Vin Diesel says hello to Dwayne Johnson during Golden Globes presenter appearance
Vin Diesel brought the family drama to the Golden Globes on Sunday night.
Before presenting Wicked with the Golden Globe Award for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, Diesel pointedly said hello to his Fast and Furious costar Dwayne Johnson. “Hey, Dwayne,” Diesel said as the camera cut to Johnson in his seat, smiling.
Vin Diesel to Dwayne Johnson: "Hey, Dwayne." #GoldenGlobes https://t.co/QUzDz2Lepj pic.twitter.com/0zPIlEUv6m
— Variety (@Variety) January 6, 2025
It was a brief moment between the two blockbuster stars, but one layered with years of drama and intrigue. Johnson joined the Fast and Furious franchise for Fast Five in 2011 and appeared in several films as Luke Hobbs — an antagonist-turned-frenemy of Diesel’s Dominic Toretto. But Diesel and Johnson memorably clashed on the set of 2017’s The Fate of the Furious. While their characters shared scenes onscreen, Johnson previously confirmed that neither he nor Diesel were physically on set together during production. A further indication of their frayed relationship came when Johnson didn’t appear in F9.
In the years following the release of The Fate of the Furious, Diesel said that he perhaps goaded Johnson on set to get a better performance from the star. In July 2021, Johnson dismissed that notion and said he was done with the franchise.
“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,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
Later that year, however, Diesel used Instagram to all but beg Johnson to return—while also invoking Paul Walker, a.k.a. Pablo, who died during the production of Furious 7.
“My little brother Dwayne… the time has come. The world awaits the finale of Fast 10. As you know, my children refer to you as Uncle Dwayne in my house. There is not a holiday that goes by that they and you don’t send well wishes… but the time has come. Legacy awaits. I told you years ago that I was going to fulfill my promise to Pablo. I swore that we would reach and manifest the best Fast in the finale that is 10!” Diesel wrote. “I say this out of love… but you must show up, do not leave the franchise idle you have a very important role to play. Hobbs can’t be played by no other. I hope that you rise to the occasion and fulfill your destiny.
In response, Johnson told CNN he was “surprised” by Diesel’s post and had previously told the star he had no interest in returning to the franchise.
“This past June, when Vin and I actually connected not over social media, I told him directly — and privately — that I would not be returning to the franchise. I was firm yet cordial with my words and said that I would always be supportive of the cast and always root for the franchise to be successful, but that there was no chance I would return. I privately spoke with my partners at Universal as well, all of whom were very supportive as they understand the problem,” Johnson said.
“Vin’s recent public post was an example of his manipulation,” he added. “I didn’t like that he brought up his children in the post, as well as Paul Walker’s death. Leave them out of it. We had spoken months ago about this and came to a clear understanding. My goal all along was to end my amazing journey with this incredible Fast & Furious franchise with gratitude and grace. It’s unfortunate that this public dialogue has muddied the waters. Regardless, I’m confident in the ‘Fast’ universe and its ability to consistently deliver for the audience, and I truly wish my former co-stars and crew members the best of luck and success in the next chapter.”
But two years ago, the conflict between the two actors abated — culminating with Johnson making a surprise appearance in the post-credits scene of Fast X. “Last summer Vin and I put all the past behind us,” Johnson said on social media in 2023. “We’ll lead with brotherhood and resolve — and always take care of the franchise, characters & FANS that we love.” At the time, it was reported that Johnson would return to the Fast franchise to star in another Hobb-focused spinoff (he previously appeared as Hobbs in Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw), one that would bridge the gap between Fast X and Fast 11. Thus far, however, little else is known about the project or a potential release date.