Dwayne Johnson speaks out about his longstanding feud with Vin Diesel that went public

His feud with Vin Diesel began after the duo worked together a decade ago on the Fast Five film, which is part of the Fast and Furious franchise.

And Dwayne Johnson clarified about their current relationship – which is nonexistent – in a new interview for Vanity Fair.

The actor, 49, said he and Vin, 54, are ‘philosophically two different people, and we approach the business of moviemaking in two very different ways.’ 

Speaking out: His feud with Vin Diesel began after the duo worked together a decade ago on the Fast Five film, which is part of the Fast and Furious franchise. And Dwayne Johnson clarified about their current relationship - which is nonexistent - in a new interview for Vanity Fair

Speaking out: His feud with Vin Diesel began after the duo worked together a decade ago on the Fast Five film, which is part of the Fast and Furious franchise. And Dwayne Johnson clarified about their current relationship – which is nonexistent – in a new interview for Vanity Fair 

The action star explained to Vanity Fair the difference between him and Vin: ‘It’s the philosophy of going into work every day. Looking at everybody as equal partners. And looking at the studio as equal partners.’

‘And looking at the crew, regardless of where you’re at, either on the call sheet or otherwise, as equal partners –   with respect and humility, and being respectful of the process and every other human being who is putting in just as much time, just as much hard work and sweat equity, if not more.’ 

‘And I think it’s always been important to me to always be straight up and look somebody in the eye. And if you say you’re going to do something, do it.’ 

The star made no attempt to hide his feelings about Vin: ‘One part of me feels like there’s no way I would dignify any of that bullsh** with an answer. But here’s the truth. I’ve been around the block a lot of times. Unlike him, I did not come from the world of theater. And, you know, I came up differently and was raised differently.’

Beef: The actor, 49, said he and Vin, 54, are 'philosophically two different people, and we approach the business of moviemaking in two very different ways;' seen in Fast Five in 2011

Beef: The actor, 49, said he and Vin, 54, are ‘philosophically two different people, and we approach the business of moviemaking in two very different ways;’ seen in Fast Five in 2011

‘And I came from a completely different culture and environment. And I got into every project giving it my all. And if I feel that there’s some things that need to be squared away and handled and taken care of, then I do it. And it’s just simple. So when I read that, just like everybody else, I laughed. I laughed hard. We all laughed. And somewhere I’m sure Fellini is laughing too.’ 

The Fellini reference – for Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini – was something Vin used when he explained how he gave ‘a lot of tough love’ to Dwayne while in the film Hobbs & Shaw in 2019, which Vin served as a producer. 

Vin had said in a Men’s Health interview earlier this summer about his beef with Dwayne: ‘My approach at the time was lot of tough love to assist in getting that performance where it needed to be. As a producer to say, Okay, 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. That’s something that I’m proud of, that aesthetic. 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 Fellini-esque, but I would do anything I’d have to do in order to get performances in anything I’m producing.’

When he was reminded of Vin’s quote by Vanity Fair writer Chris Heath, Dwayne laughed. 

Yikes: 'Some conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don't. The ones that don't are too chicken s**t to do anything about it anyway. Candy a**es;' seen in the 2011 film Fast Five

Yikes: ‘Some conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don’t. The ones that don’t are too chicken s**t to do anything about it anyway. Candy a**es;’ seen in the 2011 film Fast Five

In 2019, Dwayne and Vin had a meeting to clear their air which he had previously spoken out about, calling it ‘a meeting of clarity.’

He said in Vanity Fair of the conversation: ‘Well, there was a meeting. I wouldn’t call it a peaceful meeting. I would call it a meeting of clarity. He and I had a good chat in my trailer, and it was out of that chat that it really became just crystal clear that we are two separate ends of the spectrum. And agreed to leave it there.’

They first met for Fast Five in 2011; Vin plays Dom, a role he’s played since the first Fast and the Furious came out in 2001.

Dwayne plays DSS Agent Luke Hobbs, a role he reprised in the 2013 film Fast & Furious 6 and Furious 7 in 2015. 

Dwayne and Vin didn’t film any scenes together in the film The Fate of the Furious (released in 2017), which was the only reason why Dwayne had agreed to return to the franchise: ‘I wanted to forgo drama. I thought that that was the best thing to do. For everybody.’

