Hollywood star Vin Diesel has lauded his Fast & Furious co-star Dwayne Johnson for the latter’s performance in Benny Safdie’s new film The Smashing Machine.
Diesel, who had a long-standing feud with Johnson before reconciling in 2023, shared a post on Instagram alongside a throwback photo from the set of their 2015 film Furious 7.
“One of the greatest gifts in life isn’t something you can buy, it’s the relationships forged along the way,” Diesel wrote.
Johnson has received widespread acclaim for his portrayal of Mark Kerr in the biographical sports drama. The film chronicles Kerr’s rise in the brutal world of MMA, while exploring his struggles with addiction and the pressures of fame.
Diesel also reflected on his early friendship with Kerr, whom he met after moving from New York to California.
“Kerr was one of the first friends I made... We hit it off immediately, and the reason is simple: he is genuinely one of the kindest, most warm-hearted people you will ever meet,” Diesel said, adding that Kerr helped him train for his 2002 film xXx. “In a beautiful way, he was there at the beginning of my action career. That’s the kind of friend he’s been from day one,” he wrote.
Diesel praised Johnson for his dedication and the pressure he faces as a global star.
“I remember asking our global family who they’d love to see me work with, and a woman named Jan left a comment saying her dream was for me to collaborate with Dwayne. What followed became one of the most dynamic pairings in cinema, two strong personalities who pushed each other and created something unforgettable. When he stepped into Hobbs, he did it with full commitment and left an indelible mark on Universal’s character hall of fame,” Diesel wrote.
The actors’ off-screen feud became public in 2016 after Johnson criticised an unnamed co-star as a “candy a**” on Instagram, widely understood to refer to Diesel. Diesel later described the friction as “tough love” during filming.
The pair formally reconciled in 2023 when Johnson made a surprise appearance in a mid-credits scene in Fast X. Diesel and Johnson are set to appear together again in the upcoming 11th installment of the Fast & Furious franchise.