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American Morning
Michelle Rodriguez: Showbiz Today Star of Tomorrow
Aired July 18, 2001 - 10:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, everyone.
The stars lined the red carpet in Hollywood last night at the premiere of "America's Sweethearts." Hollywood's sweetheart, Catherine Zeta-Jones led the parade down the arrival line. Her father-in-law, Kurt Douglas was there, showing support for his daughter-in-law.
Billy Crystal, who played double duty on the film as co-writer and co-star, took time out for fans while John Cusack, who plays a high profile movie star in the film stopped to chat with Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli. Seth Green and Cusack agree that in a film that takes jabs at the Hollywood press machine, no one's off limits.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SETH GREEN, ACTOR: A lot of the journalists at the junket upset and say, "Take a big -- very angry." And it's like, look at the actors. The actors have taken a beating here, you know.
JOHN CUSACK, ACTOR: No, I think we all basically take the hit. Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OKWU: Michelle Rodriguez is quickly turning into one of America's sweethearts. The young actress came out of nowhere two years ago in a small film called "Girl Fight" and has since carved out a tough girl niche for herself on-screen. This summer she is fast and furious on the big screen and an insomniac on the small screen.
This "Showbiz Today" "Star of Tomorrow" spoke with CNN's Lori Blackman during a visit to New York.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LORI BLACKMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michelle Rodriguez breaks sexual stereotypes on-screen by revving up her engines, working the graveyard shift, and kicking butt. It all began with a small film called "Girl Fight."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "GIRL FIGHT")
MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ, ACTRESS: I love you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RODRIGUEZ: I really didn't expect it to do as well as it. And then all of a sudden, boom. I was on the spotlight and so was the film. And I mean, it felt good because we worked hard, man. We really did bust our butts to make that movie.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RODRIGUEZ: So what does it take, to be great, I mean?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A real strong will.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKMAN (on camera): I read that your family are Jehovah's Witnesses and that you grew up as one?
RODRIGUEZ: Yes, I did.
BLACKMAN: So, I'm interested to know as an actress, how is that affected by your beliefs? Is it?
RODRIGUEZ: My beliefs? See, I'm not a Jehovah's Witness. I grew up raised as on, but then I also had a father who was very liberal and you know, loves like research and literature and you know, communism. So I was torn. I grew up basically ripped in half.
BLACKMAN (voice-over): In the summer smash hit "The Fast and the Furious," Rodriguez is the one woman who drag races alongside and often in front of the men.
RODRIGUEZ: I chose that role because, I mean, I found it interesting, you know. There's a lot of girls out there that love to take cars apart. And it's not their boyfriend's car, kind of thing. And I wanted to represent for them because that, you know, these rebels really don't have a face in the industry. So that's what I'm there for. That's cool, man.
BLACKMAN: And cooler still? She gets behind the wheel again in a new film on Showtime called "3:00 A.M."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "3:00 A.M.")
RODRIGUEZ: Where do you want to go when we get off the bridge?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKMAN: Only this time, it's not a race car, but a taxi cab.
RODRIGUEZ: She's mysterious. I mean, it's something about character that just, you can't figure out exactly and you try to label it as like kooky or crazy or psychotic, but you really can't because you don't know what's going on in her head or what she's been through. So it's -- that's what kind of spooked me out. On top of the fact that she drives cabs at 3:00 in the morning. That sends tingles up my spine, too. And I don't mean that in a perverted way. So for all you perverts out there, keep it to yourself.
BLACKMAN: Lori Blackman, CNN Entertainment News, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
OKWU: If you want to feel more tingles inside, tune into our next "Showbiz Today Report" at 11:00 a.m. -- 11:35 a.m. Eastern. We'll catch up with James Taylor, the new father of twins, is back on the road again with a new album.
I'm Michael Okwu in New York.
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