What Really Happened To Jordana Brewster?
Despite her long career in showbiz, it's hard not to only associate actor Jordana Brewster with just the "Fast & Furious" franchise. Since 2001, she has played Mia Toretto, the sister to Vin Diesel's Dom Toretto, in the "Fast" series — a role that turned the "As the World Turns" alum into an action movie star. Then there's the fact that the cast seems super close in real life. "We had no idea how successful it was really going to be," she told Fox News in 2017. "It truly became a family."
While Brewster appeared in the franchise's latest installment as of April 2022, "F9: The Fast Saga," she hasn't been in all of the "Fast & Furious" movies, nor has she done that many films outside of them. In fact, besides a few TV roles here and there, Brewster has kept a relatively low profile over the years, unlike some of her "Fast & Furious" co-stars, such as the infamous feud duo of Diesel and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. With that said, it makes sense that many fans would wonder what really happened to the former soap opera star?
Although she's a somewhat low-key celebrity, Brewster has kept busy, earning an income by acting, as well as by serving as a spokesperson for multiple businesses. It's safe to say she's also had a very interesting personal life over the years, filled with a lot of major milestones and life-altering changes she made as she matured. So let's break down all those things that you may not know that Brewster has been up to.
She returned to the Fast & Furious
Jordana Brewster is a staple of the "Fast & Furious" franchise, so it was kind of a bummer that she was not a part of the eighth movie, "The Fate of the Furious" — even if it made sense for the story. Brewster dished to Shock Ya!, "For good reason, I was left out of 8, but it was so sad for me to see it coming out." Per Cinema Blend, it was due to changes made in the storyline after Paul Walker's death.
Yet, Brewster told Fox News that she wasn't necessarily ready for her time in the movies to come to an end. "I didn't say goodbye," she explained. "It wasn't a choice." Fortunately, she was asked to return for the next film, "F9: The Fast Saga," and she was back with bells on. "I was thrilled... I was able to be there for the entire shoot," Brewster said. "For 6 and 7... I was on a television show so I missed out on a lot of the action."
Brewster apparently really did want more action, even in terms of her character. She explained, "We saw her be a part of the action in the first movie, but that sort of faded into the background when she became a mom." Because of that, she petitioned the film's director for more stunts. Brewster told The Hollywood Reporter, "I've heard throughout my career that if you want something done, show you can do it."
Paul Walker's death has stuck with her
Like Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster has struggled with the shocking death of Paul Walker. Walker, who played Brewster's character's love interest in the "Fast & Furious" films, died in a car crash in 2013. A year after his death, Brewster told Cosmopolitan, "It's the most difficult, intense thing I've ever been through." She added, "I had a moment where I thought, 'Oh my God, I'm never going to feel the way I felt when I hugged him.' We shared so many years of friendship."
That grief never dissipates entirely. Brewster shared with People in 2021, "It goes in waves where it's super visceral at times, and it's like it's unimaginable that that person's not with us anymore." The "American Heist" star went on to share that Walker had a huge influence on her life and because of that she'll always feel his loss very intensely. However, she does things to keep Walker's memory alive, as does the whole "Fast & Furious" family. Brewster explained, "When the cast is together...we do honor and celebrate him."
Understandably, it was still hard not to feel the space he left behind on the set of "F9." Brewster dished at a 2021 press conference, per Showbiz CheatSheet, "Paul had this way of making everyone feel so comfortable on set...I miss that...He's irreplaceable."
The small screen's kept her busy
While Jordana Brewster may not have appeared on the big screen much outside of the "Fast & Furious" movies, she has continued acting over the years, mostly on TV. It seems it was her role in the 2012 "Dallas" reboot that made her want to return to the small screen. Brewster explained to IGN, "I started in television, and I love watching TV. ... So I was always looking for something that was appealing, and ... the script was really good."
The next show she did, 2016's "American Crime Story," was also something she was passionate about. She dished to CBS News, "I heard they were making it and I always felt like my aunt actually really looked a lot like Denise Brown, so my manager and I ... fought really hard for it." Brewster not only landed that part but also two other series that year, "Secrets and Lies" and "Lethal Weapon."
When it came to "Lethal Weapon" in particular, Brewster felt it was a good fit as a new mom. She explained to Parade, "I've got two babies at home. ... I'm like, 'Oh, I get to come into office and do my couple of scenes and then go back home.'" The actor also said a job's location is something she takes into consideration, as she does not want to spend too much time away from her kids.
She married then divorced Andrew Form
As Jordana Brewster's star was rising in Hollywood, she was also hitting major milestones in her personal life, like getting married. In 2005, Brewster met her now-ex husband, Andrew Form, on the set of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning," where he served as a producer. Brewster gushed to InStyle Weddings, via People, "We started dating in secret — you know, hanging out in my trailer — because it would have been unprofessional otherwise." Two years later, they tied the knot in the Caribbean.
By 2020 though, Brewster's feelings had changed. In an essay she penned for Glamour in 2021, she shared, "When I married Andrew, I thought it was the right time. I was 27... that seems really young, but I was in a rush." As their marriage progressed, however, Brewster felt their dynamic was not working anymore. "My husband and I started leading parallel lives," she said. "When there wasn't a project to invest in together, we didn't have much to say to each other." They wanted different things out of the relationship, and evidently, they'd grown to be less compatible.
The couple eventually decided to separate at the start of the pandemic, with Brewster officially filing for divorce in July of 2020, per Us Weekly. Regarding the dissolution of her 13-year marriage, she told The Retaility, "We just slowly drifted apart. He was working all the time. ... We're better off separated than we were married."
