Jean-Claude Van Damme Lost Fast & Furious Role Thanks To One Series Star
It appears that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson isn't the only actor Vin Diesel has had issues with when it comes to his "Fast & Furious" movies. In an interview with the UK's The Telegraph, veteran martial artist and actor Jean-Claude Van Damme got straight to the point when recalling a missed opportunity to join the high-octane action franchise, which stars and is produced by Diesel. "They want me in 'Fast and Furious.' But Vin Diesel said, 'No, I don't want him,'" Van Damme told The Telegraph.
With his clout as a producer of the franchise, Diesel has brought some heavy-hitting action stars into the "Fast & Furious" fold over the years, including Johnson, John Cena, and most recently, Jason Momoa for his 2023 blockbuster "Fast X."
Van Damme didn't make it clear which "Fast & Furious" film he was in contention for. As such, Variety has attempted to contact Diesel's representation to validate Van Damme's claims and exactly which "Fast & Furious" film he was talking about.
Van Damme focuses on Seagal while Diesel mends fences with Johnson
While Jean-Claude Van Damme didn't make clear what sort of beef Vin Diesel has with him, he's not afraid to summon the name of another one of his action film rivals, 1980s and '90s action star Steven Seagal. In the Telegraph interview, Van Damme claimed that he was offered $20 million to take part in a real-life fight with Seagal but that the fellow martial artist-actor backed out. "If him and I fight, I run faster than him — much faster," Van Damme told The Telegraph of Seagal. "I would run away. He's going to try to catch me, he's going to get out of shape."
Meanwhile, it appears that the fences have been mended between Diesel and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. After Johnson and Diesel's feud took an unexpected turn in November 2021 when the "Fast & Furious" producer offered to calm the bumpy waters between the two, The Rock appeared to balk at the notion and move on from the franchise for good.
That all changed, of course, when "Fast X" director Louis Leterrier convinced Johnson to rejoin Diesel's franchise with a mid-credits cameo scene during the 2023 film. Whether Johnson makes a full-fledged return to the "Fast & Furious" franchise for the upcoming 11th film — which would be the second chapter in a three-part finale — remains to be seen.