Robert Anthony Rodriguez (/rɒˈdriːɡɛz/ro-DREE-ghez; born June 20, 1968)[1][2] is an American filmmaker, composer, actor, chef and visual effects supervisor. He shoots, edits, produces, and scores many of his films in Mexico and in his home state ofTexas. Rodriguez directed the 1992 action filmEl Mariachi, which was a commercial success after grossing $2.6 million ($5.5 million in 2023 dollars) against a budget of $7,000 ($14,937 in 2023 dollars). The film spawned two sequels known collectively as theMexico Trilogy:Desperado (1995) andOnce Upon a Time in Mexico (2003).
Rodriguez is a close friend and frequent collaborator of filmmakerQuentin Tarantino,[4] who founded the production companyA Band Apart, of which Rodriguez was a member. In December 2013, Rodriguez launched his own cable television channel,El Rey.
Rodriguez was born inSan Antonio, Texas, the son of Mexican parents Rebecca (née Villegas), a nurse, and Cecilio G. Rodríguez, a salesman.[5][6] He began his interest in film at age eleven, when his father bought one of the firstVCRs, which came with a camera.[7]
Robert Rodriguez (right) at the 1993 Atlanta Film Festival.
While attendingSt. Anthony High School Seminary in San Antonio, Rodriguez was commissioned to videotape the school's football games. According to his sister, he was fired soon afterward as he had shot footage in a cinematic style, getting shots of parents' reactions and the ball traveling through the air instead of shooting the whole play. In high school, he metCarlos Gallardo; they both shot films on video throughout high school and college.
Rodriguez went to theCollege of Communication at theUniversity of Texas at Austin, where he also developed a love of cartooning. Not having grades high enough to be accepted into the school's film program, he created a daily comic strip entitledLos Hooligans. Many of the characters were based on his siblings – in particular, one of his sisters, Maricarmen. The comic ran for three years in the student newspaperThe Daily Texan, while Rodriguez continued to make short films.[8]
Rodriguez shot action and horror short films on video and edited on two VCRs. In late 1990, his entry in a local film contest earned him a spot in the university's film program. There he made the award-winning 16 mm shortBedhead (1991). The film chronicles the amusing misadventures of a young girl whose older brother sports an incredibly tangled mess of hair which she detests. Even at this early stage, Rodriguez's trademark style began to emerge: quick cuts, intense zooms, and fast camera movements deployed with a sense of humor.
Bedhead was recognized for excellence in the Black Maria Film Festival. It was selected by Film/Video Curator Sally Berger for the Black Maria 20th-anniversary retrospective atMoMA in 2006.
The short filmBedhead attracted enough attention to encourage him to seriously attempt a career as a filmmaker.[9] He went on to shoot the action flickEl Mariachi (1992) in Spanish; he shot it for around $7,000 with money raised by his friend Adrian Kano and from payments for his own participation in medical testing studies.[10] During the process of these medical studies, he metPeter Marquardt, who went on to act inEl Mariachi. Rodriguez won the Audience Award for this film at theSundance Film Festival in 1993.[11] Intended for the Spanish-language low-budget home-video market, the film was "cleaned up" byColumbia Pictures with post-production work costing several hundred thousand dollars before it was distributed in the United States.[12] Its promotion still advertised it as "the movie made for $7,000". Rodriguez described his experiences making the film in his bookRebel Without a Crew (1995).[13]
That year, Rodriguez enjoyed his first Hollywood hit withSpy Kids, which went on to become a movie franchise. A third "mariachi" film also appeared in late 2003,Once Upon a Time in Mexico, which completed theMexico Trilogy (also called the Mariachi Trilogy). He operates a production company calledTroublemaker Studios, formerly Los Hooligans Productions.[19]
Rodriguez co-directedSin City (2005), an adaptation ofthe comic books byFrank Miller; Quentin Tarantino guest-directed a scene. During production in 2004, Rodriguez insisted Miller be credited as co-director, because he considered the visual style of Miller's comic art to be just as important as his own in the film. However, theDirectors Guild of America would not allow it, citing that only "legitimate teams", e.g.the Wachowskis, could share the director's credit. Rodriguez chose to resign from the DGA, stating: "It was easier for me to quietly resign before shooting because otherwise I'd be forced to make compromises I was unwilling to make or set a precedent that might hurt the guild later on". By resigning from the DGA, Rodriguez was forced to relinquish his director's seat on the filmJohn Carter of Mars forParamount Pictures. Rodriguez had already signed on and had been announced as director of that film, planning to begin filming soon after completingSin City.[20][21]
Sin City was a critical hit in 2005 as well as a box office success, particularly for a hyperviolent comic book adaptation that did not have name recognition comparable to theX-Men orSpider-Man. He has an interest in adapting all of Miller'sSin City comic books.[22]
Rodriguez releasedThe Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 2005, a superhero-kid movie intended for the same younger audiences as hisSpy Kids series.Sharkboy and Lavagirl was based on a story conceived by Rodriguez's seven-year-old son, Racer, who was given credit for the screenplay. The film grossed over $69 million worldwide at the box office.[23]
Rodriguez wrote and directed the filmPlanet Terror as part of the double-bill releaseGrindhouse (2007). Quentin Tarantino directedGrindhouse's other film.
