Vin Diesel behind the wheel again

MANILA, Philippines - Vin Diesel has become one of Hollywood’s most sought-after film stars and has also established himself as a producer and filmmaker. Diesel stormed into the scene in 2001 with the box-office hit The Fast and the Furious.

Below are excerpts from an interview with Vin:

Why did you decide to return to this franchise?

Probably because of the good response I got to cameo I did in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, as it proved to me that the audience had embraced my character and was hungry for more. So, essentially I returned to pay homage to Dominic Toretto.

You have always been a script-oriented actor. What did you need to have in this one that justified Toretto’s return and helped you embrace him again?

Universal was very supportive in putting together a script that truly offered a sequel to the first film and dealt with its issues.

Have you all changed much?

Well, the landscape for us has changed, because we were young rebels then; but now we are starting to get a bit over the hill, quite frankly. We have grown up, and the key was: How do you make a film about young rebels when you are not a rebel or even that young anymore? The answer to that question was the trick to getting this new movie right.

And, as a producer, was it hard to bring everybody back?

It was the No. 1 that trick to bring everybody back! And the way we achieved it was by creating a good story that would make everybody’s return compelling.

And how do you see Paul, Jordana and Michelle now?

These are guys that have grown up, gone on with their lives and, most important of all, endured this industry for eight years. And that’s a pretty powerful thing! I remember sitting with Paul years ago at an airport in Mexico when nobody knew us yet and talking with him about how that reality would change. It’s interesting to see how we have all coped with that change of reality and how that affects our opportunity to return to a franchise we have all waited to come back to until the moment was right.

How do you believe the franchise has evolved?

I think we were able to reshape the genre within the same franchise.

Is it true that you directed a short film that also develops the story?

Yes, they asked me to direct a short movie called Los Bandoleros that bridges the first film with this one, and I did it! It was something we weren’t really paying that much attention to until we actually went ahead and shot it.

And what do you think Justin Lin has brought to the franchise as a director?

Justin did his training for this film in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, where he got to experiment with every aspect about shooting fast cars in action sequences. So, he was primed and ready to take on the challenge of applying all that knowledge to the story that started in the original movie. I love Rob Cohen, and I’m going to work with him again, but I think Justin really held his own ground in this picture.

How did you select the right cars for the movie?

We have always tried to find cars that match the personalities of the different characters in the film.

What kind of cars do you like?

I am a muscle car kind of guy, and I have always been consistent about that.

Did you have to go to a special car school to prepare your role?

Yes, and not just because of the driving, but also to achieve what the cinematographer and the director needed to get the shot right — like doing a 360 into the camera without wiping out the whole crew!

Released and distributed by United International Pictures through Solar Entertainment Corp., Fast and Furious 4 opens April 4 in theaters.