The realm of high-octane blockbusters has often been as dramatic off-screen as it is on-screen, particularly within the world of the Fast and Furious franchise. The latest chapter in the behind-the-scenes drama comes from none other than WWE superstar turned actor, John Cena. Cena, known for his roles both in the ring and on the silver screen, recently delved into the widely reported feud between two titans of the action genre, Vin Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Speculation has swirled around the two co-stars since they were first paired together in the adrenaline-pumping Fast Five, the installment of the Fast and Furious series that introduced Johnson’s character, Luke Hobbs, to the franchise in 2011. It’s a saga that has seen its share of tense moments, spiraling into a full-blown public dispute during the production of 2017’s The Fate of the Furious.
When Cena joined the family in F9: The Fast Saga, stepping into the shoes of Jakob Toretto, the estranged brother of Diesel’s character, Dom Toretto, he entered a landscape simmering with alpha energy. It is a dynamic he candidly discussed on the Armchair Expert podcast hosted by Dax Shepard. “There’s certainly rumors about that. I can’t deny that. You have two very alpha, driven people. You get two. There can only be one,” Cena stated, reflecting on the reported tension between Diesel and Johnson.
The friction between the two alphas can be traced back to the clashing of strong personalities and work ethics, igniting a widely publicized feud that sent shockwaves through the franchise’s passionate fan base. It resulted in Johnson’s departure from the mainline entries, as he was conspicuously absent in F9. However, Johnson wasn’t pushed out of the spotlight. His popularity secured him a spin-off titled Hobbs & Shaw, co-starring Jason Statham, which hit theaters in 2019 and expanded the Fast universe.
Before the dust-up, Diesel and Johnson had successively raised the stakes and the action in Fast & Furious 6 and Furious 7, the latter of which served as a high-octane tribute to the late Paul Walker. Both films solidified Hobbs as a fan favorite and further intertwined the destinies of Diesel’s and Johnson’s characters.
Even as Cena diplomatically acknowledged the existence of some on-set animosity, the F9 actor did not choose sides, nor did he provide specific details about the interactions between Diesel and Johnson. Instead, he recognized the natural occurrence of friction when two strong-willed individuals share a high-pressure environment and are both accustomed to leading the pack.
In a turn of events that seemed to indicate a resolution, or at least a ceasefire, the powerhouse duo appeared to have buried the hatchet. Dwayne Johnson made a surprise reappearance in the series with a cameo during a mid-credits scene in the most recent installment, Fast X, which was released last year.
As the Fast series races towards its final chapters, with a narrative full of twists, turns, and alliances, the real-life reconciliation between its leads might just be the most compelling plot twist yet. While neither Diesel nor Johnson have commented extensively on their current relationship, Cena’s observations suggest that even in the world of high-profile film franchises, there can be a resolution, but not without acknowledging and potentially overcoming the struggle for dominance.
