Have I ever mentioned how much I truly care for Michelle Rodriguez? Like, I know she’s done some dumb stuff, and I think the girl likes to party, probably too much, but I can’t help but love her. She’s an underrated actress, and I think she’s really pretty and sexy. I love her hard/soft dichotomy – on one side, she’s not afraid to be tough and ass-kicking, even more so than most men, but on the other side, she often comes across as so vulnerable. Sigh… enough of my crush. These are photos of Michelle at last night’s premiere of Battle: Los Angeles, which is opening this Friday. Michelle gave an interview recently where she discussed why she often takes roles in action films where she gets to kick-ass:
Actress Michelle Rodriguez has been kicking serious you know what since her breakout flick, Girlfight, and continued through mega-hits like The Fast and the Furious, Lost, and, more recently, James Camerons’ Avatar. And according to her, that’s really the only way to ensure she takes the roll.
“I look for a whiny aspect in a woman, and as soon as I see that, I’m like, ‘not interested,'” Rodriguez told Niteside. “I’m not a true thespian, I don’t seek the thrill of exploration of human emotion — I’m more about projecting what I love about women and the empowerment of them as much as possible.”
She added, “When I see strength I’m attracted to it, it’s what makes me feel comfortable. I’m a true matriarch.”
Still, Rodriguez — whose latest film Battle: Los Angeles hits theaters Friday — admitted to having reservations after reading the script, in which she plays plays Air Force Tech Sergeant Elena Santos.
“The first thing that I thought was, ‘I just did Avatar — I don’t want to be in a movie that’s going to be corny,'” she explained. “So my first thing was to know what these aliens are going to look like and the perspective. And he [Director Jonathan Liebesman] showed me the short that he basically showed to the studio to get the funding for it, and it blew me out of the water. It’s intimate — it’s not this ‘blow up the Hollywood sign.'”
In fact, Rodriguez — who underwent extensive Marine training to prepare for the part — said she wouldn’t be opposed to having a real life close encounter.
“It’d be kind of cool if aliens dropped in on us,” she laughed. “Maybe we’d stop fighting against each other so much. ”
At least we know if they didn’t “come in peace” she’d be able to take them down.
[From NBC Miami]
Does anyone else remember her one-season arch on Lost? Ana Lucia was one of the best characters of the Lost universe, I thought, and I think Michelle is kidding herself if she thinks she’s only about the aggressive, dominant female characters, because that‘s not all she did on Lost. She does drama and pathos very, very well. Whatever, I wish she worked more, and I wish that when she worked, it wasn’t just on these action movies.
Here’s the trailer for Battle: Los Angeles:
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I’ve loved her ever since Girlfight (eventhough she’s obviously kind of cooky sometimes). I also really liked her as Ana Lucia. I think she’s underestimating herself because in both roles despite the tough front she showed alot of vunerability.
Are you for serious? Ana Lucia sucked hard, and so did almost that entire season of “Lost”. shame on you.
those pants & heels are unfortunate. 🙁
I didn’t think much of Michelle until I read her recent interview over at Screen Junkies where she discusses the embodiment of both the masculine and feminine as an actor and as a woman. I have so much respect for her now (and she was pretty adorable when she did Craig Ferguson’s show last year). She doesn’t claim to be an expert, but I think she downplays just how much thought and consideration she puts into the subject. Love love LOVE.
She’s a good actress for sure. But never found her attractive physically.
She is my girl crush, like what is Sofia Vegara for most of you ladies here. Enough said.
I love her in action roles. I actually cannot get enough of her kicking ass to be honest.
I really love her too. I think she’s amazing, and totally hot.
@bokchoi I liked Ana Lucia and Mr Ecko is one of my favorite Lost characters that being said the Bai Ling episode from that season was the the lowest point of the show.
Ouch, her feet look like they really hurt.
“I am a true matriarch.”
Really? She’s the older female head of an extended clan?
And I couldn’t stand Ana Lucia. She wasn’t strong, she was just sullen.
