Buckle up, Fast & Furious fans, because the feud between Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Vin Diesel is hotter than a street race in Havana. The two co-stars have reportedly been at odds for a decade, and the latest salvo in their ongoing beef came when Diesel took credit for Johnson’s performance as Luke Hobbs, a character he’s played since 2011.
According to Diesel, his “tough love” approach on the Fast Five shoot helped Johnson bring the goods: “Hobbs hits you like a ton of bricks. That’s something that I’m proud of, that aesthetic. That took a lot of work. We had to get there and sometimes, at that time, I could give a lot of tough love. Not Felliniesque, but I would do anything I’d have to do in order to get performances in anything I’m producing.”
But rather than fire back, Johnson is taking the high road, sort of. He told The Hollywood Reporter that he “laughed and laughed hard” at Diesel’s remarks. “I think everyone had a laugh at that,” he added. “And I’ll leave it at that. And that I’ve wished them well. I wish them well on Fast 9. And I wish them the best of luck on Fast 10 and Fast 11 and the rest of the Fast & Furious movies they do that will be without me.”
Johnson’s Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt, who was present at the interview, didn’t hold back her own thoughts on the matter, saying of Diesel, “Just thank God he was there. Thank God. He carried you through that.”
It’s unclear whether Diesel and Johnson will ever bury the hatchet, but one thing is for sure: the feud is far from over. And we can’t wait to see what kind of shade they’ll throw next. Maybe they’ll start comparing themselves to different Italian directors. “You know, Vin, your directing style is more Rosselliniesque, whereas I’m more of a Viscontian actor,” The Rock might say. Or maybe not. Either way, we’ll be watching.
