Michelle Rodriguez  

Michelle Rodriguez, renowned for playing tough-chick roles, embodies the idea that beauty and brawn can coexist. Born in Bexar County, Texas on July 12, 1978, Michelle always knew she was destined to become a star but didn't know how to get there. She lived in Texas until age eight when her family moved to the Dominican Republic for two years before relocating again to Puerto Rico. At eleven, Michelle's family settled in Jersey City, New Jersey. Although she had been working as an extra since 1999 on films such as Summer of Sam (1999) and Cradle Will Rock (1999), it wasn't until a magazine ad for an open casting call in New York that Michelle decided to finally step into the spotlight. The role was for the female lead in Girlfight (2000). Despite her lack of experience in film and boxing, Michelle auditioned alongside 350 other girls. After rigorous training at Gleason's Gym in Brooklyn for five months, she landed the part of Diana Guzman. The independent film quickly gained critical acclaim, earning Michelle awards such as the Deaxville Festival of American Cinema award for Best Actress and the Las Vegas Film Critics Society for Female Breakthrough Performance. As Girlfight continued to gain notoriety with its September 2000 release, Michelle was already working on other films like 3 A.M. (2001), The Fast and the Furious (2001), and Resident Evil (2002). With Hollywood calling her name, the future for this feisty Jersey girl is as strong as the punches she throws.