Michelle Rodriguez found out her 'Fast and the Furious' character was returning from the dead by going to the movies to see 'Fast Five'

• During a "Fast X" event, Michelle Rodriguez shared how she learned she was returning for "Fast 6."
• Rodriguez discovered her character was back from the dead by heading to the movies to see "Fast Five."

Michelle Rodriguez says she learned she was returning to the "Fast and the Furious" franchise by watching the saga's fifth film in theaters.

That was news to her since her character had died in the fourth movie, 2009's "Fast & Furious," in a fiery car explosion.

During a trailer event for the franchise's upcoming 10th installment, "Fast X," which Insider attended Thursday evening in Los Angeles, Rodriguez recounted the story of how Vin Diesel advocated to bring the actor back into the franchise and how she discovered she was going to be in "Fast 6" by heading to a public screening of the 2013 film.

"I swear to you, I was in Paris, and I roll in to see 'Fast Five,' and that's when I find out on my own," Rodriguez said of how she discovered Letty was returning to the "Fast" saga.

"Nobody told me. Nobody gave me a call. Nobody said anything," Rodriguez continued. "I watch a tag ending that says, 'Do you believe in ghosts?''"

At the very end of "Fast Five," Monica Fuentes (Eva Mendes) brings a case file to Luke Hobbes (Dwayne Johnson). Inside is a photo of a very much alive Letty.

Rodriguez has previously discussed her return to the franchise fondly with MTV News and Yahoo! Movies, saying, "they wanted to surprise me." But, on Thursday from the L.A. Live Event Deck, the actor was a bit more candid with fans.

"I immediately grabbed my phone. I'm in Paris. I'm like, 'Oh, hell no,'" Rodriguez said of her reaction and instantly calling Diesel, who is also a producer on the Fast Saga. "I find out by going to the movies, Vin?"

Rodriguez said Diesel told her that she knew this was going to happen.

Before seeing "Fast Five," Rodriguez said she and Diesel had met up with Universal executives in Puerto Rico. There, Diesel first pitched the idea of bringing Letty back into the fold.

However, at the time, Rodriguez didn't think Diesel was serious since her character was dead.

It sounded like she wasn't the only one.

"Everyone's looking so confused. All the producers," Rodriguez said of their reaction to Diesel's suggestion. "The director's like, 'But she's dead!' What's going on?"

Of Diesel coming through and pushing for Letty's return to the saga, Rodriguez said, "That's Vin."

With the upcoming 10th movie out in theaters on May 19, event host Maria Menounos asked Rodriguez if there's "a dream still left" to accomplish with the franchise.

When a fan yelled out, "All female cast?" a reference to the all-female "Fast" movie the cast has wanted for years, Rodriguez surprisingly said, "No."

Instead, Rodriguez said, "Those little kids."

"I'm excited about passing the torch," Rodriguez added.

In October, head of Universal Pictures, Donna Langley told Insider's Jason Guerrasio she'd "love to see a female 'Fast' in the franchise's future.

"So would Vin," she said. "We have so many great and amazing female characters in our franchise and now there's the new addition of Brie Larson to add to the incredible roster. I would love to see us do a female 'Fast.'"

While that may still be on the table, it seems like the future of the "Fast" franchise may branch out in another direction and go younger.

From the trailer we screened, it looks like the next generation of the "Fast" fam is going to be a big part of the franchise's future.