Dwayne Johnson says he regrets making his feud with Vin Diesel public. Johnson starred alongside Diesel in four of the Fast & Furious films, starting with Fast Five and ending with Fate of the Furious, which is the production that kicked off the feud. In an Instagram post, Johnson posted a passive-aggressive note that called out the professionalism of unnamed actors on set, likening them to “candy asses” without naming any specific individuals. It was later revealed that it was, in fact, referencing a beef with Diesel. The two seemingly made up, both on social media and when asked about it in later interviews, with much of it being likened to a differing “philosophy” amongst colleagues.
Johnson would go on to star in the Fast & Furious spinoff Hobbs & Shaw with Jason Statham and skip out on F9 altogether, saying he had no intention of returning to the main franchise. The wrestler-turned-actor has since taken his talents elsewhere, focusing on his other franchises including Jumanji, Jungle Cruise, and next year’s Black Adam. Diesel, meanwhile, has remained committed to Fast & Furious and will lead the next two films, which are said to be one story that will wrap up the current narrative arc.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Johnson wishes he hadn’t made his issues with Diesel public, kicking off a feud that was really more of a professional issue between co-workers. He says he regrets making the Instagram post that started it all (which has since been deleted), but that even if it shouldn’t have been public, he meant what was said. Ultimately, Johnson admits it wasn’t his “best day” and that it went against his nature to act that way:
“It caused a firestorm. Yet interestingly enough…[it was] as if every single crew member found their way to me and either quietly thanked me or sent me a note. But, yeah, it wasn’t my best day, sharing that. I shouldn’t have shared that. Because at the end of the day, that goes against my DNA. I don’t share things like that. And I take care of that kind of bullshit away from the public. They don’t need to know that. That’s why I say it wasn’t my best day.”
The actor went on to explain that there was a sit down with Diesel after the feud, which solidified to Johnson that the two were simply of a different mind. “I wouldn’t call it a peaceful meeting. I would call it a meeting of clarity. He and I had a good chat in my trailer, and it was out of that chat that it really became just crystal clear that we are two separate ends of the spectrum. And agreed to leave it there.” Diesel would comment in a later interview that the feud was more orchestrated than anything, as he was acting as a producer to get the best performance out of Johnson and build the character of Hobbs.
With two powerhouse actors like Johnson and Diesel, it seems inevitable that some kind of conflict would brew up between them. Both actors are larger-than-life personas that lean heavily into their social interactions with fans and the media, so it’s not a big surprise that this type of thing would continue to exist. While it seems both actors have agreed to disagree, the result of the feud has certainly had an effect on the trajectory of their careers, with Johnson stepping away from the main Fast & Furious franchise and Diesel attempting to fill that void with new actors (most recently with John Cena in F9). It all makes for juicy public theater for fans, but in the end, it feels more like two clashing personalities that are probably better off separated, where they can focus on bigger and better things.
