The street racing and action-packed franchise ‘Fast And Furious’ is back for its ninth installment. Spanning from 2001 to 2020, a whole generation of us grew up alongside the intense car races, elaborate heists, and Dom’s signature at-the-hood-of-a-car lectures. Fast forward nearly 20 years later and just like a NOS button propels a car to the finish line, the ‘FF’ franchise is showing no signs of slowing down, it’s only getting bigger. Film creators have announced the casting of a Latino superstar to be featured in the next installment. And if you, like us, love reggaetón, you’re in for a treat. 

The Fast and Furious franchise recruited Latin trap superstar Ozuna. 

Reggaetón superstar Ozuna, one of Latin music’s biggest exponents, has landed a role in the street racing action franchise ‘Fast and Furious’. Juan Carlos Ozuna Rosado, better known as Ozuna, will be joining Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto, on the ninth installment of the action classic. 

This would be Ozuna’s second venture into film after his debut appearance on the 2018 Dominican film “Qué Leon,” a family comedy directed by Frank Perozo and starring the Latin Trap star alongside Dominican actress and model, Clarissa Molina. “Qué Leon” already has a sequel in store, and the singer-turned actor is set to reprise his role as Jose Miguel Leon next year. 

The singer-turned-actor is a successful musician in the Latinx community and we can’t wait to see him make a splash in Hollywood.

The reggaetón star turned singer, won two Latin American Music Awards last year, and led the list of nominations with a total of nine. He also has a nomination for a 2019 Latin Grammy Award for best urban song for his single “Baila Baila Baila,” which he co-wrote with songwriter Vicente Saavedra. Ozuna also won 11 Billboard Latin Music Awards in 2018, becoming the biggest winner in the history of the ceremony. Hopefully, his acting career will be just as successful as his music career has been. 

Dom Toretto himself announced Ozuna’s involvement via an Instagram post. 

Vin Diesel, who will be leading the cast of old and new characters, confirmed the involvement of the Puerto Rican singer via his Instagram account. 

“As you know, we have often found great talent in the music industry to cross over into film. They are expected to leave all the accolades at the door to embrace the character with integrity… and that is exactly what Ozuna has done. Very proud of your work and role in Fast 9! Pa Mi Gente! All Love, Always…” The 52-year-old also used the hashtag of #YoungSantos in his post, suggesting that Ozuna’s character will be aligning himself to Vin’s character.

It looks like Ozuna is booked and busy for the rest of the year —but his newfound acting career is not getting in the way of new music.

The singer is also set to appear in the sequel of his debut film “Qué Leon.” The next installment of the Dominican film, “Los Leones” is already in pre-production. The ‘Baila Baila Baila’ singer, will also be releasing his third album, “Nibiru,” in late November followed by an international tour.

‘Fast & Furious 9’ has more surprises in store.

Justin Lin, who directed “Fast & Furious 6,” returns to direct the ninth installment with the franchise’s mainstays Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges and Jordana Brewster. Only this time, several international actors are joining the ranks. Helen Mirren and Charlize Theron are coming back, joined by newcomers John Cena and hip-hop singer Cardi B. 

Vin Diesel announced that Cardi B is also involved but whether she’s playing a substantial role or only making a cameo appearance, hasn’t been disclosed. 

View this post on Instagram

Last day in the UK! Pa mi Gente… #Fast92020 #Fatherhood

A post shared by Vin Diesel (@vindiesel) on Oct 22, 2019 at 10:53am PDT

Vin Diesel made the news public in an Instagram post with the rapper, who said, “I’m tired, but I can’t wait. I ain’t gonna front, I think this is going to be the best one.” 

This is the second high-profile acting gig for Cardi, who might be following in the footsteps of many other hip-hop stars into a film career. For now, her role in the film remains undisclosed. Wouldn’t it be great to see her take the wheel in a race car?

Keanu Reeves might also be joining the cast.

In an interview with Screen Rant, the franchise’s long-time writer Chris Morgan revealed that he sat down with Reeves to discuss him potentially joining the forthcoming film. “I sat down with him and we’re talking about [it],” Morgan said. “I wanted him to be in the Fast universe for a very long time. We’re just trying to find… the hardest thing is always time and competing schedules and then designing the right thing together. My fervent desire is to bring him into this franchise for sure.”

The screenplay was written by Dan Casey based on a story by Lin and Alfredo Botello. Fast & Furious 9 will come out in May 2020, following a number of delays. It will follow the recent spin-off Hobbs & Shaw, which starred Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Jason Statham. The last official Fast & Furious film was Fast & Furious 8, also known as The Fate Of The Furious, which came out back in 2017.

READ: Baby Carlos Is Being Called A Miracle Baby By Fast And Furious Director

Notice any needed corrections? Please email us at corrections@wearemitu.com

Michelle Rodriguez is a queen of the clapback and we shall explain. First things first: according to the Urban Dictionary, that bottomless well of Internet wisdom, a clapback is: “basically a comeback, most likely pumped with attitude, sass and or shade”. There are now famous moments of clapbacking action, such as the glorious moment in which speaker Nancy Pelosi clapped at Donald Trump with equal measures of irony and contempt, wink included (he looks so pleased with himself, what on Earth!). 

