Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson’s Feud Started— and How They Ended It
Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson’s infamous feud nearly tore the Fast and Furious franchise apart. Here’s what it was about– and how it ended.
The Fast and Furious series is a study in underestimation and contradiction: the franchise was a critical failure until its fifth installment, and despite the franchise grossing $5 billion and boasting some of the most absurd vehicular stunts ever committed to film, its stars insist that the series all comes down to family.
Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson’s feud, which began on set and made its way into the press, is a reflection of these contradictions. Every time the book seems closed on the much-reported story, either Vin or Dwayne refuels the fire with a social media post, and it feels like we never truly know where they stand with each other.
How did this now infamous feud begin? Who, if anyone, is to blame? And why did the two action powerhouses and co-stars manage to quash their conflict— hopefully for good?
Vin Diesel’s side of the story begins in New York, where a young Vin searched for a place he could fit in as a multicultural boy passionate about acting and Dungeons & Dragons.
He found refuge in the theatre and honed his acting skills for years. Though he struggled to break into Hollywood due to his “ambiguous” background, Vin’s conviction in what he was meant to do never wavered.
I know as sure as I’m breathing, I’ll be the biggest movie star in the world. There wasn’t a hair of doubt.
Finally, in the early 2000s, Vin broke through with a string of hits: Pitch Black, XxX, and of course, The Fast and the Furious.
These roles cemented Vin as an action star with the latter film, a crime/street racing action movie, introducing him not only to his best friend, Paul Walker, but also providing him the opportunity to build himself a multi-cultural Hollywood family while developing the Fast and Furious sequels into a record-busting box office powerhouse.