He has a series of "Ten Minute Film School" segments on several of his DVD releases, showing aspiring filmmakers how to make good, profitable movies using inexpensive tactics. Starting with theOnce Upon a Time in Mexico DVD, Rodriguez began creating a series called "Ten Minute Cooking School" in which he revealed his recipe for "Puerco Pibil" (based onCochinita pibil, an old dish fromYucatán), the same foodJohnny Depp's character, Agent Sands, ate in the film. The popularity of this series led to the inclusion of another "Cooking School" on the two-disc version of theSin City DVD where Rodriguez teaches the viewer how to make "Sin City Breakfast Tacos", a dish (made for his cast and crew during late-night shoots and editing sessions) utilizing his grandmother's tortilla recipe and different egg mixes for the filling. He had initially planned to release a third "Cooking School" with the DVD release ofPlanet Terror but then announced on the "Film School" segment of the DVD that he would put it on theGrindhouse DVD set instead. The Cooking School, titled "Texas Barbecue...from the GRAVE!", is a dish based on the "secret barbecue recipe" of JT Hague,Jeff Fahey's character in the film.[24]
Rodriguez is a strong supporter ofdigital filmmaking, having been introduced to the practice by directorGeorge Lucas, who personally invited Rodriguez to use the digital cameras at Lucas's headquarters.[25] He was presented with the Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Award at the 2010Austin Film Festival.
In 2010, Rodriguez produced a newPredator sequel, entitledPredators. This film's script was based on early drafts he had written after seeing the original. Rodriguez's ideas included a planet-sized game preserve and various creatures used by the Predators to hunt a group of abducted yet skilled humans. Opening to mostly positive reviews, the film fared reasonably well at the box office.
Machete is a feature film directed by Rodriguez and released in September 2010. It is an expansion of a faketrailer Rodriguez directed for the 2007 filmGrindhouse. It starredDanny Trejo as the title character. Trejo, Rodriguez's second cousin, has worked with him in some of his other movies such asDesperado,From Dusk till Dawn,Once Upon a Time in Mexico andSpy Kids, where Trejo first appeared as Machete. Although originally announced to be released direct-to-DVD as an extra on thePlanet Terror DVD, the film was produced as a theatrical release.[26]
According to Rodriguez, the origins of the film go back toDesperado. He says: "When I met Danny, I said, 'This guy should be like the MexicanJean-Claude Van Damme orCharles Bronson, putting out a movie every year and his name should be Machete.' So I decided to do that way back when, never got around to it until finally now. So now, of course, I want to keep going and do a feature."[27] In an interview withRolling Stone magazine, Rodriguez said that he wrote the screenplay back in 1993 when he cast Trejo inDesperado. "So I wrote him this idea of afederale from Mexico who gets hired to do hatchet jobs in the U.S. I had heard sometimesFBI orDEA have a really tough job that they don't want to get their own agents killed on, they'll hire an agent from Mexico to come do the job for $25,000. I thought, "That'sMachete. He would come and do a really dangerous job for a lot of money to him but for everyone else over here it's peanuts." But I never got around to making it."[28]
Rodriguez hoped to filmMachete at the same time asSin City: A Dame to Kill For.[29] Additionally, duringComic-Con International 2008, he took the time to speak aboutMachete, including such topics as: status, possible sequels after the release ofMachete, and production priorities.[30] It was also revealed that he has regularly pulled sequences from it for his other productions, includingOnce Upon a Time in Mexico.[citation needed]Machete was released in theaters September 3, 2010, in the U.S.
