Quotes by Michelle Rodriguez

A lot of people are really intimidated when a girl comes out and she's really tough.
– Michelle Rodriguez
A lot of people really aren't open to seeing strong female characters out there. And when they are seen, they have to be some sort of sex symbol. But I just think it's important for you to see it as a voice, and to listen to it as a voice, and to really let it seep in. And I'm gonna keep throwing that kind of attitude in people's faces until they learn to accept it.
– Michelle Rodriguez
After awhile, when I started boxing, and started really fighting within myself, my animalistic qualities, and I started letting out all the aggressions that I've learned to suppress throughout my life, I realized how beautiful it is, to let loose and feel free.
– Michelle Rodriguez
As far as technology, I'd go to Japan. Not everything should be centred around the U.S. All the special effects from these... countries were awesome.
– 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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
Berlin is liberation. Architecture, man!
– Michelle Rodriguez
But I really, honestly, do not believe in competition. There is ALWAYS somebody better out there, in whatever you're doing. So, I'm really not down with that, I like letting out my aggressions but I don't want to lose my teeth in the process.
– Michelle Rodriguez
Do you remember that woman from Batteries Not Included, and Driving Miss Daisy? What's her name? Jessica Tandy. Idol. I love that woman. Her bio totally made me cry. That's dedication and that's passion. She's amazing, and I love her for everything she's done.
– Michelle Rodriguez
Going to car racing school was phenomenal.
– Michelle Rodriguez
Hollywood is trying to keep up with middle America. Mostly MTV. There is a formula.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I am looking forward to seeing my buddy Colin represent in front of Pacino. That's sweet.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I box every now and then. But I started going out and was wanting people to start to pick on me... That's when I decided to calm down.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I came here thinking I was going to be in paradise and working on a movie, being in the water all the time... that's heaven to me. I'm a tropical girl, you know? But no, you're indoors sitting there with maid outfits on for two weeks after training and I'm still doing dialogue scenes? Forgetting everything I learned about the ocean. It was very frustrating.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I do have a delicate side.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I grew up a Jehovah's Witness because my grandmother was really influencing that lifestyle on me. That is a very morally intense religion. And although they keep you from experiencing a lot of the bad things that can really hurt you out there in the world, they are also depriving you from experiencing life... Whenever I would visit my dad, it was like Freud and Darwin... So I grew up torn. That's my background.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I have so many genres that I'm into. Weezer. Ludicrous is pretty great. New wave. I'm into the old stuff too. I like classical too. Missy Elliot kicks some ass. She's new and fierce and freaky. I like that. I like a little bit of everything though. I'm pretty open as long as it's good.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I kick butt.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I love Margaret Cho. I recommend anybody to go see her stuff. She's real, and she's out there. And we need that. We need that reality check, because people have become so superficial and plastic that everything is superficial and plastic. You can do whatever the hell you want... just be raw, and be beautiful, and be passionate.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I thought surfers were corny, aimless people, and when I got to Hawaii, I discovered that they were spiritual, beautiful people who at times risked their lives for the love of sport.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I took the GED, and left the option open to go to school. I did go to business school but left after four months because I just didn't want to be a puppet of society, stuck in an office, craving some sunlight.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I trained with an ex-Navy Seal. We shot a lot of guns. Real bullets... I underwent commando training.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I want Latina women to realize that you can't just consider yourself Latin when you're in America. You have to hold on to your roots. Culture is something you NEVER want to lose. I like influencing Latina women into knowing that there's a chance to rise above the racial barriers. America is beginning to realize the power of unity. The only way to do that is to unify. I think I'll be dead by the time we're all equal, though.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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!
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I wasn't into smooching until I was 16.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I'd never been on an audition before so I went for it. I don't know what it was. I walked in there late. There were lots of people there and it was really crazy, a cattle call kind of thing, and I walked in there with a pessimistic attitude. I guess it suited the role or something because they picked me and two other girls. And then we went through the auditioning process.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I'm a video game fan. I played them before I became an actress.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I'm glad if women, men, boys are into the kick-ass movement. That gives me hope.
– Michelle Rodriguez
I've been doing lots of hard-core chick, kick-ass things. The action is appealing because I haven't found the mental challenge in the dramatic roles that I've been shown. I don't want to be the girl who just falls in love.
– Michelle Rodriguez
It's all about being cool.
– Michelle Rodriguez
It's pretty intriguing what you learn. Twelve minutes of three-dimensional footage cost so much money. Like, $60 million. Your imagination runs wild. You have all these possibilities. You can do anything with film and make anything come to life.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
Jersey is my hometown, and I love it. I'll probably have houses in other places, but that's my home, and nobody's kicking me out of there.
– Michelle Rodriguez
Milla is a strange person. We're so different. But, we accept each other. She's glam and I'm fierce. She put me in high heels and I taught her how to belch.
– Michelle Rodriguez
People forget we come from an embryo and we're part sperm and part ovary. We have both sides in us.
– Michelle Rodriguez
The best part of making the movies... learning from the pros themselves.
– Michelle Rodriguez
The Dewey decimal system really works. So that's all I needed to know. Elementary school taught me that.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
The only place that I'd be worried about being typecast is the independent film world.
– Michelle Rodriguez
The whole surf culture is starting to embrace women a lot more.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
To get out of getting up at 5 in the morning, I'm gonna do Howard Stern next week. This time I'm ready. I've got some good comebacks.
– Michelle Rodriguez
To make a video game come to life was definitely a childhood fetish of mine. I have to admit there's not much substance there, but it was fun.
– Michelle Rodriguez
Until they come up with an independent woman who's on an adventure of her own, I don't think I'm interested.
– Michelle Rodriguez
Well, in my house, you know, when nobody was home, I'd dance. I'd also RollerBlade and bike ride a lot. I'd just never sit still. I was always the one goofing off and running around, so I think that helps. I've always stayed energetic.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez
When you make a film, you have to follow filmmaking rules. Like, a soundtrack... can get in the way of the serenity of the game.
– Michelle Rodriguez
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.
– Michelle Rodriguez