Vin-tage Diesel

NEW YORK — More than just brawn and booming voice, there’s a lot more to like about Vin Diesel. Among them: His genuine warmth (not “showbiz” at all) and friendliness (no qualms about initiating a conversation with people), his not having airs, his being accessible and approachable, and his “being there” during one-on-one interviews (believe it or not, but some Hollywood stars are “somewhere else” during such occasions, avoiding eye contact).

And Diesel, like his gasoline namesake, is full of inexhaustible energy, a human dynamo, always having something else to do.

At the junket for The Last Witch Hunter (from Lionsgate, released locally by Pioneer Films starting on Wednesday, Oct. 21) in this city last week, TFC TV correspondent Yong Chavez and I were at the holding area when we heard somebody singing inside the function room of Four Seasons converted into a studio.

“Yes, it’s Vin,” a Lionsgate staffer confirmed with a smile.

Told that Yong and I were from the Philippines, the staffer broke into a wider smile.

“We were there for the premiere of Fast & Furious 6 two years ago,” he recalled. “That was unforgettable, very emotional. I will never forget that experience. The best premiere that we have ever attended.”

During that visit, Vin explored the city without trying to be incognito. How could he? With his towering build, his beautiful baldness and in his favorite body-hugging sando, Vin was the most visible creature roaming the city, riding a jeepney and strolling like an ordinary tourist. Except that he’s not ordinary.

As soon as I entered the room for my TV turn, Vin spread his arms and embraced me in a warm welcome, announcing to those inside the room that “Ricky is my friend from the Philippines.” Hmmmm, cool! Did I forget to say that he’s also the hugging type?

“I heard you singing while I was outside,” I told Diesel, rather Vin (ehem!, feeling familiar, huh!) as we settled on high chairs opposite each other preparatory to the one-on-one.

“Oh, have you heard my niece sing?” he asked.

I said no but I would love to.

“It’s on my Facebook,” he added. “You have to, man! Come on! Everyone will tell you that my niece can sing. It’s no secret! My niece can sing!!!”

The casual familiarity set the tone of our fifth interview in a span of 13 years (first for XXX [Triple X] and The Pacifier in L.A.; Fast & Furious 6 in Manila; and then Riddick back in L.A. only four months later).

I reminded him that during our interview in Manila, a song was playing in the background to put him in the mood.

“Oh my God,” he exclaimed, his voice reverberating in the four corners of the room. “What song was that?”

It was La Vie en Rose, Louie Armstrong’s version.

“Was it La Vie en Rose?”

Yes, I answered. You said it was your favorite.

When I requested him to sing a few lines (“Your Filipino fans would love to hear it,” I assured him), he thought for a while.
“How does it go again? What’s the beginning of that song?”

I hummed it for him.

That set him on the right track. He started to sing…When you kiss me heaven sighs/And though I close my eyes/I see la vie en rose/When you press me to your heart/I’m in a world apart/A world where roses bloom…

Yehey!!! I applauded him, and so did those in the room.

“Now I know where your niece got her singing voice,” I complimented him.

“Oh, come on!” he said. “Singing is very popular in the Philippines. I know that. My sister-in-law (Wife of his twin brother. — RFL) is a Filipino. I’ve known a lot about Filipinos from her. Filipinos are a very musical people,” adding as an aside, “remember that premiere we had in Manila for Fast & Furious 6 last year? That was really one of my favorite premieres. As you know, I had so much fun in the Philippines. I remember that one of the best gifts that I got was a pair of boxing gloves from Manny Pacquiao. Very special to me, signed by Pacquiao!”

Because Vin laughed so hard, lived so hard, I wondered if big men like him knew how to cry.

His expression abruptly turned sad. I thought my question evoked painful memories of Paul Walker, Vin’s co-star in Fast & Furious, who died two years ago when the Porsche he was riding in (driven by somebody else) crashed near Los Angeles.

“Death was a huge theme last year,” he was quoted by Agence France, saying that taking on the role of an immortal in The Last Witch Hunter helped him deal with his grief. “There was something therapeutic about playing this role after going through Paul’s death,” admitting that he still hasn’t totally come to terms with Walker’s death.  

He asked if I liked The Last Witch Hunter which the invited journalists from around the world watched at a screening the night before (a “must” during junkets; no screening, no interview, see?).

“Was it as you expected?”

Oh yes, of course! It’s just like any other Vin Diesel movie, non-stop action from beginning to end that takes your breath away. The special effects are mind-blowing.

“I was jet-lagged from the 19-hour flight from Manila to New York (13-plus hours to Vancouver for a two-hour layover and almost six hours to New York),” I told him, “but I stayed wide-awake throughout the movie.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” he smiled. “It got you engaged, so we should be proud of the movie.”

Vin is done with high-speed cars for the time being. In this movie, he’s hunting witches, one all-powerful Witch Queen in particular. According to the synopsis, the modern world holds many secrets, but by far the most astounding is that witches still live among us; vicious supernatural creatures intent on unleashing the Black Death upon the world and putting an end to the human race once and for all. And then…oops!...I better not continue lest I spoil the suspense.

By the way, didn’t Vin tell me during that Manila interview that he was going to shoot a movie in the Philippines?

“I remember that, too,” he confirmed. “I did make that promise. We just hired a director for a sequel to Triple XXX and as we speak, we are literally scouring the Philippines. So I ask you, where are the best beaches in the Philippines?

I told him, all over the Philippines, from the North to the South. There’s Boracay and there are so many others in Palawan like El Nido.

“I will bear that in mind,” he nodded.

Aside from riding a jeepney (again!), what else does he want to do the next time he visits the Philippines?

“Immortalize the beautiful scenery of the Philippines in a movie.”

To cap the interview, I told Vin that Filipinos have a new way of saying “I love you!” without articulating it. He asked how. I told him that all he had to do was put his hand beside his face and wave it as he keeps on winking.

And that’s how I made Vin do the Pabebe Wave!

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