Vin Diesel blames Jason Momoa's 'overacting' in 'Fast X' for negative reviews: Sources

Produced by Diesel himself on a staggering budget of $340 million, the film hit theaters on May 19 to a flurry of scathing reviews
PUBLISHED MAY 31, 2023
Refusing to accept any personal fault for the poor reviews, Vin Diesel (L) allegedly resorted to throwing Momoa (R) under the bus (Frazer Harrison & Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Refusing to accept any personal fault for the poor reviews, Vin Diesel (L) allegedly resorted to throwing Momoa (R) under the bus (Frazer Harrison & Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In a surprising turn of events, Hollywood superstar Vin Diesel is now pointing fingers at his new co-star, the hunky Jason Momoa, for the critical drubbing received by their latest film 'Fast X.' The highly anticipated movie, produced by Diesel himself and boasting a staggering budget of $340 million, hit theaters on May 19 to a flurry of scathing reviews.

Critics labeled the film as "convoluted," "congested," and "predictably ridiculous," leaving Diesel desperate to absolve himself of any responsibility and pin the blame on Momoa, despite the fact that the 'Aquaman' actor was singled out for praise by critics as one of the redeeming factors in the flagging franchise.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - MAY 13: Jason Momoa attends a FAST X Special New Zealand Fan Screening, hosted by Jason Momoa on May 13, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images for Universal Pictures)
Jason Momoa attends a FAST X Special New Zealand Fan Screening, hosted by Jason Momoa on May 13, 2023, in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images for Universal Pictures)

An inside source revealed that Diesel is feeling embarrassed that Momoa is being hailed as the sole shining light in the franchise that Diesel built himself. Refusing to accept any personal fault for the poor reviews, Diesel allegedly resorted to throwing Momoa under the bus. He claimed that Momoa's "overacting" and "scene-stealing" presence undermined the film, even though critics applauded Momoa's performance. “Vin is embarrassed Jason is being branded the only bright spot in the film and stealing his thunder in the franchise he built himself,” a source told Radar Online.

The tension between the two co-stars seems to be brewing already, with reports indicating that Diesel has started to harbor negative feelings toward Momoa. As the newcomer to the franchise, Momoa reportedly joined the 'Fast & Furious' family with an estimated $5 million paycheck for his role as the flamboyant villain Dante. “Jason knows he’s the flavor of the moment and Vin’s jealous of him,” an insider said. “But he doesn’t appreciate Vin trying to poison the public against him. This has the potential to be Hollywood’s next biggest feud.”

NAUCALPAN DE JUAREZ, MEXICO - MAY 15: Vin Diesel attends the red carpet for the Mexico City premiere of
Vin Diesel attends the red carpet for the Mexico City premiere of "Fast X" at Plaza Toreo Parque Central on May 15, 2023, in Naucalpan de Juarez, Mexico. (Photo by Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images)

Interestingly, this is not the first time Diesel has found himself entangled in on-set drama. Previously, he engaged in a highly publicized feud with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, another heavyweight co-star in the 'Fast & Furious' series. However, it was recently announced that Johnson would be making a cameo in the franchise after taking a break to pursue other projects. Sources suggest that Momoa has become a "convenient target" for Diesel, given the size of his paychecks from his days on "Game of Thrones." One insider told Radar, “People shouldn’t be fooled. Fast X was Vin’s baby and he should go down with the ship!”

Despite the barrage of negative reviews, the film still managed to generate excitement with its thrilling action sequences. In 'Fast X', audiences witness Diesel's character, Don, risking his life to protect his family at any cost. Meanwhile, Momoa's character, Dante, plots to blow up Vatican City, seeking revenge for his father's death, with one of his targets being Dom's own 8-year-old son. Packed with high-octane action sequences, heart-pounding moments, and the iconic 'Fast and Furious' soundtrack, the film made $319 million at the global box office in the opening week. Though numbers dropped in the second week, it breached the $500 million mark in the second week.



 

Directed by Louis Leterrier, 'Fast X' features an all-star cast, including Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Brie Larson, and John Cena. With such a stellar lineup, fans had high hopes for the film, and despite the controversy surrounding Diesel and Momoa, it seems to have struck a chord with audiences worldwide.

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