News culture “I don’t like him” Vin Diesel refused to let this Hollywood star join the Fast & Furious saga
Published on 06/12/2024 at 07:25
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He is the undisputed star of the Fast and Furious franchise. Vin Diesel, a 57-year-old American actor, has made a place for himself in the cinematographic world. His status within these action films allows him to have weight in important decisions, notably for or against the presence of an actor.
When we think of the Fast and Furious franchise, his face comes to mind instantly. Vin Diesel has managed to bring his saga of action and car films to the forefront. The 57-year-old American actor therefore has a big place in the hierarchy of films, especially since he is also executive producer of the latest opuses. He therefore has a right of review and veto over certain actors and certain actresses. that he does not want to see join the cast.
Jean-Claude Van Damme unwanted?
In an interview with the Telegraph last year, Famous Belgian actor Jean-Claude Van Damme has said he is being considered to star in the franchise. But Vin Diesel vetoed it at the last moment. “They wanted me in Fast and Furious, but Vin Diesel said: No, I don’t want him in my movie“, he says. We do not know the reasons for the American actor’s refusal and the Full Contact star did not give additional details on the film in question, nor the character in particular. However, the Belgian producer was in the continuity of the saga. In the latest installments, several big names have been integrated into the main story, including Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham.
Jean-Claude Van Damme has already made an appearance in a major well-known saga. Indeed, he played the role of a villain, Jean Vilain, in Expendables 2: Special Unit. However, he had refused a role in the first opus but he finally accepted later. The Belgian actor loved the filming and would like to return in a possible next film, even if his character was killed. “Well, there’s always Expendables 5. Stallone is an inventive man. He could even create a character stronger than Claude Vilain, Jean Vilain’s twin brother. Some fans ask me if the next villain, if there is one, will be a good guy or a bad guy. I would leave it to Stallone to decide, because I trust his imagination”, he adds. So the message got through.
Problem during filming
The powers that Vin Diesel holds over the franchise sometimes weigh far too heavily on important people on set. Justin Lin, veteran director of the saga, left the tenth opus when filming had already started. The film’s script had been approved but Diesel and Universal hired another screenwriter to satisfy their needs. The director therefore left the ship of his own free will and Louis Leterrier joined the film team for the tenth and eleventh opus.
