Gina Carano was the face of women’s mixed martial arts prior to the rise of Ronda Rousey. After retiring from MMA she appeared in a number of action films including Haywire (2011), Fast & Furious 6 (2013), and Deadpool (2016). For the past two years, she has lived quietly in Dublin, California in the East Bay of San Francisco with her boyfriend, kickboxer Kevin Ross. She will be ringside Saturday at Bellator 183 as Ross competes in Bellator Kickboxing 7 vs. Domenico Lomurno in a world featherweight title bout that will not air live.

Carano rarely gives interviews, but spoke with Carolyne Zinko for the SFChronicle Style section, excerpted below.

There are a number of marketing promotions around Bellator 183 including 5,000 Fedor bobbleheads. Further, one lucky fan will get to have dinner with Fedor, Carado, and former lightweight champ Michael Chandler, plus four VIP tickets, and a Bellator prize pack. Registration at Bellator183dinner.com has unfortunately closed. Ever charming, Carano said she is psyched for dinner with Fedor.

Gina Carano: If people think I’ll just be Salad, please, they’re completely mistaken. I’m not sure where it’s going to be, other than in San Jose. The cool thing is that I’ve never met Fedor in all my years in the sport, so … I’m super excited and a little bit nervous. I’m having a fangirl moment when it comes to meeting Fedor.

Carolyne Zinko: Why Dublin?

Gina Carano: In Los Angeles, I was getting too carried away with [film proposals like] Here’s an action movie, here’s this … You see this stuff come across your desk. I was always a fan of Pride and Prejudice, a fan of stories. I didn’t watch the Fast & Furious before I was in it. To be honest, I didn’t watch it after. I love that crowd, and people who are into cars, but it wasn’t really my deal. In moving out here and training with a wonderful gym, CSA, I just kind of started doing my own passion projects and developing things I want to do and see. I feel like I’m taking back control of my life.

CZ: How much does feminism play a role in this sport, and how do female fighters keep their femininity?

GC: Being feminine is something that men and women both have. When you’re facing somebody else in a fight, the natural you is going to come out. At that point, feminism and masculinity doesn’t matter. You get the job done. There’s a quote out there I really love: If we’re shooting to be like guys, we’re shooting too low. I don’t mean that as a knock on men. I love men, and I love men being men. Where women get it wrong is in saying, I have to be like this man in order to do their job. That is the wrong mentality. If we do the job in the way we know how, there’s so much beauty and brilliance and presence and style in a woman’s mind, and if you bring that into the ring, it’s a completely different animal than men.

CZ: How do you get in shape?

GC: Being in shape starts in your mind. If you don’t have the right purpose, like you’re getting in shape because your boyfriend or husband says you need to lose a few pounds, then f*** off. That’s the wrong kind of pressure. Or because you’re an actress and need to lose weight for the camera. That’ll eventually implode.

You have a healthy relationship with food and balance. I’m not in the best shape but I love myself more. The more comfortable you get in yourself, the more you’ll do it for yourself, not for outward pressure.

CZ: What about bruising?

GC: I love a good black eye. I’m weird. I like the fact that you can see something, and watch it evolve and heal. I have a very sturdy body. My jaw, my nose, my face — I’ve been very blessed with a very sturdy body. I would do stunts with Michael Fassbender for Haywire and he was on the ground, Oh! My knees! and I was just kind of standing there. In the same film, Ewan McGregor punched me once when I was practicing. He was like, Oh! I’m so sorry. I was like, No — is your hand OK? I’ve been like this since I was a little girl — a bit of a wrecking ball, I guess.

CZ: What’s more fun — mixed martial arts or making movies?

GC: At different points in my life, they’ve both served a great expression for me. Mixed martial arts is something I’ve done nonstop. But I think storytelling is one of the most powerful things you can do. I haven’t been fortunate enough in telling the stories I want to tell, but I don’t want to give up trying.