The film is back in theaters next month.
I was a New Yorker, she admits.
I didnt really drive.
Credit: Bob Marshak
She actually only got her drivers license to work on the film.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did you decide to take the part inThe Fast and the Furious?
I was at Yale.
It was like a summer job.
Initially it was calledRedline, and it was a movie about cars.
I thought, Okay, cool, Ill go to L.A. and film this.
And then it went over, so I had to take a semester off from school.
Obviously it was the most worthwhile thing I ever did.
What was it like developing the part of Mia in that first film?
[Director] Rob Cohn was like, You have to go watch Anna Magnani movies.
He perceived me as this prep school girl.
This girl is earthy.
Think of her barefoot.
I tried to get her to be as grounded as I possibly could.
I remember having to work on that.
So much of the main cast on this film were still early in their careers.
What was that like?
Everyones on the same level.
I learned a lot from her.
If something was stereotypical, or belittling as far as playing the girlfriend, she was like, Uh-uh!
Lets make this interesting!
And she absolutely did.
She hasnt changed, and shes very courageous that way.
Youve played Vin Diesels sister in several movies now.
What was that working relationship like initially?
I remember being very intimidated, initially.
Now, my fondest memories are the memories we have from off set.
We go to each others kids birthday parties.
Its so strange how our relationship has evolved.
Have you re-watched the first film recently?
The last time I saw it was when I was doing research forFast Five.
I Went back and watched all of them.
I was surprised by how dated it is.
There are no flat-screens in it.
We really do look like babies!
Has it gotten harder to watch the older films, after losing Paul Walker?
I sawFurious 7, once, before the premiere, to sort of prepare myself.
And then at the premiere.
And I havent been able to watch it since.
Its bittersweet now, watching them.
I got really close to Paul, especially after the fourth film.
We both grew up so much.
We were such babies in the first one.
I sort of saw this surfer dude guy, and we didnt interact as much.
I got really close to him after that.
He was not someone to be underestimated, man.
He did so much, as is evidenced by how deeply people felt his loss.
Its almost like people knew what a fing good, genuine, authentic guy he was.
I dont think any of us knew that it had so much potential.
It was definitely worth missing a semester at Yale.