She’s so hot. I have it bad for her.
i know a lot of people hated the ana lucia character on lost, but i loved her. when she punched sawyer in his smug face was one of the highlights of the show for me.
@KateNonymous: “Really? She’s the older female head of an extended clan?”
That’s exactly what I was thinking. Girlfriend needs a dictionary.
Anyone else remember when she got SCRAM-braceleted for a DUI whilst filming Lost in Hawaii, ‘cos she sure whined A LOT about that – comparing her punishment to some Orwellian nightmare and Tipp-Exing “1984” on it?!!
She was at least one of the more tolerable characters in Lost (and Avatar) though, and ace in Girlfight.
@ Katenonmymous –
Really? She’s the older female head of an extended clan?
My thoughts exactly.
Those disjointed comments are why hollywood celebutards should not be taken seriously – for example, the rebels in Libya know why they’re fighting and what will be the consequences if they lose – just because a silly actress patronizes such people as though they have nothing better to do than fight doesn’t mean their fighting is pointless. ANd i have no idea what she means by i’m a true matriach – I don’t think she does either but it probably sounded impressive when she said it.
I thought she was just a lesbian.
@KateNonymous
From an anthropological perspective, matriarch does not necessarily mean older, strictly speaking. It just means a female head of a specific social group.
jover: I don’t think she’s talking about Libya.
@mln76, I will concede Mr. Ecko, well played. The rest of that season? They nearly jumped the shark, and he may have been the only reason they didn’t.
damn i miss that show.
A matriarch? Really? By playing characters in a movie? I suggest she get out her dictionary and a thesaurus and look up the meaning of the word.
Here I’ll even supply it for her:
Matriarch:
1.the female head of a family or tribal line.
2.a woman who is the founder or dominant member of a community or group.
3.a venerable old woman.
Synonyms: mother or queen
Last time I looked MR wasn’t any of these things. Girl PULEEZE. Your ignorance is showing.
Not to be a smart ass, but what specifically was she talking about #20; just tossing off phrases and sentences having no particular import or meaning; her remarks are substanceless.
Eh, I like her personally but she has played her ‘Girlfight’ character in every role she’s had since.
@bokchoi that season was obviously the worst. I am not arguing that I just like Michelle Rodriguez and I didn’t mind Ana Lucia I just hated all the bad writing and again the Bai Ling episode.
I too still miss that show soooo much.
I love the movie Resident Evil (awesome zombies) and hers is my favourite character.
Lord, you couldn’t pay me to watch that movie. I don’t get the fascination with watching the world get destroyed over and over again in the movie world. It’s just not an emotional trip that I want to take.
I wish there were more actresses in America like her, instead of all those hundreds of strike-a-pose types that wander about trying to be relevant
I wasn’t happy when she joined LOST, but she wasn’t that bad, especially once we saw her character’s back story. I wasn’t sad to see her go though, like I was with some of the other characters.
She is one of the more believable female action stars though.
hey, i like her, she is different from those other fake,wanna be , plastic, shallow, bimbos in hollywood, thank god, more humans like her please.
“…to ensure she takes the roll”. ?? As in “roll in the hay”, or did you mean ROLE…. ? C’mon now.
I can’t help but like her. She is all kinds of aWesome
“From an anthropological perspective, matriarch does not necessarily mean older, strictly speaking. It just means a female head of a specific social group.”
@CallieTrichid (#19) True, but most often they are older, as is reflected in common usage. Most people considered matriarchs are older than 32.
Beyond that, I highly doubt that Rodriguez was speaking anthropologically, or that she’s the head of anything, regardless of age. My point still stands.
Actually, the invasion-of-the-whole-dang-planet flavor of apocalypse is not yet overdone. Aside from the well-done TV reboot of “V,” which is a couple years ago already, this is reasonably fresh. I’ll see it.
Some of you guys should realize words have subtley different meanings in different academic (or non-) contexts… you’re being incredibly literal. Just because you had to look it up in a dictionary to see the three most common meanings doesn’t necessarily mean YOU know what she’s talking about.