It takes a certain kind of courage to criticize the franchise that's paid your mortgage for two decades. Jordana Brewster has that courage.
With the Fast & Furious series approaching its final installment, Brewster is speaking publicly about how her character, Mia Toretto, became increasingly sidelined as the franchise evolved from street racing drama to globe-trotting superhero spectacle. And she's not being subtle about it.
According to Variety, Brewster wants more practical action scenes and actual agency for Mia in the final film, noting that her character became "more passive" as the franchise prioritized CGI spectacle over character development.
The green screen complaint is particularly pointed. The early Fast & Furious films were grounded in practical stunts and real automotive culture. By Fast Five, they'd become heist movies. By Furious 7, cars were parachuting out of planes. The most recent entries feature magnets that defy physics and trips to space. Somewhere along the way, Mia went from being part of the crew to being the person who stays home with the kids.
This isn't just about one character or one actress. It's about how blockbuster franchises tend to narrow their focus as the budgets increase. The spectacle becomes the point, and anyone who can't contribute to set pieces gets relegated to expositional scenes shot against green screens. Women and supporting characters suffer most from this calculus.
What's remarkable is that Brewster is saying this while the franchise is still active. Most actors wait until they're safely out the door before airing grievances. She's essentially demanding better treatment in real time, using her platform to advocate for what her character—and by extension, the female characters in the franchise—deserve.
Will it work? Maybe. Vin Diesel and director Louis Leterrier have final say, and they've shown little interest in slowing down the insanity. But Brewster has leverage: the franchise needs her for the nostalgia factor, and they know it.
In Hollywood, nobody knows anything—except that sometimes the best way to get what you want is to say it out loud and dare them to ignore you.