On May 5, 2010, Rodriguez responded to Arizona's controversial immigration law by releasing an "illegal" trailer onAin't It Cool News.[31] The fake trailer combined elements of theMachete trailer that appeared inGrindhouse with footage from the actual film,[32] and implied that the film would be about Machete leading a revolt against anti-immigration politicians and border vigilantes.[32] Several movie websites, includingInternet Movie Database, reported that it was the official teaser for the film.[32] However, Rodriguez later revealed the trailer to be a joke, explaining "it wasCinco de Mayo and I had too muchtequila."[32]
In May 2020, Rodriguez announced, via an Instagram post in which he posed with a puppet ofGrogu, that he would direct an episode from the second season of theDisney+ seriesThe Mandalorian, part of theStar Wars franchise.[33] He also tweeted a video of himself on the set of the episode playing a guitar next to Grogu.[34] Rodriguez was also an executive producer onThe Book of Boba Fett, a spin-off ofThe Mandalorian released in December 2021,[35] where he also voiced Dokk Strassi[36] and Mok Shaiz.[37]
In 2020, Rodriguez wrote and directedWe Can Be Heroes, aSharkboy and Lavagirl spinoff, which was released on December 25, 2020, on Netflix to mixed reviews.[38]
In August 2021, Rodriguez had signed a two-year first-look deal withHBO andHBO Max.[39]
In 2023, he releasedSpy Kids: Armageddon onNetflix. The film received mixed reviews from critics.[40][41]
Since 1998, Rodriguez has owned the film rights toMike Allred's off-beat comicMadman. The two have hinted at the project being close to beginning on several occasions without anything coming of it. However, other projects have been completed first. (Allred was instrumental in connecting Rodriguez with Frank Miller, leading to the production ofSin City.) In 2004, Allred, while promoting his comic bookThe Golden Plates, announced that a screenplay byGeorge Huang was near completion. Allred announced at the 2006WonderCon that production would likely commence onMadman the Movie in 2006. Huang is friends with Rodriguez, who advised him to pursue filmmaking as a career when Rodriguez landed a deal withColumbia Pictures, where Huang was an employee.[citation needed]
In May 2007, it was announced that Rodriguez had signed on to direct a remake ofBarbarella for a 2008 release.[42] At the 2007Comic-Con, actressRosario Dawson announced that because ofBarbarella, production ofSin City: A Dame to Kill For would be put on hold. She also announced that she would be playing an amazon in the Barbarella film.[43] As of June 2008, plans to remake theBarbarella withRose McGowan as the lead have been delayed; the actress and director were instead remaking the filmRed Sonja.[44]
In May 2008, Rodriguez was said to be shopping around a prison drama television series calledWoman in Chains!, withRose McGowan being a possibility for a lead role.[45] In May 2009, Rodriguez planned to produce a live-action remake ofFire and Ice, a 1983 film collaboration between painterFrank Frazetta and animatorRalph Bakshi. The deal was closed shortly after Frazetta's death.[32]
In 2011, Rodriguez announced atComic-Con that he had purchased the film rights toHeavy Metal and planned to develop anew animated film at the new Quick Draw Studios.[46]
In November 2015, it was announced that Rodriguez directed the film100 Years, which would not be released until 2115.[47]
In March 2017, it was announced that Rodriguez would direct a remake of the dystopian sci-fi action filmEscape from New York, with original directorJohn Carpenter producing.[48]
In March 2025, Rodriguez announced a new company called Brass Knuckle Films at SXSW in Austin, Texas.[49]The studio is set to make four films, with Rodriguez directing at least one and serving as producer on the rest of the slate. Brass Knuckle Films is a unique approach to a studio as it invites the fans to be the investors. Investors also pitch their film ideas to Rodriguez for one of the films in the slate of films planned.[50]
Rodriguez announced in April 2006 that he and his Venezuelan and American wifeElizabeth Avellán, with whom he had five children, had separated after 16 years of marriage.[51]
He reportedly had a "dalliance"[52] with actressRose McGowan during the shooting ofGrindhouse.[53] In October 2007,Elle Magazine revealed that Rodriguez had cast McGowan in the title role in his remake ofBarbarella.[54] They split up in October 2009.[55]
Rodriguez not only has the credits of producing, directing and writing his films, he also frequently serves aseditor,director of photography,camera operator,steadicam operator, composer,production designer, visual effects supervisor, andsound editor on his films. This has earned him the nickname of "the one-man film crew". He abbreviates his numerous roles in his film credits;Once Upon a Time in Mexico, for instance, is "shot, chopped, and scored by Robert Rodriguez", andSin City is "shot and cut by Robert Rodriguez".
He calls his style of making movies "Mariachi-style" (in reference to his first feature filmEl Mariachi) in which (according to the back cover of his bookRebel Without a Crew) "Creativity, not money, is used to solve problems." He prefers to work at night, spending his day-time hours with his kids, when they're home, and says that he believes many creative people are "night people".[58]
In his 2006 bookThe DV Rebel's Guide,Stu Maschwitz coined the term "Robert Rodriguez list", i.e. the filmmaker compiling a list of things they have access to like cool cars, apartments, horses, samurai swords and so on, and then writing the screenplay based on that list.[59]
Rodriguez wrote a blurb for the book that stated:
I'd been wanting to write a book for the new breed of digital filmmakers, but now I don't have to. My pal and fellow movie maker Stu Maschwitz has compressed years of experience into this thorough guide. Don't make a movie without reading this book![59]
He also said toIGN that children will support anything that is empowering to them, citingHome Alone andMighty Morphin Power Rangers, saying: "You can't understand, 'Why do you likePower Rangers?' Well, it's empowerment, and children – especially younger children – they need their mom just to go to the mall, you know? They can't drive themselves wherever they want. So when they see kids being very empowered, flying around in jet packs, being proactive, it's empowering to them".[63]
^abMaschwitz, Stu (2007).The DV rebel's guide : an all-digital approach to making killer action movies on the cheap. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press. p. back cover.ISBN978-0321413642.
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