The “Fast and Furious” franchise has become a cultural phenomenon over the years, captivating audiences with its high-speed car races, thrilling action sequences, and a cast of incredible characters. And yet, one aspect of the franchise that often goes unnoticed is the strong representation of women. The “Fast and Furious” series presents a diverse range of women who defy traditional gender norms with automotive skill, confidence, and success in a male-dominated sphere. While they are integral to the franchise’s storylines, their presence brings a new light to feminism in the car world and inspires viewers to break the glass ceiling.
Letty Ortiz
Her rides: 1997 Nissan 240SX, 1993 Honda Civic EJ1, 1970 Plymouth Road Runner, 2011 Dodge Charger SRT, 1971 Jensen Interceptor, Dodge Viper SRT-10, 1966 Chevrolet Corvette C2 Sting Ray, Harley Davidson Sportster Iron
Michelle Rodriguez’s Hispanic character dominates the big screen as one of the main characters and love interest of Dominic Toretto, played by Vin Diesel. Letty matches Dominic’s intimidating, tough, and assertive persona as she extends beyond a stereotype and establishes herself as a multi-dimensional individual. With her incredible street-racing abilities, independence, and leadership role, she breaks the damsel-in-distress narrative and promotes the vision of women in the automotive field. Her style consists of gender-neutral leather jackets, cargo pants, and rugged dark attire as a mechanic, presenting a sharp contrast to traditional feminine norms. Ultimately, this relocates Letty away from traditional voyeuristic and masculine scopophilic purposes in male-oriented films.
“You will never be alone again. I vow wherever you go, I go. You ride, I ride. You fight, I fight. And if you ever die on me Dominic Toretto I’m gonna die with you.”
Suki Toguchi
Her rides: 2000 Honda S2000, 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GTS
Devon Aoki’s character remains one of the most beloved and adored women in 2 Fast 2 Furious. As a sharp contrast to Letty, her entirely pink cars, all-girl garage, and girlboss aesthetic present her as a striking traditional feminine woman in a highly male-dominated field. Throughout the movie, her commentary exchange with Brian O’Connor, played by Paul Walker, positions her as his equal in the street-racing scene and highlights Suki as a valuable character instead of a passive sex symbol. Her role as a Japanese woman furthers her ability to break stereotypes and highlights her worth to male and white peers. As a feminist icon, she challenges gender norms by embracing her individuality and negating conformity with her cherished style. Suki’s manual V6 2000 Honda S2000, composed of a hot pink wrap, pink fuzzy seating, pink underglow, and Hello Kitty decals remains memorable 20 years later. With the new Fast and Furious movie releases, fans continually hope for her return to the big screen.
“Move, bitch!”
Mia Toretto
Her rides: 1994 Acura Integra GS-R, 1994 Toyota Supra MK IV, 2003 Honda NSX, 1965 Ford GT40, 2010 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 940,1974 Chevrolet Nova SS
As sister to domineering Dominic Toretto, Jordana Brewster’s radiant and comforting character presents as the maternal figure to the friends’ prominent family dynamic. In The Fast and The Furious, Mia starts as a passive-protected character who engages as the love interest of undercover cop Brian O’Connor. Despite this, she is still commended for her driving capabilities while trying to impress her date. As the series progresses, Mia plays a more prominent role as she develops a sisterly bond with fellow female characters like Letty Ortiz. In Fast Five, her nurturing and loyal persona faces a sharp contrast as she helps rescue her brother from a prison-bound bus in a high-stakes attack in her modified 2003 Honda NSX. As a later wife to Brian and mother of his child, Jordana remains widely adored and heavily praised for her portrayal of a multi-faceted character. Her strong sense of family and selflessness, paired with her prominence in the automotive sphere, makes her an excellent feminist character that inspires viewers everywhere.
“Tuna on white. No crust, right?”
