It still feels like just yesterday that I caught my first of many big screen viewings of The Faculty, Jordana Brewster’s feature debut and the film that’d quickly convince me she’d continue to deliver big and pick projects I’d wind up falling hard for. Sure enough, then came D.E.B.S., The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning and six Fast and Furious films.
Brewster’s Mia returns to the Fast franchise for the ninth installment after sitting out The Fate of the Furious. The crew promised to let Mia and Brian (Paul Walker) live happily ever after with their children, free and clear of their dangerous missions, but when the latest involves Dom (Vin Diesel) and Mia’s estranged brother Jakob (John Cena), it calls for Mia’s return.
With the latest in the mega franchise, F9, hitting theaters on June 25th, Brewster took the time to join us for an episode of Collider Ladies Night to takes us from her early days on All My Children to enjoying a lengthy run with one of the biggest film franchises of all time. Yes, that means discussing all of those aforementioned titles and then some, but Brewster’s journey from early gigs to Fast and Furious also includes a pivotal life experience - studying English at Yale. Even with a red hot film career, Brewster knew getting her degree was a must:
“I saw teeny boppers come and go and I knew I didn’t want that kind of career. I always wanted a career where I’d still be working in my 40s. 41, still working! So that plan worked out, but I was fearful of leaving school after freshman year or sophom*ore year and then having to go back with young kids and losing my momentum in terms of writing papers, attending seminars, taking tests. And I’ll tell you now, my attention span is gone. It is something I’m so glad I did within that window of time because I’ll have it forever and it was really valuable to me. I am a nerd. I do like studying. I did like that time to just be myself amongst other kids my age, so it was never a question in my mind of whether or not I would do it.”
Does Brewster find that degree coming in handy much while working in the film industry? She was pretty blunt about the reality of being an actor who graduated from an Ivy League university:
“No, to be honest. [Laughs] Only in as much as I think people give you a little more cred and take you a little more seriously sometimes. Like I hate it when people are like, ‘Oh, you went to Yale?’ And I’m like, ‘What does that mean?’ You know what I mean? But I think in the future as I start to want to write or as I start to work in other ways, I think it will. And I think it has in terms of life, in my life space, so I think indirectly it’s helped me in my career.”
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As for that career, she wound up getting a big boost from an expected place. Whereas expectations were sky high for the release of The Faculty in 1998, a film that ultimately didn’t turn the ensemble into huge stars as hoped, Brewster did score another role around the same time that would get the job done. The thing is, with Fast and Furious, she didn't see that level of success coming at all. “With The Fast and Furious, I was like, ‘This is a small movie about cars. It’s a really fun summer project. Everyone’s really good looking. This is gonna be fun, but who knows where it’s gonna lead?’” She further explained:
“When I signed on to the first film, it was called Red Line. It was a movie about street racing. I think at the time Vin was cast, Paul was cast and then I met Michelle at the table read. But no, I thought it was totally a one and done film. And then they reinvented it with 2 Fast 2 Furious and then Tokyo Drift went a whole different direction and then when I came back for four I was like, ‘Oh my god!’ I was so excited and then I thought, ‘Okay, maybe this is gonna keep progressing for me,’ which was how it ended up.”
How’s that for a surprise blockbuster smash hit? Fast and Furious is currently the fifth highest earning franchise having just surpassed the X-Men films with a grand total of $6.2 billion and climbing. Between past cult classics, the Fast franchise's current success and some very promising future gigs, Brewster had a good deal to celebrate on her installment of Collider Ladies Night. You can give the episode a watch in the video at the top of this article or catch the full uncut conversation in podcast form below:
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FAQs
Graduated from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Has 2 sons with her now ex-husband Andrew Form via a gestational surrogate; Julian Brewster-Form (b.
How many kids does Jordana Brewster have? ›
The 'Fast and Furious' actress is mum to two sons - Julian, 10, and Rowan, eight - with her ex-husband Andrew Form and both boys were born via surrogate and Jordana says being open about her journey has been a huge help to other people who are considering going down the same path.
How did Jordana Brewster get into acting? ›
She began her acting career with an appearance in the soap opera All My Children (1995). After that, she joined the cast of As the World Turns (1995–2001), as a recurring role, Nikki Munson. She was later cast as one of the main characters in her first film feature film The Faculty (1998).
