Born as Mark Sinclair, Vin Diesel is one of the most popular and highest-paid actors worldwide, earning a staggering $54 million in 2020. Starting as an uncredited cameo in the 1990 film Awakenings, Vin Diesel eventually got his breakthrough in his seventh film, Pitch Black, where he got to play the role of the film’s protagonist, anti-hero Richard B. Riddick.
Among the most-awaited films about to be released that Vin Diesel appears in is Thor: Love and Thunder. The Guardians of the Galaxy, now with Thor, now have to face a new villain, Gorr the God Butcher. No trailer or teaser has been released for the film yet, so fans are extremely excited for what’s to come, all while several mysteries surround the film.
Find Me Guilty (2006) – 3.3/5
Based on Jackie DiNorscio’s real-life story, Find Me Guilty tells the story of a mobster who represented himself in court for what became the longest American mafia trial. Almost all of the courtroom testimony in the film was based on actual court records.
Jackie DiNorscio, a mafia soldier, is played by Vin Diesel. After becoming dissatisfied with his lawyer because of his previous trial’s results, Jackie sacked him and chose to represent himself. He was believed to have charmed the jury, and he, along with 19 of his colleagues, received a “not guilty” verdict. Unfortunately, the film was a box office flop, collecting only $2.6 million on a $13 million budget.
Pitch Black (2000) – 3.3/5
Pitch Black is a science fiction film about a deep space transporter crash-landing on a lonely planet surrounded by three suns. The planet experiences a total eclipse every 22 years, during which the hibernating, flesh-eating occupants emerge and hunt.
Among the survivors of the crash is the protagonist Richard B. Riddick (Vin Diesel), a notorious criminal and killer who is being brought to prison for cryostasis in the spacecraft. Despite the fact that he is a criminal, he ends up saving the most people. The film won two awards during the Australian Cinematographers Society Award in 2001.
Fast Five (2011) – 3.4/5
Mia Torretto and ex-cop Brian O’Conner border-hop to dodge cops after Mia breaks her brother Dom out of custody in Fast Five. Viewers are taken to Rio de Janeiro, where the team robs a corrupt businessman of $100 million while being followed by American authorities.
Dominic Toretto, a known criminal, professional racer, and fugitive, is played by Vin Diesel. Dominic is a person who always prioritizes his family, which resulted in his personality and family remarks being made into memes by watchers and non-watchers alike. Fast 5 was the seventh highest-grossing film during its release in 2011.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) – 3.5/5
A powerful extraterrestrial race known as the Sovereign hires Peter Quill and his fellow Guardians to protect their valuable batteries from attackers. The Sovereign dispatch their army to seek retribution after it is revealed that Rocket has stolen the valuables they were entrusted to protect. In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Peter’s origin is eventually revealed.
Vin Diesel reprises his role as Groot, although as Baby Groot this time, the son of the now-deceased original Groot. He exclusively communicates with the quote “I am Groot” in various intonations, just like the original Groot. Therefore, Diesel is unrecognizable in the role as the audience never physically sees and Groot doesn’t sound like his real voice at all.
Awakenings (1990) – 3.8/5
Awakenings is a film set in 1969 and is centered around a doctor who discovers the benefits of the medicine L-Dopa and uses it to treat comatose patients who have survived the sleeping sickness outbreak. After decades have passed, the patients are reawakened and must adjust to a new life in a new era.
Vin Diesel appears in the film as a hospital orderly and it was actually his debut role. His appearance was only a cameo, and an uncredited one at that, but it was the beginning of Vin Diesel’s rise to becoming one of the highest-paid actors in the world.
Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014) – 3.8/5
The first among the planned trilogy, Guardians of the Galaxy follows daring space explorer, Peter Quill, who becomes the target of merciless bounty hunters after stealing an orb sought by Ronan, the film’s antagonist. Peter and a crew of extraterrestrial outlaws flee to avoid him, and the group is what fans now know today as the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Groot, a tree-like creature who is the only innocent one among the group, is played by Vin Diesel. According to Diesel, he also did the motion capture for Groot and spoke the “I am Groot” line in the film in up to 15 languages, including Polish, Kazakh, and Japanese.
Avengers: Endgame (2019) – 3.9/5
The last among the Avengers films, the narrative of Avengers: Endgame centers around the founding members of the Avengers figuring out a means to undo Thanos’ snap, which resulted in the annihilation of half of the universe’s inhabitants. They eventually use time travel as a means to execute their plans.
Among the people affected by Thanos’ snap was Groot, who stayed dead for five years until they were brought back by the Hulk. The film broke box office records, even surpassing Avatar for years (although Avatar reclaimed its spot after its re-release).
Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – 4.0/5
Avengers: Infinity War marks the beginning of the Avengers’ struggle with Thanos’ soldiers. Thor was left to perish in space after Thanos killed Loki, Heimdall, and several Asgardians. Fortunately, he was discovered by the Guardians of the Galaxy, who were able to save him.
Groot and Rocket Raccoon accompany Thor to Nidavellir to request the help of Eitri, the dwarf king, in the creation of the battle-ax Stormbreaker, a weapon that can also summon the Bifrost. Groot helped complete Thor’s Stormbreaker as he uses his arm for the weapon’s handle, which also healed a strained Thor.
Saving Private Ryan (1998) – 4.2/5
Set in 1944, Saving Private Ryan is about Captain John Miller leading his troops behind enemy territory to locate Private James Ryan, whose brothers have been slain in battle. Faced with the harsh realities of war, each soldier begins on a personal quest to uncover their own strength to triumph over an uncertain future, while seeking Ryan.
Vin Diesel takes on the role of Private First Class Adrian Caparzo, one of the men who accompany Miller to find Private Ryan. Unfortunately, he was killed early on in the film, after he was shot by a German sniper. The film was the second highest-grossing film in 1998, worldwide.
The Iron Giant (1999) – 4.2 /5
Set in 1957, The Iron Giant is an animated film about Hogarth Hughes, who encounters and befriends a giant alien robot during the Cold War. Hogarth tries to stop the U. S. army and a paranoid federal agent from locating and eliminating the giant with the assistance of Dean McCoppin, a beatnik artist.
Vin Diesel voices the Iron Giant, a 50-foot robot that eats metal. The giant, who crashed from space and has a self-repair function, responds instinctively if he perceives something as a weapon, and would attempt to eliminate it. Fans hope to see a sequel to The Iron Giant, but according to the director, it’s unlikely to happen.
