Fast & Furious: Vin Diesel Reveals if Helen Mirren Will Drive in F9

There’s been hype surrounding F9 for the better part of a year now, especially as the movie has been forced to delay its release date amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans of the franchise have been eager to see what the film has in store for its eclectic ensemble cast — and it sounds like a major detail has been revealed about one of them. During a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Vin Diesel addressed whether or not Helen Mirren‘s Magdalene Shaw will get a chance to drive in the upcoming film.

“Again, without giving away any spoilers…You know what, I’m going to give you a spoiler: Yes, she gets to drive,” Diesel revealed. “It’s so awesome. She gets to drive and she gets to drive sleek.”

The notion of Mirren getting to drive in the film has been a long time coming, with the actress previously campaigning to enter the franchise — and get a chance to drive one of its epic cars in the process.

“I have to say Vin Diesel is brilliant,” Mirren told Entertainment Weekly in 2015. “I love Vin Diesel. He’s a great guy, smart—I love him. It’s partly because of him I’d like to be in one, but also the driving.”

Beyond the idea of Mirren getting to drive, F9 will bring some other milestones into the franchise, including its characters finally going into space.

“The newest installment — everybody knows Fast is going to kill it when it comes to action,” John Cena, who will play Jakob, revealed in an interview last September. “The thing I love about Fast 9 is people are going to see it weave that legacy together. It’s not nearly ‘What is Fast gonna do next for action;’ it is action on the edge of your seat, but story. If you’re a fan of the franchise, you get questions answered, you get new questions you can develop, it’s another foothold to the narrative. That’s the stuff that I love.”

The film stars returning cast members Vin Diesel, John Cena, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel and Sung Kang, with Oscar winner Helen Mirren and Oscar winner Charlize Theron. F9 also features Grammy-winning superstar Cardi B as new franchise character Leysa, a woman with a connection to Dom’s past, and a cameo by Reggaeton sensation Ozuna.