There is a Latina actress who has mastered the art of literal and metaphorical clapbacking: our very own Michelle Rodriguez. Born on July 12, 1978, in San Antonio, Texas, Rodriguez has garnered worldwide celebrity for her roles in the TV show Lost, blockbusters like Avatar and Resident Evil, the Fast & Furious franchise and the Robert Rodriguez movie universe (including, of course, the Machete saga). If we were to describe Michelle Rodriguez with a word, it would be “badass.” She is una mujer hecha y derecha that exudes self-confidence inside and outside the screen. We mean, just look at her! After all, she once said: “You can keep knocking me down forever, I’ll keep getting up and trying”. 

She dares to be herself as a life-defining philosophy.

Being a woman in this world is not easy, and even more so if you are part of an ethnic minority and you have publicly come out as bisexual. There are still a lot of pendejos in this world, and being a bisexual Latina could put some in a place of vulnerability. But not Michelle Rodriguez, she doesn’t take mierda from anybody. There have been interviews, for example, when things have gotten a bit… well… uncomfortable, but Michelle always has a quick response to her critics. She has said that she considers herself more of an activist than an actor, and she often uses Twitter and Instagram to voice her support for just causes and her disdain for the political class (a Donald Trump le deben de estar zumbandi los oidos). 

When she faced “rumors” about her sexuality in the best possible way: coming out.’

In 2013 Michelle was sick and tired of reporters being interested in her sexuality, so she said in a very direct, awesome way: “I don’t talk about what I do with my vagina, and they’re all intrigued. I’ve never walked the carpet with anyone, so they wonder: What does she do with her vagina? Plus, I play a butchy girl all the time, so they assume I’m a lesbo.” She told Entertainment Weekly: “I’ve gone both ways. I do as I please. I am too f—ing curious to sit here and not try when I can. Men are intriguing. So are chicks.” So basically, everyone please mind their own business. 

When her role in [re]Assignment was deemed as transphobic.

In 2016 Rodriguez acted in a film called  [re]Assignment, in which she played a hitman who is then undergoing a sex reassignment surgery at the hands of an evil doctor played by Sigourney Weaver. Michelle said that the film was “a culture shock pic” that she made to express her frustration with the film industry. She wrote on her Instagram: ““The industry seems to be running low on edgy creativity & ‘real take a chance’ controversy, sometimes it makes me want to scream, instead I did what I always do when I’m bored with the ‘status quo’, I shot crazy b movie Indy to express my frustration.” The movie is directed by cult filmmaker Walter Hill.  To be fair, critics did have a point here, as the gender politics of the film are reminiscent of 1970s exploitation cinema, which was hypermasculine and uber-white. 

When she totally nailed a girly look at Cannes, throwing shade to those who describe her as “too masculine.”

Online haters often criticize Rodriguez for her gender-bending persona. Earlier this year she attended the famed film festival. The Daily Mail, which is famous for being both scandalous and conservative, said: “But Michelle Rodriguez shunned her signature edgy look in favor of a softer appearance as she attended the Once Upon A Time In Hollywood premiere.” You get them, Mich! Why can’t folk just understand that there are many shades of femininity and that they do not always involve tutus and pink cotton candy?

When she threatened to leave the Fast & Furious franchise over the treatment of female characters… that’s some sass, tiene los ovarios bien puestos.

If you are the leading female star in one of the most successful franchises of all time you just go along with the ride despite anything, right? Well, not our dear Michelle Rodriguez, who threatened to leave the franchise because women in the films were one-dimensional and basically treated as sexy objects that dudes babean over.

This was the Instagram post in which she casually and with plenty of sass declared his displeasure with the scriptwriters.

We are sure she got the studio heads (must likely a bunch of dudes) all nervous and sweaty! That is the only way to push inclusivity in Hollywood, though, really pushing for it. By the way, Michelle’s antics worked: she returned to the franchise to film #9 only after the studio hired a female writer. Well done, Michelita.

The best clapback of all: being a true professional

Credit: Widows / Regency Enterprises

Throughout the years, Michelle has gotten a sort of reputation in Hollywood. Her frankness is sometimes judged as “difficult.” Renowned director Steve McQueen was told not to work with her when he sought her for a role in his acclaimed film noir Widows. But the Irish director, a Black man, refused to follow this advice. The director told IndieWire: “But people say that about me. If you’re a white director, they call you a perfectionist. Me, they call difficult. So I didn’t pay any mind to what people say about Michelle, because I had to find out for myself.” Michelle’s discreet clapback came in the form of a tender, deep and powerful performance where she explores a sort of feminine softness and vulnerability not usual in her career. 

When she basically pointed fingers at the vanity that dictates the lives of Hollywood folk.

In a conversation for Interview magazine conducted by her pal Milla Jovovich, she said: “I enjoy vanity like the best of them. But I can’t stick to any of that lifestyle for too long because when its true colors come out, it’s empty and cold and soulless. So I have to travel and go find some real people.” In the same conversation, she served a brutal assessment of the industry and the lack of meaty roles for women: “I’d love to see four girls who actually get along in a movie that’s not about chasing some guy or marrying somebody. Like, where the f–k is our ‘Pulp Fiction?’ Where is our ‘Reservoir Dogs’? Where’s that cool s–t with the chicks kicking ass, having some fun?”

READ: Michelle Rodriguez Refused To Do ‘Fast & Furious 9’ Until A Female Screenwriter Was Hired

Notice any needed corrections? Please email us at corrections@wearemitu.com