Interview: Michelle Rodriguez Of Battle In Seattle

By Katey Rich: 2008-09-19 22:51:46

Fair warning: Michelle Rodriguez is about to get political. You can't really blame her, given that the movie she's out promoting, Battle in Seattle, is a pretty thrilling drama as well as a wholesale attack on the main group that governs our world economy, the World Trade Organization. In Battle in Seattle, which dramatizes the four days of protests that surrounded the WTO conference in 1999, Rodriguez plays Lou, a veteran protester who fits right in with the actresses past "tough girl" roles.

Unafraid to talk about pretty much anything, Rodriguez talked about the violence she saw growing up in Jersey City, her many lives "like a cat," and her own real-life protest experience. Oh, and she's got plans for writing a children's movie that she describes as Jumanji meets Goonies. Yeah, and you thought she was just the badass from Lost.

Have you protested for a cause before?
The only time I've stood up and protested in my entire life was the Amadou Diallou [case], here in New York. I was in New York City hanging out with Karyn Kusama, the director of Girlfight, and her roommate had taken off to go protest, and she invited me along. We started with 40 people by Port Authority, and ended up by [The World Trade Center]. It was like 300 strong by the time we got there. It was really interesting, because it was very much like what we saw in Battle in Seattle.

Do you think you make a difference as a protester?
I'm down with joining the herd of capitalistic corporations, but just being conscientious about it. I think you can do more good by being productive in society, with monetary means, because then you're respected by both parties. If I don't show to be lucrative in society, I don't think I'm going to be respected by the kind of people I'm trying to reach, which is the government. I think I represent zero to them unless I am monetarily an asset. Right now that is my goal-- to become an asset and stand up for what I believe in.

Does the timing of the release of this film have anything to do with the state of the economy?
this is a problem that's been going on for a long time, and just now because we're in a shithole, everybody is paying attention.

How much did you pay attention to this stuff before the movie?
Oh, honey, none. None. I was a total local thinker. I never thought about problem-solving. I just saw problems, and said, "Wow, this sucks. It's just part of the world. I'm sure there's another place where things are positive." But I forgot that I have an ability to change things as a consumer. I forgot the power to unify with the masses can be life-changing for everyone.

How do you feel about celebrities talking about politics?
I think it depends on the individual. I like Matt Damon's point of view. I also like where Angelina Jolie's coming from, when she gets up and speaks. I respect a lot of celebrities and where they come from with their views. Some people get it, they want to help. They want to use their power of influence.

What do you think this film is saying about police brutality?
It's intriguing. It's really intriguing to me. I have many friends who are in the force. There is an almost dogmatic religiosity attached to law and order. It almost seems like when a uniform is placed on an individual, their individual reasoning capabilities are completely eliminated. Sometimes I think some people abuse the power that comes with that. It's kind of like joining a gang. I grew up surrounded by gangs as well. I noticed my friend, once they becamse gang members, they felt cockier. As if, "I am not alone now. I now have a whole team behind me."

Have you ever had a brush with a bad cop?
Many times. Growing up in Jersey City, for sure. I've had many different kinds of lives. I'm like a cat. I've been a law-abiding citizens, I've been a non-law abiding citizen. I've been a geek, I've been a slut, I've been a conservative prude. I've been around. And in that process I've come across a lot of really mean cops, and a lot of good cops. It varies. In a place like Jersey City, I've had friends killed by cops.

What other kind of research did you do for the role in the movie?
Gotta love the Internet. The age of information does come in handy nowadays. I did a lot of research on the World Trade Organization. I did a lot of research on big oil, big corporations. Yeah, I learned a lot about corporate power, and how there is really no individual to take responsibility for these issues. A lot of my research involved documentary footage. I've been learning a lot. It oepened my eyes. We were like little kids. Me, Andrew, Woody Harrelson-- my God, that guy's a veteran when it comes to this subject. he knows everything about everything. He's such a positive energy kind of fella. We would just sit together, like kids in college. I never graduated high school, so it was an experience for me.

Why did you decide to do this film?
I love people. And I really feel that America is a good place. And I feel that citizens in America are good people overall. I think that majority of people are just misinformed. Living in Los Angeles, and being an actress for 10 years, and traveling the world, has informed me so much about how we are looked at as citizens. how we are looked at as a major influence around the world. I felt that this movie captured that voice. Stuart Townsend captured that voice, the voice of the innocent and the voice of the culprits all in one. When I read the script, I didn't care if I was an extra in it. I wanted to be a part of it. I was like, "I haven't felt that good since Girlfight!" after reading the script.

Are you working on other projects?
I'm writing a kid's movie. It's a 2012 kind of story, about purity, animals and children. The premise behind it is all the animals on earth freak out and start attacking anything that's not pure, because of a seance that occurred in the rainforest after its depletion in 2012. Local tribes, even the ones that used to fight each other, looked around and said "What's going on?" and called upon Gaia. Things get cataclysmic. Kind of like Jumanji meets Goonies.

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