Mayte Michelle Rodriguez (; born July 12, 1978), better known as Michelle Rodriguez, is an American actress, screenwriter and DJ. She got her breakout role as a troubled boxer in the independent film Girlfight (2000), which was met with critical acclaim and earned her several awards, including the Independent Spirit Award and Gotham Award for Best Debut Performance. The following year, she starred as Letty Ortiz in the blockbuster film The Fast and the Furious (2001), reprising her role in its sequels, Fast & Furious (2009), Fast & Furious 6 (2013) and Furious 7 (2015).