A cross between beauty and brawn, Texas-born Michelle Rodriguez has come a long way from humble beginnings shaped by time spent growing up in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Jersey City. It was from such sometimes rough yet diverse surroundings that Michelle began to build a personal persona as a street-smart "tough girl", which when combined with raw talent and unmatched screen presence, helped her beat out 350 other girls to land her first speaking role as the lead in 2000's critically-acclaimed independent film Girlfight. The award-winning performance quickly helped Michelle garner the attention of Hollywood, leading to major roles in blockbusters such as The Fast and the Furious (2001), Resident Evil (2002), Blue Crush (2002), and S.W.A.T. (2003).

Always seeking opportunities to branch out and reveal her multifaceted personal and professional layers, Michelle is currently developing her own projects as a writer and producer. As an actress, she can next be seen this September in the dramatic indie Battle in Seattle costarring Charlize Theron. In 2009, Michelle stars in Fast and Furious, the historical biopic Trópico de Sangre which she also co-produces, and in James Cameron's revolutionary $200 million sci-fi epic Avatar.

 

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