When Michelle Rodríguez learned about the drama of working children and remembered Paul Walker making ayahuasca in Peru

Around 22 years after his debut in the famous action franchise “Fast and furious”, Michelle Rodriguez will resume her character as Letty Ortiz in “Fast X” which hits theaters in mid-May. But, if there is something that has marked her relationship with the Peruvian public, it is the love that the actress professes for the country. The American of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent fell in love on the visits she has made to places like Cusco.

The 44-year-old actress, beyond playing the partner of Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) in the speed saga, has also had other important roles such as Trudy Chacon in “Avatar” and recently that of Holga in “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor among thieves. Every time she has been asked about Peru, she has shown great admiration for our culture. So, in this Skip Intro note from El Comercio, we do a detailed review of Michelle Rodríguez’s trips to Peru.

Peru has in the department of Cusco one of the seven wonders of the world: Machu Picchu. This tourist attraction has been the scene of dozens of documentaries around the world. In this sense, a television channel invited Michelle Rodriguez to record in the Inca citadel. “On my way to Cusco, Peru, to immerse myself, guided by shamans, love and light, wish me luck,” the actress wrote on Twitter in 2011.

The interpreter of Letty Ortiz in “Fast and Furious” tried to go unnoticed by the locals and set out on the trip. Michelle arrived at Machu Picchu by the alternate route Mollepata-Salcantay-Hidroeléctrica. Once in the citadel, she toured the platforms known as Cabeza del Cóndor for the documentary that came out later. “Machu Picchu is great, it is a unique wonder in the world”he assured.

Due to the great adventure that he experienced in our country, Rodriguez promised to return. And he fulfilled it. Four years later, in 2015, she was summoned to film a documentary for the American television channel NBC in alliance with the Red Nose Day Foundation to portray the situation of poverty and exploitation in our country. The Hollywood actress came to a brickyard located in the city of Huancayo, Junín.

Despite how amazed Rodríguez had been with the landscapes and culture of our country before, she couldn’t help but feel disappointed in the situation she saw when she met little Giulia, who worked for eight hours turning bricks. “What I never would have believed is that what I found working there, (were) children, little children”he pointed out.

“When I got here and saw Giulia, her little sister and little brother working I was disgusted and personally I wouldn’t want to come back here (to the brickyard) ever again, but if I feel like I have to, I would. These kids don’t belong here”he expressed in the documentary.

Meanwhile, and in the same style as Olivia Newton-John and Zachary Quinto, Michelle Rodríguez reached the Andes of our country in 2016 to undergo an Ayahuasca ritual, as part of the documentary “The Reality of Truth” directed by Michael Zapolin for an American television network. “I chose Peru over Brazil because of the energy. The spiritual energy in Peru is something from another world”he noted during a subsequent interview with Cinescape.

Likewise, the actress confessed that, during this ritual, she remembered her former co-star in “Fast and Furious”, Paul Walker, who died as a result of a car accident in November 2013. “My Ayahuasca trip made me feel sad for the fact that he (Paul Walker) left me here. It was not so much sadness because he left, but rather jealousy because he left first, ”she stressed in the documentary.

Despite the fact that Michelle Rodríguez has not set foot on Peruvian soil for seven years, the actress has not forgotten our country in her interviews with the media. During the promotion of “Fast and Furious 8” in 2017, Michelle Rodríguez received a gift from a national journalist: a pink bag with embroidered flowers.

“This is great. The land of Peru has such a beautiful and spiritual history. Just talking about the site I feel good”He assured with a smile on his face.

But his compliments towards our country do not stop there. During the recent premiere of “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” in March of this year, Rodríguez sat next to Chris Pine to speak to the press and once again highlighted the best of Peru. “It is extraordinarily beautiful. They have the greatest variety of vegetation on the planet. In fact, the largest amount of seeds in the World Seed Bank in Norway are from Peru because they have the greatest diversity of potatoes, sweet potatoes and different types of grains.”he told his co-star.

“It’s fantastic because they use a form of agriculture that is about 5,000 years old, with terraces, which is incredible and works very well. His food is extraordinary. Anything you want with vegetables you would find it there and your mouth will water”Michelle said. “I would like to visit this country”Pine added in Spanish, prompting a laugh from her co-star.

The release of the new movie “Fast X” opens next Friday, May 19 in theaters in the United States. For Latin America, the film will be available one day before: Thursday May 18.

The movie “Fast X” brings Vin Diesel back as Dominic Toretto and, this time, he will be joined by new faces like Jason Momoa and Brie Larson.

Meet the full cast of “Fast X” here:

• Vin Diesel as Dom Toretto
• Michelle Rodriguez as Letty Ortiz

• Tyrese Gibon as Roman
• Ludacris as Tej
• Jordana Brewster as Mia Toretto
• Jason Statham as Ian Shaw
• Nathalie Emmanuel as Ramsey
• Sung Kang as Han Lue
• Brie Larson as Tess
• Jason Momoa as Dante

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