29 Jun – The "Fast and Furious" franchise wouldn't be what it is today if it weren't for several familiar faces in the cast, and one of them is the lead actress Michelle Rodriguez. However, there's a chance that fans might not see her in the next instalment of the franchise, if the 38-year-old goes through with her 'subtle threat'. To commemorate the release of the newest instalment, "Fast and Furious 8", in digital form, the actress posted this on her Instagram: "F8 is out digitally today, I hope they decide to show some love to the women of the franchise on the next one. Or I just might have to say goodbye to a loved franchise. It's been a good ride & I'm grateful for the opportunity the fans & studio have provided over the years... One Love". Yes, Rodriguez is threatening to leave the franchise if the women in it are still stuck with limited dialogues and minimal roles. While some might argue that there was a relatively strong woman presence in the latest movie, with Charlize Theron starring as the main villain, the franchise is still a mostly male-dominated series. This was something that Rodriguez has previously spoken up about, concerned of the lack of opportunity for women.
"On day one, I [changed] the character from being something that I could not do in front of millions of people into a character that I'm actually proud of, but at the end of the day, what message are we sending out there for women?" she said to Entertainment Weekly in an interview back in May. "It does weigh heavy on my head - especially in the male-dominated environment that I work in." Comments on her recent Instagram post had been divided, some fans are supporting the actress for speaking up on behalf of women, and some are asking her to be grateful she even had a job while countless other actors (men and women) never made it in Hollywood. Rodriguez had been playing the character Letty Ortiz since the "Fast and Furious" franchise made its debut in 2001. She has since appeared in five out of the eight movies in the franchise. Throughout the years, several other actresses that have also joined the cast include the aforementioned Theron. Helen Mirren, Nathalie Emmanuel, Elsa Pataky, Jordana Brewster and "Wonder Woman" star, Gal Gadot. There are two more movies planned for the "Fast and Furious" franchise, set for release in 2019 and 2021, it remains to be seen whether Letty will be reprised in either or both movies.