Credit: Jaimie Trueblood; Courtesy Universal Pictures
Vin Diesel Feud
In August 2016, Johnson aired his grievances with Diesel with an Instagram post where he complained about his costar’s work ethic (without directly naming him).
“Some [male costars] conduct themselves as arise men and true professionals, while others don’t,” Johnson wrote. “Those that do not are too chicken s*** to do anything about it anyway. Candy asses. If you watch this [Fast & Furious] movie next April and it looks as if I’m not acting in a few of these scenes and my blood is legit boiling — you are right.”
Diesel responded in 2017 by telling USA Today that the general public had blown his dispute with Johnson out of proportion.
“I don’t think the world really realizes how close we’re, in a weird way,” Diesel insisted. “I believe some things could also be blown out of proportion. I do not think that was his intention. I do know he appreciates how much I work this franchise. In my house, he’s Uncle Dwayne.”
The actor then said, “I protect the franchise. I protect everybody, including Dwayne. I protected Dwayne greater than he’ll ever know. And it doesn’t matter. He doesn’t should know. But he appreciates it. He knows it. Dwayne has only got one Vin in his life. Dwayne Johnson only has one big brother on this film world and that’s me.”
The feud seemingly blew over after the discharge of 2019’s Hobbs & Shaw until Diesel told Men’s Health in 2021 that he’d used “tough love” to motivate his costar on set.
“My approach on the time was a variety of tough love to help in getting that performance where it needed to be,” he said. “As a producer to say, ‘OK, we’re going to take Dwayne Johnson, who’s related to wrestling, and we’re going to force this cinematic world, audience members, to treat his character as someone that they don’t know’ — Hobbs hits you want a ton of bricks.”
When Diesel expressed hopes that Hobbs can be re-integrated into the primary Fast & Furious movies following his 2019 spinoff, Johnson publicly declined the invitation.
“I wanted them well,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021. “I wish them well on Fast 9. And I wish them the most effective of luck on Fast 10 and Fast 11 and the remaining of the Fast & Furious movies they do this might be without me.”
Despite his vow, Johnson did reprise his role as Hobbs for an uncredited mid-credits cameo in Fast X in 2023. Fast X director Louis Leterrier took credit for Johnson and Diesel’s reconciliation.
“The peace treaty … I form of [brokered it]. All of us did. Ultimately, the movie did,” Leterrier told The Hollywood Reporter in 2023. “We type of checked out one another from across the room and winked a couple of months back, saying, ‘We must always work together.’ After which I had this concept and I presented it to the producers and the studio. After which we reached out to Dwayne and his team, and said, ‘Just come and watch the movie. You may have to like the movie first.’ So, he got here to see the movie and really loved it, after which we began talking. It was very smooth.”
Johnson said via an Instagram video in 2023 that it was “incredibly personally gratifying and satisfying and exciting” to see Fast & Furious fans excited by his return.
“Initially the key of Hobbs being back … that was a secret that was not possible to maintain,” he said. “Despite us having our differences, me and Vin, we’ve been like brothers for years, and despite our differences, once you lead with — primary, resolve — but additionally you concentrate on the longer term and plans which might be much larger than ourselves. Those larger plans are the buildouts. They’re the North Star.”