What is Jordana Brewster famous for? ›
Having emerged from the daytime soap world of "As the World Turns" (CBS, 1956-2010), actress Jordana Brewster rose quickly to mainstream stardom as Mia Toretto in the summertime blockbuster "The Fast and the Furious" (2001).
Why did Jordana Brewster lose so much weight? ›
“F9” actress Jordana Brewster revealed that she was previously told to lose weight for movie roles prior to Hollywood becoming more body-positive.
Is Jordana Brewster married now? ›
She married ValueAct Capital CEO Mason Morfit on September 3, 2022 in California.
Is Jordana Brewster related to Vin Diesel? ›
"My favorite thing about being Vin's onscreen sister is that I kind of get to be his offscreen sister and share that title with Sam [Vincent], his real-life sister," she tells PEOPLE. Brewster plays Mia Toretto alongside Diesel who stars as Dominic Toretto in the Fast franchise.
Is Jordana Brewster in a relationship? ›
They got married in 2022
Mason Morfit and Jordana Brewster in March 2024. The couple celebrated their union with a southern California wedding on Sept. 3, 2022. The wedding included a stylish homage to Brewster's iconic film series, Fast & Furious, as it featured a lineup of cars.
Does Mia Toretto have a baby? ›
Jack and Olivia O'Conner are Brian O'Conner and Mia Toretto's children. The eldest, Jack, was born during the events of Fast and Furious 6. Olivia was born several years later after Mia learned she was pregnant in Furious 7.
Did Paul Walker love Jordana? ›
Jordana revealed how close she and Paul were to dating in real life. The 'Fast and Furious' actor recalled the time when director Rob Cohen revealed, Paul had a crush on her while filming the first movie. Jordan said, "didn't know that."
His biological sister, Mia Toretto (played by Jordana Brewster since 2001's The Fast and the Furious), is obviously his family, but so are the members of the Toretto Crew, an ever-growing team of mercenaries whose backgrounds include law enforcement, hacking, and street racing.
Why wasn t Jordana Brewster in Fast 8? ›
Because, like it or not, Brewster's character of Mia was tied to Paul Walker's Brian, and we all know that Brian can't come back. When Furious 7 bid farewell to Walker on the beach -- then let him get in one last race thanks to the magic of CGI -- they said goodbye to Mia (and Brewster) as well.
Does Jordana have kids? ›
Brewster, who share sons Rowan, 6, and Julian, 9, with ex-husband Andrew Form, said she typically goes "with my gut" when it comes to choosing what to share.
What does Jordana do for a living? ›
Jordana Nye (/dʒɔːrˈdænə/ jor-DAN-ə), known mononymously as simply Jordana, is an American bedroom pop musician.
What does Jordana Brewster drive? ›
“I'm an SUV, family car girl,” says Brewster, who drives a Range Rover, which keeps her up high and provides the visibility she prefers, as well as boasting car sensors and large side mirrors.
Where did Paget Brewster go to college? ›
Brewster grew up in Massachusetts and moved to New York City to attend Parsons School of Design. During her first year, she made her acting debut and eventually dropped out of design school to pursue her acting career.
Did Paul Walker and Jordana Brewster like each other? ›
WASHINGTON: Actor Jordana Brewster spoke about the crush she had on late star Paul Walker at the 'F9' film premiere, held on Friday. Speaking to E! News about 'F9' and how she honoured Paul in the latest installment of the action-adventure film, Jordana revealed how close she and Paul were to dating in real life.
Where did Vin Baker go to college? ›
After a college career at the University of Hartford, Baker was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 8th pick of the 1993 NBA draft. He played four seasons in Milwaukee, during which he was the leading star (alongside Glenn Robinson) and received three all-star selections.
Where did Marjorie Merriweather Post go to college? ›
Post lived in Battle Creek, Michigan from ages 3-14. She then moved to Washington, D.C. to attend the Mount Vernon Seminary and College (now the George Washington University's Mount Vernon Campus). She maintained a close lifelong relationship with her alma mater and served as its first alumna trustee.
