US actor has date with jail after NZ

American actor Michelle Rodriguez - coming to New Zealand this month to film James Cameron's movie Avatar - has to be home in time for Christmas so she can go to jail.

Rodriguez, 29, best known for her tough-girl roles in the television series Lost and the film Girlfight, has been sentenced to six months in jail for violating her probation from previous drink-driving and hit-and-run offences.

Her other main film roles have been The Fast and the Furious and Blue Crush.