Comic-Con 2010: Michelle Rodriguez on Avatar, James Cameron and Movie Death

At the press conference for her new film Battle: Los Angeles, described as a cross between Black Hawk Down and Alien by director Jonathan Liebesman, Michelle Rodriguez sounded off about what James Cameron thinks about animation replacing actors and why she gets killed off in every movie.

Asked about the possibility of actors eventually being replaced by animated avatars, Rodriguez instantly bristled:

“I’d like to make a note, people don’t understand because they weren’t there. I was there. I saw what Jim did with Avatar and what the future of film is in his eyes. What he wanted to transition to was respect toward the actor because you are literally looking at an enhancement of the actor’s performance. You are not looking at some guy who’s an animator creating the emotions or performance. The dots are on all the parts of your face and you have a camera staring at you. It’s the actor’s performance. That’s something I think a lot of people don’t understand because there’s a lot of work that was placed behind it. Eventually, over the years, it’ll become a lot easier to do [that kind of animation], a lot cheaper and it’ll take a lot less time. But directors who know what it’s all about, like Jim and Jonathan, know it’s about the human soul shining through into whatever story it is you’re trying to tell. Actors aren’t going anywhere.”

Damn, Gina. Simmer down. We’re with you; if we want to see animated acting, we’ll go to whatever new movie Pixar is putting out, not rent Beowulf. No need to get so testy.

Surprisingly, she was much perkier when asked the question: “Why does Michelle Rodriguez always die in every movie?”

"Because I don’t rip my clothes off and I’m nobody’s girlfriend!" she hooted, clapping her hands and laughing hysterically. "A lot of writers are new to the whole tough girl thing. They don’t know what to do with a chick. If she’s got character and she’s strong, it’s sort of like, ‘Well, we’ve got the dude who’s strong, so what do we do with the chick who does that? Kill her. Duh.’ Eventually they’ll get used to it. Maybe Salt will change a thing or two.”

Having seen Salt, we can say with total certainty that the only thing that’s gonna alter is Angelina Jolie’s bankability and credibility. That movie gives ass-kicking tough women everywhere a bad name.