Gina Carano Is Back … in Another Movie, That Is

Former Strikeforce, EliteXC fighter nabs role in ‘Fast and Furious 6’

For those wondering if Gina Carano, the former “face” of women’s mixed martial arts, will fight again any time soon – it’s probably best to not hold your breath.

Carano, according to the Hollywood Reporter, will be back – but on the silver screen, not the cage. Carano, according to a report, has agreed to join the cast of the next installment of “The Fast and Furious” franchise, which is scheduled for a Memorial Day weekend 2013 release. The film will be the sixth in the franchise – and the first five have combined to gross nearly $1.6 billion in worldwide box office.

Carano last was on screen in the Steven Soderbergh-directed “Haywire,” her first leading role. She starred alongside Hollywood heavyweights Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor and Channing Tatum. The film did fairly well with critics, but it wasn’t a hit with audiences, grossing just short of $30 million at the box office. The film gets its DVD and Blu-Ray release on May 1.

In “The Fast and Furious 6,” Carano reportedly will play a member of the security team led by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who will reprise the role he played in last year’s blockbuster “Fast Five.” Also back, reportedly, are Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, who got the franchise started in 2001 with “The Fast and the Furious.”

Carano also recently scored the lead role in “In the Blood,” an action thriller that will be directed by John Stockwell – who is perhaps best known for playing Cougar in “Top Gun,” but in recent years has become a director, including “Blue Crush” and “Into the Blue.”

Carano has not fought since an August 2009 loss to Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos in what was then the biggest women’s MMA bout in history. She lost by first-round TKO, and Cyborg became the Strikeforce women’s featherweight champion. She was on the sidelines for all of 2010, and in 2011 was scheduled for a June return to Strikeforce. But she was pulled from that fight and has since said her fighting days may be over.

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