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Actor Michelle Rodriguez made a fortune off of the Fast and Furious franchise. She’s also starred in some of cinema’s biggest blockbusters over the years, all of which resulted in a sizable 2024 net worth.

What is Michelle Rodriguez’s overall current net worth?

Michelle Rodriguez posing in a silver outfit at the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project 2023 Block Party at Universal Studios.
Michelle Rodriguez | Monica Schipper/Getty Images

Rodriguez came a long way from her humble beginnings. She didn’t start off wanting to be an actor and instead saw herself as more of a writer. But she also had to support herself to fulfill her passion, so her brother encouraged her to go to school and work a regular job. 

“I was doing extra work because I quit school early and got my GED. I wanted to be a writer and I didn’t know how to go about it. My brother told me to go to a technical school because they actually help you get a job and I said I didn’t want to. He said he would give me two years, and then he would make me get a real job. I remember going to Port Authority at 5 p.m. and everyone in suits and ties were so depressed. I knew I couldn’t do that kind of work, have that kind of a job,” Rodriguez once told Daily Actor.

It was here that her brother suggested she try out acting on a whim. This led to the action star auditioning for the drama Girlfight, which she was cast in despite little acting experience.

“I had $2,500 due in bills that I had to pay. I had no money and no job and my brother came up to me and asked me if I really wanted to act. I said ‘yes’ and he handed me Backstage, which is where all the new actors look for work. Then the Girlfight thing came along,” she said.

Rodriguez parlayed that one role into a steady acting career. Celebrity Net Worth reported that, thanks to acting, Rodriguez is worth $25 million in 2024. Her net worth is the result of consistent work and the fortune she’s had of starring in huge blockbusters. She’s been a part of Vin Diesel’s multi-billion dollar Fast and Furious franchise since the first film. She’s also been a familiar face in films like Resident Evil and Avatar.

Michelle Rodriguez joked she uses her ‘Fast and Furious’ checks to pay for lost jewelry

Rodriguez’s earnings allowed her to purchase many lavish products. But one thing she quipped that her earnings came in handy for was jewelry. Rodriguez was caught wearing a few expensive gems during an interview with Vulture.

“It’s ridiculous, but it’s not mine, so I don’t feel so bad. Probably $2 million,” she said when addressing how much her wardrobe was worth.

She quipped that it wasn’t uncommon for her to lose her jewelry. But that was where her checks from Fast and Furious came in handy.

“On my trip here when I went to go see Killing Them Softly at the Palais, the Brad Pitt movie, I ended up losing my Jimmy Choo clutch bag, and it had my phone and my favorite spiritual jewelry.” Rodriguez said. “No, love, it’s a lot more laid back than that. They know I’m held responsible. I just sign a piece of paper saying that it’s such. And if anything, I take the paycheck that I get for Fast and Furious and end up using the entire check to pay it off if I lose anything, you know?”

What Michelle Rodriguez said about being paid much less than her colleagues

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A few years ago, a few celebrities were bringing attention to the gender wage gap among actors. These included the likes of Jennifer Lawrence and Seth Rogen. Rodriguez also once chimed in on the matter. Although she was paid handsomely, at the time her salary was significantly less than her male co-stars. But Rodriguez told TMZ that she was used to that kind of pay disparity, although she wasn’t a fan of it.

“I get paid a lot less than my colleagues,” she said. “I don’t complain. I’m not going to whine about it. It’s like being born a slave. It’s like, ‘Oh, damn, darn my luck. I wish I was born somewhere else or maybe some other way, but it is what it is.'”