Michelle Rodriguez used the release of The Fate Of The Furious on digital HD to address an issue she believes is make or break for her future in the franchise. With this post on Instagram, Rodriguez went to bat for the female members of the film’s cast and said she hoped that the series would “show a little love” to them.
You certainly can’t deny that the film is heavy with the male action heroes, with Vin Diesel and Paul Walker anchoring the series in those earlier entries and adding The Rock, Jason Statham, Tyrese, Ludacris, and a few others along the way. Apart from Rodriguez, the series has featured Jordana Brewster, Eva Mendes, and Gal Gadot in strong roles, but one hasn’t returned to the series, another made her exit after Paul Walker’s death, and Gadot’s Gisele was killed off in the sixth installment. So maybe Rodriguez has a slight point:
The female characters play second fiddle to Diesel and the others according to Vulture, but they also note that The Fate Of The Furious added Charlize Theron and Helen Mirren in key, important roles. Theron in particular played the main villain in the film and gave the entire crew a run for their money throughout, complete with that massive sub in the end.
It wouldn’t be the first time that Rodriguez had been absent from the series. Her character was left behind with Vin Diesel following the first installment and didn’t return until the fourth, only to be murdered early on. She then comes back to life, of course, and now seems ready to risk another possible exit for her female co-stars. It’ll be interesting to see where this ends up or where it sits with series star Vin Diesel.
