Fast & Furious: Who Plays Mia Toretto? The Two Stars Behind One Beloved Character

The "Fast & Furious" franchise is known for its many characters. Whether they're canonically good, evil, alive, or dead, anyone could pop up in the next Toretto family adventure. However, amidst all the pure chaos in each "Fast & Furious" movie, the franchise has an unsung hero: Mia Toretto. 

For over 20 years, Jordana Brewster has brought Mia Toretto to life, appearing in seven of the ten movies. Although "Fast & Furious" is undoubtedly her most well-known role, Brewster began acting at a young age, earning recognition for her early work in soap operas, mainly playing Nikki Munson in "As the World Turns." Outside of the "Fast & Furious" series, she's starred in several feature-length films, including Robert Rodriguez's "The Faculty," "The Invisible Circus," and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning." Brewster also starred in TV reboots like "Dallas," playing Elena Ramos, and "Lethal Weapon," as Dr. Maureen Cahill. 

However, Brewster isn't the only actress to play Mia Toretto, as "F9" brought in Siena Agudong to portray a younger Mia in flashbacks. Aside from her recent "Fast & Furious" appearance, Agudong played a young Billie Wesker in Netflix's short-lived "Resident Evil," Reina in the Disney+ original movie "Upside-Down Magic," and the titular Nick in Netflix's "No Good Nick." Although it doesn't seem like her "Fast & Furious" future is bright, she could always return if future installments require some flashbacks.

Playing the same character for over 20 years is no small feat, but Mia Toretto and the "Fast & Furious" family hold a special place in Jordana Brewster's heart. The franchise's focus on family has never changed through ten films, despite the increasingly ridiculous stunts and the actress believes that plays into their ever-lasting success.

"'Fast' reflects all different kinds of families, right?" Brewster said during an interview with Insider ahead of "F9." "It's not the conventional families that constitute a family. It's the love that binds them together and the sense of code and the sense of showing up for one another. That's a really, really important message and that's what's at the heart and core of every film." Brewster believes that despite the franchise leaving its humble beginnings in the rearview mirror, its message is everlasting, showing that family comes first, no matter the kind. She also recognizes that fans have crafted a drinking game around the movies' use of the word "family," which she thinks is just as great.

While fans may meme the franchise's use of family, Brewster credits the on-screen diversity for keeping the franchise relevant. Regardless of age, "Fast" has a little bit of something for everyone, according to the actress. Older fans grew up with the Toretto family, while younger generations joined the ride in later installments. "At the core of it is the sense of family, loyalty, and everyone sees themselves reflected in the film... We had that from the very beginning," Brewster said.