Danny Trejo doesn’t really need any help being a badass, but Robert Rodriguez gave him some nonetheless. In Machete, Michelle Rodriguez plays She, the legendary underground immigrant leader who runs a taco truck by day. In a real life press conference, Rodriguez was just as badass, speaking her mind about immigration, the environment and race relations.
Q: Michelle, you’ve played a lot of bad-ass characters in your career, but what did it mean to you to play a Mexican bad-ass in a Robert Rodriguez movie?
Michelle Rodriguez: It was like, “Holy schnap, about time!” I’ve always wanted to work with him. He’s a cool cat. There’s only a handful of directors who really understand what I call the alchemical balance between a man and a woman, in a woman’s body, which most people consider the strong woman character. He gets it, so I’ve always wanted to work with him. Hands down, he calls me up and I’m just like, “Yep, I’m in!”
Q: What was it like to shoot a scene with Robert DeNiro?
Michelle Rodriguez: I wish! I was shooting Battle: Los Angeles, so we actually shot in different locations on different dates. I was so pissed. I was like, “Dude, come on! Seriously? For this one little scene, you’re going to keep me here in Louisiana, when I could be in Austin shooting with DeNiro?” [Producer] Neal [Moritz] didn’t move it around, so whatever. It’s all good. But, I still love DeNiro.
Q: What makes Danny Trejo such a compelling leading man?
Michelle Rodriguez: He’s a sweetheart. That guys heart could attract a thousand women, I’m sure. There is something about him, as a person, that is just very innocent and sweet, even though it may not seem that way, in appearance. I could see, in his youth, that he probably attracted a lot of women. It’s the face. It’s so rough, it looks so weathered and it looks like he’s been through so much that it would put you off, but when you look in his eyes, you see this innocence and you’re just like, “Oh, okay, it’s okay to lay on this guy’s chest and hold him. It’s all right to be around him. He’s not going to attack you.” He’s a big teddy bear, bro. Heart of gold, that man. I’ve never met a nicer guy and you wouldn’t expect it because he looks so rough. I’m just like but you’re a teddy bear.
Q: Would you consider doing sequels for this, or a spin-off for She?
Michelle Rodriguez: Heck yeah, in a heartbeat! I love working with Robert. He’s awesome.
Q: Were there any big differences between the script you guys read and the final product you saw?
Michelle Rodriguez: I think you’ll really be surprised when you see the DVD. I knew, from the jump, that there was going to be some crazy-ass stuff. The beginning was really surprising. I wasn’t expecting that cell phone thing. There are definite moments, especially after the special effects were added with the sound. It was pretty intense.
Q: Was it harder doing the action scenes wearing the eye patch, losing your depth perception?
Michelle Rodriguez: No. Do you use both eyes to create depth perception? I still had a little depth perception with one eye. Maybe if you covered my ears too, I might get a little groggy and not know where I am, and maybe my depth perception would be hurt, at that point. No, it didn’t affect me. It was pretty cool. The hearing made up for whatever covering one eye did.
Q: How did you feel about the way the film deals with immigration?
Michelle Rodriguez: The Joker card, brother. You can get away with murder when you play the Joker card. It’s the most powerful, powerful card in the deck. Think about like South Park. Think about all of those Fox comedies that get away with murder with their current event news spoofs. Saturday Night Live, the political connotation behind a lot of today’s comedies that are successful. You’re really getting away with opinions that if you tried to make a drama about it, forget about it. What I love about this film is it gets both sides. It’s not really necessarily just geared towards one side. You get both voices and they’re very vocal, and bloody sometimes.
Q: Avatar had social messages too and you’re going out with Sea Sheperd Society.
Michelle Rodriguez: Dude, who told you that? I am, I am taking off.
Q: Did Avatar get you more interested in that? Is Sea Shepherd an extension of the environmental message?
Michelle Rodriguez: I think all of this is just a manifestation of my heart. My heart has always been with animals. My heart has always been with kids. I’m just starting to learn how to be an adult and how to take action and manifest all of these things that you felt growing up. So in this process of growing up and becoming this woman, I’ve been given so many tools. I think that Avatar was something that I think we attracted each other, because I think that Jim can see that that’s where I come from. Then The Sea Shepherd came about because of a movie that I did called Battle in Seattle where for the first time I got to meet all these people who protest and they go out there and they actually stand up for what they believe in. What I’ve always hurt with that whole situation is that these people, the grand majority of the time complaining and raising their fists up in the air hasn’t really gotten them very far. But eventually, after doing Battle in Seattle, I met so many protesters and activists and people who’ve dedicated their entire lives to the earth, the planet, kids, animals. I realize that the common denominator is a failure to adapt to their surroundings and create a working self-sufficient environment to keep breeding these types of people or conscious capitalism as you would call it. I thought the best example of a working system was Paul Watson. I’ve been wanting to meet him for years and I was at the Cannes Film Festival, I was partying my butt off, doing some DJ gigs because I like to dance and I like to watch people enjoy themselves and I saw his ship. I saw his ship at Cannes, at the Cannes Film Festival. I was like, “That’s a sign. I need to go see Paul Watson right now.” I met him and then I went on his ship and I basically told him that I’d do anything, hands down, man, to be a part of what he does, to learn from him so that I can take that in and write about it when I write my kids movies, because I want to do stuff for eco warriors. Young kids, I want to promote them to love the planet more, through movies. I thought he’d be the best teacher on the planet. The guy is one of the founders of Global Green so I’m like, “Yes!” That’s what that whole journey is about. It’s just a slow manifestation of who I am.
Q: How did you like the end of Lost?
Michelle Rodriguez: I mean, really? The heaven/hell thing? Come on. I thought we were all over the whole bible stuff but it’s all good. Yeah, I felt a bit cheated but it’s all good. I love the show.
Q: Will you be at the auction?
Michelle Rodriguez: Oh no, I’m not going to go to the auction because I’ve got stuff to do, but I’m sure they’re going to sell a lot of really great things. There’s a lot of fans to the show. It’s slightly tricky about it. I met some really big fans of Lost.
Q: What would you want to keep from the series?
Michelle Rodriguez: Oh, I’m not really fond of objects so much. I’m all about the experience. Once I’m done with the experience, I can walk away naked and I’ll be happy.
Q: Avatar is being released again with some new scenes in it. Will there be any new scenes with you?
Michelle Rodriguez: I don’t know exactly. It was shooting for four years and they had a four-hour film that they cut down. You’re definitely going to get a lot more than what the first one was. There was a lot more that they shot. Forget about it, it was the film that never ended. I’m sure it’s still going. They’re still shooting somewhere.
