It seems like the feud between former Fast & Furious co-stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Vin Diesel may never end. Following three Fast films together, Diesel and Johnson made it clear that they had issues with one another, resulting in Johnson leaving the mainline franchise and starring in his own spinoff movie, Hobbs & Shaw. There has never been any official word on why the two didn’t get along, but Diesel recently referred to it as “tough love,” which apparently amused Johnson to no end.
While speaking to Men’s Health ahead of the F9 release last month, Diesel said that he wanted to push to get the best out of actors working on movies that he produces, stopping just short of comparing himself to iconic Italian filmmaker Frederico Fellini.
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“That took a lot of work,” Diesel said of Johnson’s performance in the Fast films. “We had to get there and sometimes, at the 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.”
Johnson’s new movie, Jungle Cruise, opens in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access at the end of the month. Ahead of the debut, he and co-star Emily Blunt were interview by The Hollywood Reporter for a new cover story, and the subject of Diesel’s comments came up. Johnson couldn’t help but laugh at the whole situation.
“I laughed and I laughed hard,” Johnson said. “I think everyone had a laugh at that. 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.”
Blunt took her own chance to joke about Diesel’s comments as well. “Thank God he was there,” she said sarcastically. “Thank God. He carried you through that.”
The back-and-forth between Johnson and Diesel probably won’t end any time soon, and it sounds like The Rock is perfectly happy doing his own thing away from the Fast & Furious franchise.
