Michelle Rodriguez
Basically I was a rebel growing up. I got kicked out of six schools. But I don't think that it makes you less of an intellect. You know, if you ever crave knowledge, there's always a library.Collection: Knowledge
Going to car racing school was phenomenal.Collection: Car
I was born in Texas and I lived there 'till I was 8. Then I moved to the Dominican Republic with my mom, lived there for two years and forgot every word of English I knew.Collection: Mom
I knew nothing about the independent film industry. I didn't know much about the industry itself. All I knew was how to watch movies, how to enjoy them, how to hate them, how not to like them.Collection: Movies
Until they come up with an independent woman who's on an adventure of her own, I don't think I'm interested.
I didn't know how to box so I would have looked like a complete street fighter actually, but what we did have to do was pick up some sides and then just memorize them within two days and go there and audition.
The only place that I'd be worried about being typecast is the independent film world.
People forget we come from an embryo and we're part sperm and part ovary. We have both sides in us.
I wanted to express myself. I wanted to be creative and I didn't want to worry about someone bossing me around in the process. You have to struggle no matter where you are to get to where you're going, so I'm like, working it honey!
They didn't train me to be in the ring for five and a half hours punching air. So, it was hard, I had to get some body contact in there somewhere, it was mostly body shots and stuff. I had no clue, really.
I want them to listen to me for what I am saying. And I think the best way to do that is to sniff my armpits, and like, sit and burp every now and then.
I am looking forward to seeing my buddy Colin represent in front of Pacino. That's sweet.
When I was about, I'd say, 18 or 19 years old, I wanted to be a part of the CIA just because they know those intimate secrets... So I was just always into knowing. I like to know things.
I wanted to write a film and I thought the best way to do so was to train myself within the field... It was just like a cycle of people trying to make it, not making it, doing extra work, and it was pretty depressing in the end.
I just decided to play make believe, memorize it like it was just some kind of song and just take the emotion out of the words. And I did. I goofed a couple of times.
I use to watch like maybe three or four movies, five days out of the week. I was a movie buff, but I really didn't know what it was like behind the scenes, or the whole political process of it.
Whenever a female takes a strong stand for herself, the majority of the time they have to really, really narrow it down to being feminine and wearing dresses and just being lipstick chic.
I think empathy is a beautiful thing. I think that's the power of film though. We have one of the most powerful, one of the greatest communicative tools known to man.
I also love the makers of South Park, because they're political, strong, and they're making all of these comments that would get you shot for if you did it in a drama.
The Dewey decimal system really works. So that's all I needed to know. Elementary school taught me that.
It's the board I had a problem with. I could totally handle being in the water and stuff. I came here to do my own stunts. Water! Ocean! Action! Big waves! That water, that water has tamed me. You can feel that the world is connected to it.
The whole surf culture is starting to embrace women a lot more.
I learned that you can make a sci-fi film that is satisfying overseas. European people have everything in check. I'd make every sci-fi film in Europe. They only work 14 hours a day. After that, it's overtime.
I'm a video game fan. I played them before I became an actress.
I do have a delicate side.
I was in Jersey when the whole World Trade Center thing happened and I felt powerless. So, I went to Hawaii and did a surf movie. It's kind of fluffy.
The best part of making the movies... learning from the pros themselves.
I would like to see a fierce Fantasia mixed with Blade Runner, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars all in one. That's the kind of movies I want to make.
You can keep knocking me down forever, I'll keep getting up and trying.Collection: Forever
The more confidence you have in yourself and the more you believe that you are destined to do what you are gonna do, it will happen.Collection: Believe
When I am scared of something, I run towards it, instead of away from it.Collection: Running
I do what I want, when I want, how I want, and because of that, it has taken me so long to grow into an adult human being.Collection: Taken
It's nice having a heart and a pussy too!Collection: Nice
My favorite part of my body is my brain. I think no matter what my body looks like I wont be satisfied unless I know how to use it.Collection: Thinking
There's something about strength that I really admire, that I failed to see a lot of when I was growing up.Collection: Growing Up
I'm stubborn. I'm hardheaded. I don't do what I don't want to do.Collection: Stubborn
I'm a lone wolf. I run by myself on most things. I've got lots of really great friends, but the thought of being in a long-lasting relationship? Psh, I couldn't last more than six months with somebody, let alone have a father figure around for a kid. I mean, if I could give a kid a father figure, that would be amazing.Collection: Running
I enjoy vanity . But I can't stick to any of that lifestyle for too long because, when its true colors come out, it's empty and cold and soulless.Collection: Vanity
I don't have an agent. The only work I get is through friendships that I've already built.Collection: Agents
I wish that something interesting would come across the desk. I'm bored by what people think is interesting.Collection: Thinking
At school, I was this tomboy kid who just loved to hang out with her friends and learn curse words, trying to fit in with the cool kids and defending all the kids who got picked on.Collection: School
I had older brothers who would pick on me, and injustice always boiled my blood.Collection: Brother
This crazy little party girl who loves to enjoy life actually has a purpose. So, that's really the core of why I've survived so many years and I can go and I can fall down and I can get back up. Why? Because I know why I'm here. That's the question that a lot of people need to answer when they do fall is, 'Why am I here?' If you can answer that question, you'll be able to dust yourself off and shine like a phoenix out of ashes.Collection: Girl
I'd stare up at the sky and just dream a lot. Still do. I dreamed that I didn't belong here, that I was going to travel a lot.Collection: Dream
I've gone both ways. I do as I please. I am too f**king curious to sit here and not try when I can. Men are intriguing. So are chicks.Collection: Kings
I don't want people thinking of me sexually. I don't want people to be like, 'She's hot-looking,' you know? I want them to listen to me for what I am saying. And I think the best way to do that is to sniff my armpits, and like, sit and burp every now and then. It just completely throws people off. I had a couple of offers to do some hot scenes in the shower with some guy and to make it real hot and sexy. The next thing you know, I'd be the next J.Lo or something. But that's easy. I want it the hard way.Collection: Sexy
I think humans are stupid. We fight and kill each other. I think that's dumb. Aliens would be smarter than that and wouldn't approach things on that level. I can't really fathom it being a negative thing for aliens to visit.Collection: Stupid
I'm like, "Well, damn, that means that I have to carry a flag." I don't have the freedom to just do anything, because I have the political weight of having this last name and my heritage. It's not like I've transcended, Will Smith-style. It takes a lot to pull that off, to cross over, and transcend.Collection: Mean
I trained with an ex-Navy Seal. We shot a lot of guns. Real bullets... I underwent commando training.Collection: Real
I used to go over to my friend's house and we'd watch VCR tapes, three of them a day, and I was like, "I could come up with better stories than this." And I've wanted to write films ever since.Collection: Writing