‘Fast & Furious’ and the rare time The Rock and Jason Statham was upset on the set
In 2016, a surprising revelation contradicted Vin Diesel on the set of “Fast & Furious 8,” leaving the audience astonished. Throughout his career in the entertainment industry, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has always been a symbol of gentleness and warmth. He is an example of overcoming difficulties and consistently giving his best in his work, which has earned admiration from the audience. With almost 20 years of involvement in Hollywood, The Rock has become one of the top names not only in terms of popularity but also through hard work and constant efforts.
Dwayne Johnson became part of the “speed family” when he joined the Fast & Furious franchise in its fifth installment in 2011. He portrayed the character Hobbs, a police officer with numerous predestined relationships and animosity towards the leader Dom, played by Vin Diesel. Hobbs quickly became an important part of the Fast & Furious franchise, enhancing the series like a tiger growing more wings. Not only did The Rock’s presence bring A-list Hollywood stardom, but it also diversified the main characters in the films.
Following Fast Five, Dwayne Johnson officially became a familiar name associated with the series. He continued to appear in the sixth and seventh seasons of the franchise, delivering captivating action scenes to the audience. However, with the release of Fast & Furious 8, The Rock’s attachment to the series was put to the test. In August 2016, the actor took to his personal Instagram page to express his displeasure with the events on the set. The Rock’s post specifically targeted a certain individual, whom he referred to as a “slut” during the “Candy-Ass Feud.”
The identity of the character deemed unworthy of being a man in The Rock’s post was Vin Diesel, the actor who portrayed his comrade on-screen and had been an integral part of the Fast & Furious family for over a decade. The conflict between Vin Diesel and The Rock lasted for many years, becoming so significant that the board of directors at Universal, the studio behind the Fast & Furious franchise, had to intervene and mediate between the two actors. According to TMZ, a discussion took place on the set between The Rock and Vin Diesel, but no resolution was reached.
After the film wrapped up, it was believed that the absence of face-to-face interaction on set would cool down the conflict between the two parties. However, both actors chose a new platform to continue their clash: social networks. In the following months, both The Rock and Vin Diesel deliberately hinted at each other with meaningful posts. While The Rock thanked the entire Fast & Furious crew without tagging Vin Diesel, his co-star hinted that he would reveal the whole truth to the audience.
By 2017, when both sides had time to “cool down,” and Fast & Furious 8 was about to hit theaters, the two actors also seemed to find a way to discuss the incident more calmly. Vin Diesel believed that the conflict between them was inevitable, given that both he and The Rock were “leading males,” implying a competition for influence. The Rock, on the other hand, believed that the problem stemmed from differences in their life philosophies. He also confirmed that the conflict between them helped the film gain more attention.
The Rock and Jason Statham have now become the new pairing in the Fast & Furious series. Although the relationship between the two actors has somewhat eased, traces of the peak period of conflict are still apparent in Fast & Furious 8. Specifically, although Dom and Hobbs are good partners, they rarely share the same frame throughout the movie. Following Fast & Furious 8, The Rock starred in the spin-off film “Hobbs & Shaw,” focusing on the police-rogue duo. The positive reception from the audience demonstrated that Hobbs and Shaw