Rodriguez moonlighting as a DJ

NEW YORK, March 18 (UPI) -- U.S. actress Michelle Rodriguez said she is enjoying a second career as a nightclub disc jockey.

Asked while promoting her new film "Battle: Los Angeles" how and when she started her music career, Rodriguez laughed and told reporters, "It's when I realized I'm not a good drinker.

"When I realized there needs to be a limitation to this drinking thing, but I couldn't part with being surrounded by humans who are there to enjoy themselves and being surrounded by music and that culture of having energy exerted and dancing and socializing. It's too important to me to let go. I need to feed off it. That's how I get inspired to write," said the actress and aspiring screenwriter, who has been convicted several times of driving under the influence offenses.

"And I thought, 'Well, how can I be around it and have it not be detrimental to my life and ruin me? So I figured if I'm busy coming up with the next song, I don't have time to get in trouble and (I can) still be inspired by people," she added.

"Battle: Los Angeles" was No. 1 at the U.S. box office when it opened last weekend.