Elena Neves
Her rides: Gurkha LAPV
On the opposite side of the law, Elsa Pataky’s cop-turned-DSS agent character portrays remarkable inspirational feminist ideals. As a strong and independent woman, she asserts herself as an equal to her male colleagues by wielding her wits and strength in her favour. In the sixth film, Fast & Furious 6, Elena successfully executes an operation infiltrating high-level facilities to take down the movie’s villains, negating the damsel-in-distress trope. Her role alongside Dwayne Johnson emphasizes her strength and fortitude within the male-dominated sphere. As a grieving widow and mother, she heavily augments her multifaceted characteristics. Additionally, her relationship with Letty and Mia comprises mutual respect, admiration, and kindness, exemplifying a positive sisterly bond with support and solidarity. In doing so, Elsa’s character bolsters equality and feminist ideals.
“Promise me you’ll save our son.”
Gisele Yashar
Her rides: 2007 Porsche Cayman S, 2009 Nissan 370Z, 2010 BMW E60 M5
Gal Gadot’s powerful feminist character dominates on the big screen through her fierce loyalty, intelligence, and strength. Throughout the series, Gisele proves invaluable to Dominic’s crew as she aids in dangerous missions and puts her life on the line for her loved ones. As she organizes and arranges plans with her peers in Fast Five and Fast 6, she asserts her autonomy and equality to the male members of the crew while standing up for herself, demonstrating her ability to break oppressive barriers. She proves she has an equivalent capacity for success to her male counterparts and presents as a feminist character for viewers. When allied with villain Arturo Braga, Gisele displays her autonomy by having this be her choice, regardless of consequences and morality. When she ultimately leaves his partnership, she does so of her own accord rather than having a man save her. When Gisele does meet her love interest, Han Lue, played by Sung Kang, they possess a relationship founded on equality, mutual trust and respect.
“You don’t send a man to do a woman’s job.”
As inspirational as these five “Fast and Furious” characters are, women have been present for a long time in the automotive industry. In the real world, many female pioneers helped create the cars we know and see today. As noted by Amanda Green in the blog Mental Floss, in 1906, Hamilton-based Vaudeville performer Charlotte Bridgwood designed and patented automatic windshield wipers to increase safety and reduce accidents. Four years later, her silent screen film star Florence Lawrence continued her legacy by developing an early version of the turn signal. In 1912, Romanian Elisa Leonida Zamfirescu became the female engineer and was critical to the design of vehicle engines. As noted by the blog K1 Speed, in the early 70s racing world, Janet Guthrie, Maria Teresa de Filippis, and Michèle Mouton were the first women to enter competitive races on a global scale– competing in NASCAR, Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500, Formula One, and the World Championship Grand Prix with Fiat, Ferrari, Audi, and Peugeot.
In today’s male-dominated industry, alongside influential series like “Fast and Furious” and “Top Gear,” we see incredible female trailblazers looking to revolutionize women in the automotive sphere. In the U.K., Abigayle André is a beloved Muslim car journalist, presenter, and content creator determined to break gender norms and change the car game. Australian Alex Hirschi, known as Supercar Blondie, is a prominent automotive figure and radio broadcaster and frequently works with high-end luxury brands such as Bugatti and Ferrari. On TikTok, Chaya Milchtein, a queer automotive mechanic, strives to aid followers and viewers on everything related to cars to provide the empowerment and tools needed for success.
In the racing world, women are finally making waves with Formula 1’s new 2023 all-female driver series. Upon announcing the new initiative, CEO of Formula Motorsport Limited, Bruno Michel, stated: “Diversity is extremely important in motorsport, and with the F1 Academy we will prove that female drivers have what it takes to compete at high levels…Our goal is to see female drivers on the F3 grid in the next two to three years, and for them to quickly challenge for points and podiums. The aim is to increase the field in the near future, because we hope that this category will inspire more young girls to compete in motorsport at the highest of levels.”
Ultimately, whether it’s fictional or real-life trailblazers, women in the automotive field have always existed and are here to stay. With rumours of a new women-based “Fast and Furious” film series quickly growing, we will likely see more feminist and inspirational women on the big screens and a significant shift in the gender disparity.