Christopher Nolan Unapologetically Loves ‘Fast And Furious’ Films
Christopher Nolan, winner of the Best Picture Award for 'Oppenheimer,' poses in the press room during the 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards at Barker Hangar on January 14, 2024 in Santa Monica, California.
Legendary director Christopher Nolan is a fan of the Fast & Furious films, and he’s got no shame about that. In a new interview with Stephen Colbert, the Oppenheimer filmmaker was asked if he had any guilty pleasures. Nolan reassured the host that he doesn’t even have any “guilt about being a fan” of the Fast & Furious films. Starting in 2001, the street racing film that evolved into storylines following heists, spies, and family began with The Fast and the Furious. In the first film, Vin Diesel, the late Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jordana Brewster kicked off the high-octane movies. Since then, Tyrese Gibson, Jason Statham, Ludacris, Eva Mendes, Sung Kang, Dwayne Johnson, John Cena, and Charlize Theron are just some of the stars who have appeared in the series.
Why Nolan Loves Fast & Furious
Nolan referred to the films as “a tremendous action franchise.” Trying to find a companion in his love of Fast & Furious, Nolan asked Colbert if he’d seen any of the films, which the host never did. Shocked by his answer, Nolan stated: “I watch those movies all the time. I love them. I’m amazed you’ve never seen one of them.” The British-American filmmaker noted that it is only in the last few films in the franchise where a “specific arc and mythology develop.” He prefers to start with 2006’s Tokyo Drift and watch it “as its own thing.”
This wasn’t the first time Nolan has praised the crime action films. The Inception director said he has “a very soft spot” for Tokyo Drift. He also spoke highly of director Justin Lin’s involvement in the franchise, noting, “As they got crazier and bigger and crazier and bigger and became something else, but something else kinda fun.” Next spring, the franchise will release the second installment of Fast X. It is expected to be the franchise’s final film. However, as we previously reported, Vin Diesel has teased its final chapter may become a trilogy instead.
Vin Diesel: 5 Iconic Quotes From the ‘Fast’ Franchise
Vin Diesel is known for two things: the Fast & Furious franchise and “family.” The actor, who plays Dominic Toretto in the movies, was born Mark Sinclair on July 18, 1967, in California. He’s got a Twin Diesel — his fraternal twin brother named Paul Vincent. He has never met his biological father and was raised by his mother, Delora Sherleen Vincent, and adoptive father, Irving H. Vincent. At age seven, Diesel made his stage debut when he appeared in the children’s play Dinosaur Door in New York. When he was working as a bouncer at a nightclub in the city years later, he adopted his stage name “Vin Diesel” to sound tougher. His friends used to call him “Diesel” because of his tendency to be energetic.
The Start of Vin Diesel’s Career In Hollywood
Diesel’s first film role was as an uncredited extra in the drama film Awakenings in 1990. After several years of struggle to land roles, he decided to make his own short film. The short film would help secure funds for his feature film debut. In 1994, he wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the short drama film Multi-Facial. The 21-minute semi-autobiographical film was selected for screening at the 1995 Cannes Festival.
Two years later, he had enough funding to make his first feature-length film, a hidden gem called Strays. The film is an urban drama in which he played a gang leader whose love for a woman inspires him to try to change his ways. He wrote, directed, produced, and starred in this one as well. The film was selected for competition at the 1997 Sundance Festival. This lead to an MTV deal to turn it into a series, but it never came to fruition. Director Steven Spielberg took notice of Diesel after seeing him in Multi-Facial and cast him in a small role as a soldier in 1998’s Oscar-winning Saving Private Ryan. This marked Diesel’s first major Hollywood film role. The following year, he provided the voice for the title character in the animated film The Iron Giant.
Diesel attained action hero stardom with The Fast and the Furious in 2001 and as Xander Cage in 2002’s XXX (2002). He turned down both film’s sequels and rather starred in the family action comedy, The Pacifier. Diesel reprised his role as Dominic Toretto in the following Fast & Furious franchise sequels: Fast Five (2011), Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Furious 7 (2015), The Fate of the Furious (2017), F9 (2021) and Fast X (2023). Though the Fast franchise seems to be overdone at this point, there’s one thing that fans love about Diesel’s character: his commitment to “family.” Take a look below at five iconic Vin Diesel quotes from the Fast franchise.
Laila Abuelhawa is the Top 40 and Hip-Hop pop culture writer for Beasley Media Group. Being with the company for over three years, Laila's fierce and fabulous red-carpet rankings have earned her a feature on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!' Her favorite stories are those surrounding the latest in celebrity fashion, television and film rankings, and how the world reacts to major celebrity news. With a background in journalism, Laila's stories ensure accuracy and offer background information on stars that you wouldn't have otherwise known. She prides herself in covering stories that inform the public about what is currently happening and what is to come in the ever-changing, ever-evolving media landscape.
