Between Avatar and five Fast and Furious movies, as well as lesser titles like S.W.A.T. and Battle: Los Angeles (they made more than you might think!), Michelle Rodriguez is one of the highest-grossing actors of all-time. She’s an essential part of the future of the Fast franchise, and she used her combined box office/Letty Ortiz clout to ensure Furious 9 has more female representation.

Back in June 2017, she wrote on Instagram, “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.” Universal Pictures must have been paying attention: according to Bloomberg, “Michelle Rodriguez has agreed to return in the ninth installment of the Fast & Furious movie franchise, but only after securing agreement for a female writer to join the production.” (Every Fast movie, including Hobbs and Shaw, was written by a guy, usually Chris Morgan.)

“I felt like there was not enough of a female voice in the franchise,” Rodriguez said on Thursday at the Bloomberg Future of Equality Summit in London. “You should evolve with the times, not just pander to certain demographics that are stuck” in the past. (Via)

On top of the ninth Fast and Furious film (subtitle: The Rise of Toretto), there’s also the female-led spinoff, which is being written by Nicole Perlman (who’s worked on everything from Guardians of the Galaxy to Detective Pikachu), Lindsey Beer, and Geneva Robertson-Dworet.

(Via Bloomberg)