Robert Rodriguez born on June 20, 1968, in San Antonio, Texas. As a part of a large family, Rodriguez began by making short films, which often featured some of his nine siblings. Initially rejected from film school, Rodriguez continued making movies. He won several awards for his efforts and was eventually accepted into the film program at the University of Texas at Austin.
He made his first feature film El Mariachi (1993) on a very tight budget—only $7,000. Some of the money came from his work as a human guinea pig to test a new medication. Playing on Mexican and American western themes, the Spanish-language action movie centered on a wandering musician who gets caught up with some bad guys after switching guitar cases with a hitman who uses a similar case to carry around the tools of his trade.

Also Robert has written, directed, and/or produced up to 10 cool movies, such as Desperado (1995), From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), The Faculty (1998) and Spy Kids (2001).

Rodriguez tackled his darkest, most violent project to date with 2005's Sin City, an animated adaptation of the graphic novel series by Frank Miller. Miller was resistant to putting Sin City on the silver screen, but Rodriguez won him over. Miller and Rodriguez worked together on the project and were credited as co-directors of the film with Quentin Tarantino acting as a special guest director. The Directors' Guild of America did not approve of the sharing of the director credit, and Rodriguez quit the guild in protest.

Audiences flocked to see the hyperviolent Sin City, which featured the voices and likenesses of such actors as Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, and Benicio Del Toro. Many critics praised its dark, film noir style. According to some reports, two more installments of Sin City are expected to be released in the coming years.

Despite the occasional box office disappointment, Rodriguez has become one of the most respected Latino filmmakers working today. Another interesting project for Rodriguez has been Grind House, a double feature with Quentin Tarantino, done in the style of the B movies of the 1970s. Slated to be released in 2007, Rodriguez's film is Planet Terror, which reportedly has a zombie theme. Tarantino's part of the double feature is called Death Proof and features Kurt Russell as crazed stuntman using his vehicle as a weapon.

In 2006, Rodriguez and his wife Elizabeth announced that they were separating after 16 years of marriage. The couple has five children—Rocket, Racer, Rebel, Rogue, and Rhiannon—and will continue to work together professionally.

Director

• Machete (2008)
• Sin City 2 (2008)
• Sin City 3 (2008)
• Grindhouse (2007)
• The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D (2005)
• Sin City (2005)
• Ten Minute Film School: Big Movies Made Cheap (2004)
• Inside Troublemaker Studios (2004)
• Ten Minute Cooking School: Puerco Pibil (2004)
• Ten Minute Flick School: Fast, Cheap and in Control (2004)
• Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)
• Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)
• Del Castillo: Live (2003)
• Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002)
• Spy Kids (2001)
• The Faculty (1998)
• 10 Minute Film School (1998)
• 10 More Minutes... Anatomy of a Shootout (1998)
• From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
• Four Rooms (1995)
• Desperado (1995)
• Roadracers (1994)
• Mariachi, El (1992)
• Bedhead (1991)