An emotional Vin Diesel, along with teary co-stars Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster, received a standing ovation at a special Fast & Furious cast reunion at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, marking 25 years since the release of the original film.
Image: FMT
The midnight screening of the 2001 street-racing blockbuster drew a full house, with Cannes director Thierry Frémaux describing the film as a “classic” that had left a lasting mark on cinema.
During the event, Diesel paid tribute to his late co-star Paul Walker, who died in a car crash in 2013. Walker’s daughter, Meadow Rain Walker, attended the event and shared an emotional hug with Diesel on the red carpet.
“The person who was not going to let me come alone here, to represent that brotherhood, was Meadow Rain,” Diesel said, becoming visibly emotional during the screening.
“I’m going to go shed a tear real quick,” he added.
The Fast & Furious franchise, now spanning 11 films and more than $7 billion in global box office earnings, is set to conclude with Fast Forever in 2028.
Diesel also expressed surprise and gratitude at Cannes’ recognition of the franchise, noting the significance of the praise from one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals.
The special screening was a late addition to the festival lineup and comes as major Hollywood studios continue to reduce participation in Cannes premieres.
Separately, Diesel confirmed that the franchise is being adapted into a television series by Universal, though no release date has been announced.