However, the spat went public in 2016 with just 1.5 weeks left in filming the movie.

Dwayne took to Instagram gushing about his female co-stars, praising Charlize Theron. Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez.

He vented his relief that filming was over because aside from the three ladies, the experience genuinely made his ‘blood boil.’   

Dwayne said: ‘An incredible hard working crew. Universal Studios Entertainment has been great partners as well. My female co-stars are always amazing and I love ’em. My male co-stars however are a different story. Some conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don’t. The ones that don’t are too chicken s**t to do anything about it anyway. Candy a**es.’

During Dwayne’s wrestling days, one of his trademark insults in the ring for his opponent was ‘candy a**.

He explained what it meant during his Vanity Fair interview: ‘A candy a** is something you don’t want to be. And the best way I can describe a candy a** is: Life is so much easier, I have found, when you are not full of s**t. And a candy a** is completely full of s**t.’

The day he posted that since-deleted Facebook rant just a regular day – as he says ‘nothing specific happened, just the same old s**t. And that just wasn’t my best day.’

On his infamous comments about Vin: 'I meant what I said' when asked if he would take back the candya** comments: 'I mean what I say when I say I it. But to express it publicly was not the right thing to do;' the stars seen on April 15, 2011 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

On his infamous comments about Vin: ‘I meant what I said’ when asked if he would take back the candya** comments: ‘I mean what I say when I say I it. But to express it publicly was not the right thing to do;’ the stars seen on April 15, 2011 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

And he said that the reason it wasn’t his best day was because he ‘chose to share it,’ and caused a ‘firestorm.’

However, Dwayne revealed that ‘interestingly enough’ that ‘every single crew member found their way to me and either quietly thanked me or sent me a note. But, yeah, it wasn’t my best day, sharing that. I shouldn’t have shared that. Because at the end of the day, that goes against my DNA. I don’t share things like that. And I take care of that kind of bullsh*t away from the public. They don’t need to know that. That’s why I say it wasn’t my best day.’

‘I meant what I said’ when asked if he would take back the candy a** comments: ‘I mean what I say when I say I it. But to express it publicly was not the right thing to do.’ 

In the interview, Dwayne also talks about his relationship with his late father, and their last phone call before he had passed.

His father Rocky Johnson, a former professional wrestler died on January 15, 2020. 

The two had gotten into a huge fight on the phone over a book his father wrote about him, which he said was not accurate.

There was also a forward by Dwayne that he did not write or say, calling that something that made him ‘so upset.’

His dad had blamed his ghostwriter and said he did not proofread it, denying he did that.

That was their last conversation, which he said ‘was the biggest fight we’ve ever had, and we had gotten into some doozies in the past. I had leaned into my dad like I never had before because I was just really disappointed and hurt.’

The call took place over Christmas time, and while Dwayne said he doesn’t like letting things like this fester, it was the last time they spoke.

He said on why he doesn’t like to let things sit and fester: ‘I like to take care of things with expediency. And if there’s some sh** t we need to take care of, let’s take care of it. Let’s dive into it. Even if it’s hard, it’s okay. But that was a different thing. It’s just a different, unique relationship that you have with your old man.’

Dwayne reflected on their relationship: ‘We had some good times. We had some rough times. We had some fighting times. And my dad always knew that there were parts of his life that were f**** up.’

Adding: ‘The resilience, the work ethic, the “No one’s gonna give it to you, so you got to get your a** out there and work it, earn respect” type of credo, I get from him. And I will always carry that with me’ 

Words to live by: Adding: 'The resilience, the work ethic, the "No one's gonna give it to you, so you got to get your a** out there and work it, earn respect" type of credo, I get from him. And I will always carry that with me' ; seen July 24, 2021 at the premiere of Jungle Cruise at Disneyland in Anaheim

Words to live by: Adding: ‘The resilience, the work ethic, the “No one’s gonna give it to you, so you got to get your a** out there and work it, earn respect” type of credo, I get from him. And I will always carry that with me’ ; seen July 24, 2021 at the premiere of Jungle Cruise at Disneyland in Anaheim

source: dailymail.co.uk