Michelle Rodriguez recently said that she is willing to leave her role as Letty Ortiz if the "Fast And Furious" franchise fails "to show some to the women" of the popular series. Her comments came after "The Fate of the Furious" was released on digital download two months after it hit the theaters in April.
The 38-year-old actress drew mixed response from her followers after she threatened to leave the franchise after 16 long years. Some of them asked her to remain in the series, while others rolled their eyes and criticized Rodriguez for her statement which most of them deemed as sexist.
"How are they not "showing love" in the franchise? The franchise has shown how powerful, smart, badass, woman can be. Don't pull some feminist crap and ruin your image," a follower commented.
It's not about Vin Diesel
After getting slammed for her comments about the "Fast and Furious" franchise, Rodriguez, through a video message, clarified that her statement was not directed to her co-star who also serves as the producer of the series. “Vin, for many years you’ve been the biggest supporter of strong women... Just know that if I ever post anything, that it’s not you I’m talking to," she clarified as cited by EW.
The veteran actor, on the other hand, kissed Rodriguez on the forehead before he assured," Of course it's not me!" In the caption, Diesel expressed his gratitude to their fans who have been following the franchise since 2001.
However, the 49-year-old actor-producer acknowledged the fact that they need to "reach higher each time" and make the series "fun and exciting" for the viewers.
The women of 'Fast and Furious' franchise
Rodriguez has been one of the main cast members of the series since its pilot run in 2001. She plays as Dominic Toretto's other half who is also a skilled racer and mechanic.
She has appeared in five out of eight "Fast and Furious" movies and has won the hearts of the fans for her tough role in a male-dominated project.
Aside from her, the franchise also hired Jordana Brewster to play the role of Mia Toretto, Gal Gadot as Gisele Yashar, Eva Mendes as Monica Fuentes, Nathalie Kelley as Neela Ezar, and more.
It recently hired Charlize Theron as the first female antagonist of the franchise.
But despite its effort in bringing in more female characters in the series, Rodriguez thought that the show is lacking the creativity to explore their arcs for the story. The American actress specifically mentioned her limited interaction with Brewster's character in the series.
