Tough Ladies of Hollywood: Michelle Rodriguez | CELEBRITY PROFILES

Michelle Rodriguez is an American actress and screenwriter known for her powerful performances and ability to play tough physical female roles. The actress’s first big break came after she moved to New York. Competing in an open casting call against 350 other aspiring actresses she landed the role of female boxer Diana Guzman in Karyn Kusama’s Girlfight project. During the course of preparing she underwent intensive boxing training and attended acting courses to polish her burgeoning but raw talent. The dedication paid off when Girlfight (2000) released to critical acclaim, winning the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance film festival. The role propelled her into the public's consciousness and she was immediately cast in director Rob Cohen’s The Fast and The Furious (2001). Starring alongside action actors Paul Walker and iconic tough guy Vin Diesel, the film was a box office smash and she would later go on to reprise the role in sequels Fast & Furious (2009) and Fast & Furious 6 (2013). On the back of this success she appeared in sci-fi horror Resident Evil (2002), surfing drama Blue Crush (2002), and high octane action film S.W.A.T (2003).

Later in her career the actress branched into television as Ana Lucia Cortez in the second season of the television series Lost as one of the main characters, and would go on to make numerous guest appearances in the show until its finale. In recent years she has continued to play a tough independent women in films such as Battle: Los Angeles and blockbuster Avatar. With her films grossing over 5 billion collectively she has been described as the most iconic actress in the action genre as well as one of the most famous latino actors currently working in the Hollywood industry.