Brie Larson Based Her Fast X Character on Vin Diesel’s Eight-Year-Old Daughter

Brie Larson is an Oscar-winning actor who is best known for playing Captain Marvel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a role she will return to later this year in The Marvels. However, that won’t be Larson’s first big franchise movie of 2023. She’s also joining Fast X, the tenth installment of the Fast Saga. The trailer for the highly-anticipated action film was released last month and provided a first look at Larson’s character, who was previously revealed to be named Tess. In a recent interview with Harpers Bazar, it was revealed that Larson based Tess on Vin Diesel’s daughter. Diesel, of course, is the longtime star of The Fast and the Furious franchise. 

The article explains that Larson has recently developed confidence and a stronger sense of self, which the actor says came from her newfound love of fitness. According to Diesel, Tess in Fast X was based on his eight-year-old daughter, Pauline. When Diesel’s youngest met Larson, she was wearing a jacket that said “Good Vibes Only” printed on the back. Diesel explained, “Brie went to the wardrobe department and had them re-create the jacket … She wore it throughout the movie.”

Is Paul Walker’s Daughter in Fast X?

Turns out, Diesel’s daughter might not be the only member of the Fast Saga legacy that had an influence on the upcoming film. Meadow Walker, the daughter of Paul Walker, is expected to make a cameo in the film. Paul Walker starred in the original The Fast and the Furious and appeared in most of the film’s sequels until he passed away in 2013. In 2021, the younger Walker was walked down the aisle by Diesel, and now it sounds like she’s joining her “uncle” in Fast X. 

“There is a very wonderful, rich feeling when you can make someone’s wish come true. If you are lucky enough in life to be able to do that, what’s better than that?” Diesel recently shared with Extra at the Fast X trailer launch event. Rodriguez also talked to the outlet about how Meadow Walker and Cody Walker, Paul’s brother, have been instrumental in keeping the Fast Saga alive. 

“It’s really hard to move on without a blessing of some sort from that family because it’s everything… Without kind of like that love from Meadow and Cody and the family, we would be lost a little bit,” Michelle Rodriguez told Extra. She also explained why the seventh film of the franchise, Furious 7, was her favorite. “It’s just saying goodbye to Paul… I think that there was a lot of love and class in that film. There was heart put into it and good intention… It was a good send-off.”

Fast X speeds into theaters on May 19th.