News | Entertainment
12 Feb 2026 8:11
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Vin Diesel gave Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson “tough love” when he joined the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise

    The 53-year-old actor was rumoured in 2016 to be feuding with his co-star and he’s now explained that, as a producer on the action series, he had a particular vision for the former wrestler’s character Luke Hobbs and was keen for him to be taken seriously in the role


    He told the new issue of Men’s Health magazine: “It was a tough character to embody, the Hobbs character. My approach at the time was a lot of tough love to assist in getting that performance where it needed to be.

    “As a producer to say, ‘OK, we’re going to take Dwayne Johnson, who’s associated with wrestling, and we’re going to force this cinematic world, audience members, to regard his character as someone that they don’t know’ — Hobbs hits you like a ton of bricks.”

    And Vin is “proud” of what they created for Hobbs and just wanted The Rock to do justice to the character.

    He added: “That took a lot of work. We had to get there and sometimes, at that time, I could give a lot of tough love.

    “Not Felliniesque, but I would do anything I’d have to do in order to get performances in anything I’m producing.”

    In 2016, the ‘Moana’ star bemoaned the behaviour of unnamed co-stars on ‘The Fate of the Furious’.

    He said: “[Some people]conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don’t. The ones that don’t are too chicken s*** to do anything about it anyway. Candy a****.

    “When you watch this movie next April and it seems like I’m not acting in some of these scenes and my blood is legit boiling — you’re right.”

    Two years later, Dwayne admitted he’d grown to understand that he and Vin had a “fundamental difference in philosophies” when it came to making a film, and admitted he was glad they’d found “clarity”.

    He said: “Vin and I had a few discussions, including an important face-to-face in my trailer.

    “And what I came to realise is that we have a fundamental difference in philosophies on how we approach moviemaking and collaborating.

    “It took me some time, but I’m grateful for that clarify. Whether we work together again or not.

    “I wish him all the best and I harbour no ill will there, just because of the clarity we have. Actually, you can erase that last part about ‘no ill will.’ We’ll just keep it with the clarity.”

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     12 Feb: Miranda Kerr meditates with her children
     12 Feb: Chadwick Boseman's widow doesn't want the actor's legacy to be "distilled" by his death
     12 Feb: Brandi Carlile's "moral code" was behind her decision to perform at the Super Bowl
     12 Feb: Katie Price has defended her decision to marry Lee Andrews
     11 Feb: KyIie Kelce is relieved that she has "no skin" in the Super Bowl this year
     11 Feb: Olivia Colman feels as though she is non-binary
     11 Feb: Lindsey Vonn is in a "stable condition" after her frightening crash at the Winter Olympics
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Jamie Joseph claims Highlanders Super Rugby headquarters is the place where there is the least chatter about his possible future as All Blacks coach, as he tries to avoid distractions for tomorrow's opener against the Crusaders More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Signs the economy is gaining momentum after a tough stretch More...



     Today's News

    Business:
    Signs the economy is gaining momentum after a tough stretch 8:07

    Politics:
    Transparency concerns as Bougainville mine that sparked civil war on path to reopen 7:57

    Sailing:
    Repairers have ensured the Black Foils will take to the water at this weekend's SailGP Auckland regatta 7:57

    Entertainment:
    Miranda Kerr meditates with her children 7:51

    Business:
    The Local Government Minister's flagged concerns over a sharp rates increase in Christchurch 7:47

    Rugby:
    Jamie Joseph claims Highlanders Super Rugby headquarters is the place where there is the least chatter about his possible future as All Blacks coach, as he tries to avoid distractions for tomorrow's opener against the Crusaders 7:37

    General:
    Jakara Anthony misses medals at 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina 7:27

    Business:
    Our economy looks to be on firm footing this year, after a rocky few years 7:27

    Entertainment:
    Chadwick Boseman's widow doesn't want the actor's legacy to be "distilled" by his death 7:21

    Law and Order:
    The Court of Appeal's beginning to dig into the legal weeds, of the mosque terrorist's attempt to overturn his convictions and sentence 7:17


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd