‘The Fast and the Furious’ Makes Room for Black Women Tech Geniuses
Nathalie Emmanuel’s role as Ramsey shows intelligence is the not-so-secret ingredient in Black girl magic
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The Fast and the Furious is 20 years old. That means an entire generation has grown up on this franchise revolving around cars, family, loyalty, and improbable yet thrilling stunts. And that’s not a bad thing. It means that today’s generation has come of age with a summer blockbuster staple now revolving around multiracialism and globalism. As The Fast and Furious has continued, its vision of the world has undeniably broadened. It’s no longer the original in which the West Coast, L.A. specifically, is the center of its universe. These days, it’s even expanding beyond Earth itself.
It’s a vision the world has embraced, with the franchise topping the box office in many markets, including China, South Korea, Russia, Colombia, Thailand, Mexico, Egypt, Brazil, the U.K., and France. In recognition of this phenomenon, the franchise has doubled down on its global outreach, by not just filming in different countries, but actually incorporating the fashion, music, and other sensibilities of those locales into the franchise’s DNA. And dare I say that hip-hop has been a driving force behind the franchise, embedding it with a boldness that has long distinguished the genre.
As the franchise grew, especially under director Justin Lin who has helmed five of the nine films since making his debut with The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, it has continually centered actors and characters of color, particularly in Vin Diesel’s Dom, Michelle Rodriguez’s Letty, Tyrese’s Roman, and Ludacris’ Tej. And, beginning with Furious 7, released in 2015, Nathalie Emmanuel’s Ramsey became the first major Black woman character in the franchise.
Because Ramsey is relatively quiet, Emmanuel may not be as notable to some. Her presence, however, is quite significant. With her addition, the franchise said, “We do see a world in which Black women play a vital role.” And, boy, does she? As a master hacker, Ramsey may just be the first…
