Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt couldn’t help but mock Vin Diesel’s recent comments about improving the Rock’s acting for the Fast & Furious films.
While last month seemed to bring an end to the feud between Fast & Furious stars Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson, the latter indicated that there’s still plenty of tension between the pair.
Johnson and Emily Blunt spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about their upcoming Disney film, Jungle Cruise, and the former was asked about comments Diesel made last month about their feud. “My approach at the time was a lot of tough love to assist in getting [Johnson’s] performance [in The Fate of the Furious] where it needed to be,” Diesel of the much-publicized rift between the actors that led Johnson to jump ship for his own spinoff series. “As a producer to say, ‘Okay, we’re going to take Dwayne Johnson, who’s associated with wrestling, and we’re going to force this cinematic world, audience members, to regard his character as someone that they don’t know.'”
“[Johnson’s character, Agent Luke] Hobbs hits you like a ton of bricks,” Diesel continued. “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.”
Johnson, for one, wasn’t buying Diesel’s story. “I laughed and I laughed hard,” the actor 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.”
Not only did Johnson confirm he won’t be in the final two Fast & Furious movies, but he seems to indicate that the feud between the actors isn’t over and he’s happy to not appear in any films alongside Diesel. Blunt, however, couldn’t help but weigh in on Diesel’s grandiose comments.
“Just thank God he was there,” Blunt joked. “Thank God. He carried you through that.” Johnson, amused, replied, “Felliniesque,” clearly tickled that Diesel had compared himself to prestigious Italian director Frederico Fellini.
Fast 9, starring almost every actor from the Fast & Furious franchise except Dwayne Johnson, is now in theaters. Jungle Cruise arrives July 30 in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access.
