This is what started The Rock & Vin Diesel’s legendary feud

Following an unusual exchange at the 2025 Golden Globes, fans have been delving back into the longstanding dispute between Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Vin Diesel – now, let’s unravel this mystery.

Few action film series have the longevity and success of the Fast and Furious collection. Beyond high-speed chases and jaw-dropping car acrobatics, what has become equally legendary are the dynamic duo performances of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Vin Diesel on screen.

To put it straight from my gaming perspective, let’s talk about this ongoing beef that’s been rumored for a solid ten years. It kicked off when some cryptic posts surfaced online between these two heavyweight gamers, and before we knew it, jabs were being thrown left and right.

So, here’s the deal: What transpired at the Globes, and why did Vin Diesel acknowledge The Rock? Let me fill you in on the details.

What was the story behind Vin Diesel acknowledging The Rock during the Globes? Here’s a quick rundown.

Or even shorter:
Why did Vin Diesel give a shout-out to The Rock at the Globes? Here’s an explanation.

Why do The Rock and Vin Diesel have a feud?

The long-standing rumored conflict between Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Vin Diesel can be traced as far back as their initial involvement in the Fast and Furious series. It is said that they butted heads on set due to differences in ego and opposing work styles.

For the very first time, they shared the screen in 2011. Diesel, being a part of the Fast and Furious film franchise since its inception, contrastingly, Johnson made his debut with the group in the fifth installment, titled Fast Five.

Later on, Johnson reappeared for the sixth, seventh, and eighth films within the series. But tensions appeared to escalate in August 2016, following an Instagram post by Johnson, which he later deleted, where he referred to certain unspecified cast members as having “no backbone.

Johnson stated, “Some male co-stars exhibit behavior as respectable gentlemen and true experts in their field, while others fall short. Those who fail to meet the mark are too timid to take action. I call them cowards. So, when you watch this movie next April and it appears as though I’m not acting in certain scenes and my anger is palpable – you’re correct.

From there, a tense back-and-forth between the stars would take place over several years.

Diesel hits back after Johnson’s post

Initially, spectators hastily surmised that he might have been talking about Vin Diesel. However, no official confirmation was ever made. Back then, there were whispers among insiders that they had creative differences on set due to contrasting work habits. The situation became more tense when Johnson shared another Instagram post, expressing gratitude towards several of his colleagues by name, yet failing to mention Vin Diesel.

In August 2016, Diesel too joined the action, sharing a video and addressing fans with, “Give me a moment, and I’ll share it all with you. All of it.

Johnson openly addressed the rumors of his feud during a November 2016 interview with the Los Angeles Times, stating, “I’ve been in this industry for a while. Of course, Universal would have preferred that didn’t occur? Absolutely, we had discussions about it. The funny thing is, after that incident and as they conduct their research and analysis, the interest skyrocketed to an entirely new level.

Diesel defends The Rock after backlash

Later on, Diesel clarified there was no feud during an interview with USA Today. He explained, “I believe the world underestimates our closeness, strangely enough. Perhaps some things have been exaggerated; I don’t think that was his goal. I understand he values my dedication to this franchise. In my home, he’s more like Uncle Dwayne.

In 2017, they were seen together at the premiere of The Fate of the Furious. Later in that year, Diesel spoke up in support of Johnson when Tyrese Gibson claimed that Johnson was causing delays for Fast 9. Diesel stated, “There has been a lot of talk about why Fast 9’s release date was postponed, but it wouldn’t be fair to place the blame on anyone specifically.

Nevertheless, matters grew increasingly intricate as viewers pointed out that neither actor was present in joint scenes in The Fate of the Furious. Later, Johnson himself clarified they hadn’t shot any scenes together.

The two stars clear the air

2019 marked a point where things seemed to become clearer, as Dwayne Johnson’s spinoff from the Fast and Furious series, titled Hobbs & Shaw, premiered in cinemas. In an Instagram video, he explicitly thanked Vin Diesel by name, stating, “Lastly but not least, I want to express my gratitude for your support of Hobbs & Shaw. I’ll be reuniting with you soon, Toretto.

In October 2021, Johnson admitted that he wasn’t having a great day when he posted in August 2016, which may have initiated the whole dispute, as it appeared at the time.

As a gamer, I’d rather keep my secrets tucked away. Sharing what I did was out of line; it goes against who I am at heart. I don’t usually spill the beans on things like that. I handle the noise behind the scenes, keeping it private. The public doesn’t need to know every detail. That’s why I’d say that day didn’t quite go as planned for me.

In my own words, I truly stand by what I communicate, yet sharing it openly wasn’t the appropriate course of action.

Later on, Johnson resumed his character Hobbs in a scene after the credits in Fast X (released in 2023). Since then, he’s publicly mentioned his intention to reappear in subsequent films of the Fast and Furious series.

2025 Golden Globes interaction explained

2025’s Golden Globes rekindled whispers about the Johnson-Diesel dispute when Diesel publicly recognized Johnson during his award presentation.

During the presentation of the awards for Cinematic and Box Office Success, Diesel emerged on stage only to find Johnson amongst the audience spectators.

Hey there, Dwayne,” I called out, as the lens swung towards him. Johnson’s face lit up with a grin that had the audience chuckling too. Vin Diesel momentarily paused his duties of announcing nominees, but the moment was undeniably a subtle nod to their past friction.

Vin Diesel to Dwayne Johnson: “Hey, Dwayne.” #GoldenGlobes
— Variety (@Variety) January 6, 2025

The instance garnered significant interest from viewers, prompting numerous comments on X like, “Vin Diesel addressing Dwayne as ‘Hey,’ sparking speculation that a confrontation might ensue,” and, “The atmosphere between The Rock and Vin Diesel is so thick you could slice it with a knife.

Another commented, “We caught a glimpse of Dwayne Johnson’s imagination, where he imagines ripping Vin Diesel into two parts tonight.

To learn all there is to know about Fast and Furious 11, along with understanding the reasons behind Vin Diesel’s decision to not include a specific action icon in the series, don’t forget to explore the Fast X soundtrack as well.

2025-01-06 23:38