodriguez clan, who moved
to the Dominican Republic in 1986, and then to Puerto Rico
two years later. When Michelle was 11, the family relocated
to Jersey City, New Jersey, where they settled down
permanently.
Michelle's time in Dominican had endowed her with fluency in
Spanish as well as a strong sense of moral virtue, the
influence of a grandmother who was a devout Jehovah's
Witness. Nevertheless, this spiritual stability failed to
translate into Michelle's personal life, who, by age 17, had
been kicked out of six schools before giving up on the
education system altogether.
Thrust into the working life somewhat prematurely, Michelle
began her work in the entertainment business as an extra.
She appeared, albeit marginally, in a number of major
feature films, including Spike Lee's Summer of Sam and
1999's Cradle Will Rock. Well-versed in the workings of the
industry by the age of 20, Michelle went for her first
professional audition, one which, despite its surface
appearances, went marvelously smoothly.
While showing up hours late and giving the casting directors
attitude would normally be considered two surefire ways to
not get a job, in this instance, they worked in Michelle's
favor, taken as they were reflections of character traits
well-suited to the role in question. Michelle was chosen
over 350 other applicants, and immediately began preparing
to take on the leading part of Diana Guzman in Girlfight.
Given the nature of her role as a delinquent street fighter
who turns to boxing, Michelle's preparations for the film
were rather extensive. She took acting courses, but the bulk
of her time was spent learning to box at Gleason's Gym in
Brooklyn, New York. Her training, spread out over four and a
half months, was as intense as would be expected, involving
two and a half mile runs at dawn and performing sit-ups
under the weight of 20-pound sandbags. Yet for all its
intensity, Michelle's time at Gleason's Gym was well-spent:
not only was she thoroughly prepped for her role, but her
boxing skills had developed to such an extent that her
trainers tried to persuade her to go professional.
Girlfight debuted at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival, where
it was the object of immediate acclaim. The film was a
shared recipient of the festival's Grand Jury Prize, and its
success was not lost on its leading star. Michelle garnered
a host of awards for her performance in the indie film,
including the Best Actress Award at the Deauville Festival
of American Cinema, the Female Breakthrough Performance
Award from the Las Vegas Film Critics Society and the
Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance.
Michelle's second ever professional audition also resulted
in a role, this time opposite Vin Diesel and Jordana
Brewster in the 2001 summer blockbuster hit, The Fast and
the Furious. That same year, she was cast alongside Danny
Glover and Pam Grier in the made-for-cable Spike Lee
production 3 A.M. In 2002, Michelle played an elite
zombie-killing commando in the film adaptation of the video
game, Resident Evil.
Along with the film reviews, Michelle has found herself in
the gossip columns on a number of occasions in past years. A
rumored romance with leading man Vin Diesel drew a great
deal of attention in 2001, as did assault allegations from a
roommate in the spring of 2002.
Michelle can next add a starring role in the surfing drama,
Blue Crush to her resume, and upcoming films include
S.W.A.T. |
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Other
Information |
Was raised in Texas, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic,
and in Jersey City.
Is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent.
She beat out 350 other girls for the role of Diana Guzman in
Girlfight (2000).
Girlfight (2000) was her first acting audition, and she got
the role. The Fast and the Furious (2001) was her second
audition, and she also got that role.
Is an avid in-line skater.
Didn't have a driver's license before filming The Fast and
the Furious (2001) and had to obtain one during her training
for the car chase sequences.
Plays the piano.
Has two half-sisters on her father's side.
Has two older twin brothers named Raul and Omar
Dropped out of high school at 17, but she went back and
graduated via an equivalency diploma.
Ranked #77 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women In The
World" (2002)
Ranked #34 in Maxim's "100 Sexiest Women"(2002)
It was announced in 2005 that she would be joining the
second season cast of the hit ABC drama "Lost" (2004).
She was the original choice for the title role in Æon Flux
(2005)
When interviewed to join the cast of "Lost" as tough LAPD
cop, she insisted that she would only sign on for one year
because she is a "nomadic spirit". The producers came up
with a story line and sold the idea of the short contract to
the network. |
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