Let's make this birthday one to remember.

56 years old (Born on June 20, 1968)

American film director and producer; He is famous from El Mariachi.

In May 1999 he was honored with the Outstanding Young Texas Award by the Ex- Students' Association. Was originally chosen to direct _John Carter of Mars (2006)_ for Paramount and had already begun some of the preproduction in early 2004. However, once he left the DGA, Paramount (which will only allow their films to be directed by DGA members) replaced him. Studied at St. Anthony`s University, The University of Texas at Austin. Famous for working and delivering on relatively low budgets. His most expensive movie cost $35 million, most are budgeted $20 million or lower. One of the experimental drugs that was tested on Rodriguez was a "speed healer." He has two divots in his arms as a result of the removed sample.

Went to St. Anthony`s High School.

Has 5 children with Elizabeth Avellan: sons Rocket Rodriguez, Racer Rodriguez, Rebel Rodriguez, Rogue Rodriguez and daughter Rhiannon Rodriguez.

Set up a symphony orchestra in his garage to record the score for Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002).

Was originally attached to direct "The Mask of Zorro" (1998), but the studio didn`t agree with his much-more violent and R-rated proposal.

Left the Directors` Guild of America (DGA) in March 2004 when they refused his request to share the directors` credit with Frank Miller on Sin City (2005). Other notable DGA "defectors" include his close friends George Lucas and Quentin Tarantino.

Ranked #48 on Premiere's 2005 Power 50 List. Had ranked #61 in 2004.

Has final cut and final approval of all marketing materials in his contracts.

Has resigned from the DGA twice. The first time was so he could directed the non-guild Four Rooms (1995) with Quentin Tarantino and two other directors. The second time was in 2004 when he wanted to give Frank Miller a co-director credit for Sin City (2005).

Brother of Elizabeth Rodriguez, Christina Rodriguez, David Rodriguez, Rebecca Rodriguez, Patricia Vonne, and Angela Lanza.

Turned down the chance to direct Kevin Smith`s script for "Superman Lives" (which as of 2004 is not being made in to a feature film, having been replaced with another script).

His adult-oriented movies always feature a fictional brand of beer called "Cerveza Chango". Chango is the Orisha (a deity as in the Afro-Cuban religion of Santeria - an amalgam of African tradition and Catholocism) of fire, lightning and dance. Chango is renowned for the way he avenges crimes against the innocent, a recurring theme in Rodriguez-movies in which the fictional beer appears.

Frequently uses Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Elijah Wood and Robert Patrick.

Cousin of actor Danny Trejo.

In April of 1996, headed the list of "25 Most Powerful Hispanics in Hollywood", published by Hispanic Magazine.

Left the Writers` Guild of America (WGA) in late 2001, citing the organization had "too many rules and just take your money."

Directed, shot and edited a concert film for Del Castillo entitled _Del Castillo: Live (2003)_ (V). He and Castillo share several band members. Rodriguez uses them in his newly-formed band, Chingon (Spanish for "bad ass"). They recently released an album and played on the end credits for Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) for his friend, Quentin Tarantino.

Salma Hayek is his children`s godmother.

Since 1998, he has possessed the film rights to the comic book "Madman" by Mike Allred. Although the film has yet to be produced, Allred is the one who helped Rodriguez get in touch with Frank Miller, which led to the latter's own comic property becoming the movie Sin City (2005). As of 2006, Rodriguez and Allred have gone on record as saying that a screenplay for the "Madman" movie (based on an outline by the two of them) had been written by George Huang, with hopes to start shooting before the end of 2006.

Edited Mariachi, El (1992) at a public access station in Austin, Texas. He edited from late at night to the early hours in the morning, because the time was cheaper. However the station would often close up, setting the alarm; this meant he would have to stay at his editing bench for eight hours at a time without restroom breaks.

Absolutely loathed the fact that he had to shoot his movies on film to enter them into film festivals. Soon after Bedhead (1991) and Mariachi, El (1992) hit, many festivals began admitting video formats.

Cousin of u00c1lvaro Rodru00edguez.

His production company was called "Los Hooligans", named after the comic strip he drew in college, but it is now titled "Troublemaker Studios".

Kevin Smith also pursued Rodriguez to helm his controversial religious satire Dogma (1999). Rodriguez turned it down, insisting that the project was so personal that Smith ought to do it himself.

He earned most of the $7000 it cost to make Mariachi, El (1992) by subjecting himself to experimental drug studies.

Is an accomplished chef.

The last of his movies shot on film was Spy Kids (2001). During post-production of that film at Skywalker Ranch, George Lucas introduced him to 24p HD film-making and Rodriguez was immediately converted. He owns two Sony HDW-F900 cameras, the same model used by Lucas on the Star Wars prequels.

He wrote two scripts for "Predator 3" (which later became _AVP: Alien Vs. Predator (2004)_). One took place at a ship in the 17th century, while the second one was about Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Glover`s characters being taken to the alien planet, as trophies.

Wrote a book named "Rebel Without A Crew," about his experience making the movie Mariachi, El (1992).

After seeing John Carpenter`s Escape from New York (1981) at age 12, he knew he wanted to be a filmmaker.

Ranked #80 in Premiere's 2003 annual Power 100 List. Had ranked #94 in 2002.

Directed parts of the scene in Pulp Fiction (1994) where Quentin Tarantino appears as Jimmy. (Rodriguez was uncredited for his directing.)

Met girlfriend Rose McGowan when he directed her in Planet Terror (2007).

Since 1998, he has possessed the film rights to the comic book "Madman" by Mike Allred. Although the film has yet to be produced, Allred is the one who helped Rodriguez get in touch with Frank Miller, which led to the latter`s own comic property becoming the movie Sin City (2005). As of 2006, Rodriguez and Allred have gone on record as saying that a screenplay for the "Madman" movie (based on an outline by the two of them) had been written by `George Huang (I)` , with hopes to start shooting before the end of 2006.