Jordana Brewster is a proud mom
Jordana Brewster has definitely kept busy since becoming a mother in 2013. Brewster and her ex, Andrew Form, welcomed son Julian that year, and in 2016, second son, Rowan, arrived. The "As the World Turns" actor has been open about her struggles with infertility and using surrogacy, telling People in 2020, "I'm so lucky that it was an option...because otherwise I wouldn't have my two beautiful boys." Brewster has opened up about her own story because she wants to shed light on her experience — an experience so many people can relate to. As she said in DuJour, "I think it's only in hearing other women's struggles that we learn it is okay."
While Brewster pictured herself being a laid-back mom, the reality did not exactly line up. The action movie star explained, "I was so neurotic. I was crazy. ... I'm getting so much better, but, I just wanted to micromanage my kids." Like so many parents across the globe, she particularly had a hard time with virtual school and keeping her kids occupied during the pandemic. Yet she worked through it, telling The Retaility, "I tried to keep as much normalcy as possible."
Brewster also tried to keep things just as comfortable for her children when divorcing their father. She shared with New Beauty, "There was so much focus on making the transition smooth for the kids and having them know that, despite the shift, that there was love."
Jordana Brewster had an eating disorder
Jordana Brewster struggled with an eating disorder. The "Secrets and Lies" star revealed to Glamour, "The first year of our marriage, I started to binge and developed an eating disorder." She told the magazine that at that time, her husband was working a lot while her own career was less busy, and that chasm was hard on her. "I had no creative output or outlet. I felt isolated, and the passivity drove me crazy," she said.
Body image is something Brewster grappled with for years. She told Health, "I went through phases where I was obsessed with the number on the scale and I didn't want to deviate." Hollywood's unrealistic beauty standards didn't help either, with Brewster dishing to The Retaility, "There was so much pressure on actresses to look a certain way." She added, "I used to get notes, 'They're asking you to lose some weight,' and I would carry that for years."
Brewster realized she needed to get help when it started impacting her life. "I was so focused on the number on the scale...that I ignored all other problems. I didn't look closely at my career, my marriage," she wrote in Glamour. Therapy eventually led her to work through it, and as she said in Health, she always wants to teach her kids to have a healthy relationship with food.
If you are struggling with an eating disorder, or know someone who is, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).
She fell in love with Mason Morfit
Jordana Brewster gave love another shot. Following her split from Andrew Form, Brewster started dating tech CEO Mason Morfit, whom she met through mutual friends years before when they were both still married. She apparently had a crush from the beginning though, telling Glamour, "My heart would leap as soon as he liked a post or commented on something I'd written." Once Brewster and Morfit became single, things moved rather quickly. Brewster confessed, "Four days after I separated from Andrew, I was on a plane to San Francisco to visit this man I had met only once but who had stayed on my mind."
It appears following her heart was the right move for Brewster as her relationship with Morfit went into high gear straight away. She wrote in Glamour, "Therapists and friends urged us to slow down... but we knew this was right." Once they had reconnected, it apparently was clear to Brewster that they were meant to be.
By September 2021, the two were engaged with Brewster sharing a photo of her ring while cuddling Morfit on a beach. Despite some thinking she was rushing into marriage again, Brewster felt much differently since she's older. She explained to the New York Post, "Falling deeply in love with someone new at 40 has been wonderful. I feel like it affects my work and my outlook on life and the way I parent...It's been really positive."
Wedding bells for Jordana Brewster
It's safe to say that Jordana Brewster is immersed in wedding planning since saying yes to fiancé, Mason Morfit. In September 2021, the two announced they'd recently gotten engaged. And then, they got straight to figuring out what their big day is going to look like.
Following the proposal, Brewster gushed to People, "It feels really exciting. I'm starting to plan and I'm going to take it really slowly and I'm going to really savor each step." While her first wedding "American Crime Story" actor seemingly wants to do things differently this time around. She explained, "I'm actually going to have an engagement party and I have a Pinterest for the dress and I'm doing all the girly girly stuff I never did." As of March 2022, it appeared Brewster was doing that "girly stuff" she wanted, telling People that she was in the midst of dress shopping and dreaming up ideas for the ceremony and reception.
Brewster wants her children to have significant roles in the wedding day as well, telling People, "I think Rowan's going to do something musical and Julian's going to give a speech." Morfit also has four children from a previous marriage, per The Retaility, and the couple has successfully blended their families. Brewster shared with the outlet, "We have an extended family. ... I see how much I'm growing and changing within that new structure because I feel completely supported."
Jordana Brewster is making money
Just because Jordana Brewster has kept a low profile outside of promoting the "Fast & Furious" movies doesn't mean she's not making money in other ways. She does this by frequently teaming up with different businesses that resonate with her. In 2017 for example, she partnered with Zyrtec and beGlammed, per AOL, considering she herself suffers from allergies. The "Hooking Up" star explained, "You don't really get to take time off to be sick when you're a mom. ... Zyrtec allows me to be myself and feel my best."
The mother-of-two also uses her platform on Instagram to post paid advertisements to her millions of followers. She promoted PONDS Hydrating Sheet Masks in 2017, before pushing Zacapa in 2021, a rum that she'll have on deck on her big day. She dished to People, "I really love it straight up. So that's probably how I'll be serving it." In 2021, Brewster also joined the Clearblue's Conceivinghood campaign, which according to Business Wire, is a way to bring awareness to the time before getting pregnant. The campaign is important to Brewster since she struggled with infertility. She revealed, "My Conceivinghood journey definitely took a toll on me. I saw a lot of 'not pregnant' multiple times."
All those partnerships appear to be paying off because, according to Celebrity Net Worth, Brewster is worth a whopping $25 million. So what really happened to Brewster? It seems she's just been falling in love, living her best life, and making lots of money on and off-screen.