In a recent interview, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has officially confirmed that he will not be returning to his role as Luke Hobbs in the Fast & Furious franchise. He also acknowledged the recent social media posts from his former co-star, Vin Diesel, asking Johnson to “rise to the occasion and fulfill [his] destiny” of playing Hobbs.
“I was very surprised by Vin’s recent post,” Johnson said. “This past June, when Vin and I actually connected not over social media, I told him directly – and privately – that I would not be returning to the franchise. I was firm yet cordial with my words and said that I would always be supportive of the cast and always root for the franchise to be successful, but that there was no chance I would return. I privately spoke with my partners at Universal as well, all of whom were very supportive as they understand the problem.”
“Vin’s recent public post was an example of his manipulation,” the actor continued. “I didn’t like that he brought up his children in the post, as well as Paul Walker’s death. Leave them out of it. We had spoken months ago about this and came to a clear understanding. My goal all along was to end my amazing journey with this incredible ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise with gratitude and grace. It’s unfortunate that this public dialogue has muddied the waters. Regardless, I’m confident in the ‘Fast’ universe and its ability to consistently deliver for the audience, and I truly wish my former co-stars and crew members the best of luck and success in the next chapter.”
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