Ever since the first Fast & Furious movie released, the larger than life film franchise has embarked on a wild ride from drag-racing to superhero-level world-saving. These movies are mostly known for their car chases and action sequences leaving little room for any serious acting. Yet we’ve had some actors in these films who have given some memorable and entertaining performances (and a few others whose acting tires have just fallen flat).
With this in mind, here are 5 celebrities who nailed their roles in Fast & Furious (and 5 who could not resonate with fans).
Didn’t Resonate: Ronda Rousey
Mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey portrayed Kara, a bodyguard guarding a Middle-Eastern prince in Furious 7. She fights one of the protagonists Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and is eventually knocked out by her. Ronda has had a great fanbase in UFC and WWE and hence, her inclusion in Furious 7 created some hype.
While her kicks and punches are top-notch as usual, her acting chops and cliched dialogues seem to miss the mark. With not many screen credits to her name, she has had a similar role previously in The Expendables 3.
Nailed: Dwayne Johnson
A late addition to the franchise, Dwayne Johnson’s ‘Samoan Thor’ aka Luke Hobbs quickly rose through the ranks of popularity becoming one of the most identifiable stars of these movies. The success of his own spin-off Hobbs & Shaw bears testimony to this. Already a part of blockbusters like Central Intelligence, and the Jumanji films, the ex-WWE wrestler has shown that he is a pro at being the ‘funny big guy’.
Further, the best part of Johnson’s character (which also arises from his generally positive personality) is how he stands for the two ground values of these films: family and over-the-top stunts. He is great in scenes where he talks to his daughter, ensuring she’s away from harm and then his bulky body frame is conveniently used for him to do anything and everything. In The Fate Of The Furious, Hobbs deflects a torpedo with his bare hands!
Didn’t Resonate: Bow Wow
Bow Wow has a lot of energy portraying the hero’s sidekick Twinkie, but after a point, his energy gets downright annoying. Then again, the problem wasn’t just in his acting but the entire film. The Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift is a guilty pleasure but one of the weakest installments for fans of the series.
Apart from his moderately famous music career, Bow Wow disappeared from any major film roles barring a Madea and ScaryMovie film. His breakout role was probably his best, that of a kid who becomes a basketballer after finding a pair of Jordans in Like Mike.
Nailed: Michelle Rodriguez
Probably one of the most badass actresses on screen, Michelle is a fan-favorite of the series. Her character Letty Ortiz has many layers, turning against the team for a while (after temporary amnesia) but whatever side she’s on, she always shines in her action scenes. She doesn’t get to crack many one-liners unlike the other characters but still, Michelle Rodriguez adds a certain charm and charisma to her character.
Michelle’s future with the franchise seemed uncertain following disagreements with the producers over the representation of women in these films. Even though she’s on board, she supposedly negotiated for a female writer to be added to the crew. Here’s hoping that Rodriguez’s vision comes true in the next film.
Didn’t Resonate: Lucas Black
And of course, we are back to Tokyo Drift. If Bow Wow’s annoying antics weren’t enough for a disappointment, we have leading man Lucas Black as Sean Boswell. The actor is wooden throughout the entire film easily making him one of the most forgettable Fast & Furious characters. Lucas isn’t a bad actor as such; he just doesn’t seem to be in the mood in most of his scenes.
Black went on to appear in minor film roles and became a series regular in NCIS: New Orleans. What’s sad is that Black’s co-star Sung Kang (who plays Han Lue) attained more popularity and appeared in two more movies in the series.
Nailed: Tyrese Gibson
Barring Bow Wow’s case, the franchise does have its share of good rapper/actors too, Ludacris being a prime example. But probably an even better example is Tyrese Gibson. Debuting in the critically panned 2 Fast 2 Furious, Tyrese made his presence felt as Roman Pearce, a trash-talking lady charmer. His role is mostly for comedic purposes and boy, he’s good at this. The best moments that he shares on-screen is with Ludacris’s techie character Tej who’s more brains than brawn and hence a polar opposite of Roman. The spats that these two have with Tyrese making some dumb remarks are chuckle-worthy.
Tyrese is also known for movies like Baby Boy and Four Brothers and has had multiple Grammy nominations in R&B categories.
Didn’t Resonate: Scott Eastwood
The son of legendary actor-director Clint Eastwood, Scott is still far from achieving that legendary status. You can see him in forgettable roles in other franchise movies too like Pacific Rim and Suicide Squad, but in The Fate Of The Furious, he feels so insignificant that his character’s name is literally ‘Little Nobody’. A CIA agent working under Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell), Eastwood mostly scowls or passes sarcastic remarks at the gang throughout his role.
Eastwood’s bland acting also shows how big franchises tend to go overboard with their casting options, adding more and more actors in the film’s ensemble. It is then when the rule of ‘quality over quantity’ gets broken.
Nailed: Vin Diesel
Vin Diesel is no Academy-award winning actor. His dialogue delivery might be bland for some. He has this one perpetually pissed look on his face in every Fast & Furious movie. But as Dominic Toretto, the Superman of his Justice League, he brings a lot of heroic attitude to his screentime which makes him tolerable enough. His monologues on family and saying that every job of his crew will be a ‘one last ride’ (as if each movie is the final chapter) show how he can emulate the trials and tribulations of being the leader for his street-racing friends.
To put it in a nutshell, you can love Vin or hate Vin but you just can’t ignore him in these movies. Critics and fans might praise his acting more in movies like TheIron Giant and the Riddick series but Vin Diesel has looked the coolest as Dominic Toretto. Just hear him saying, ‘I don’t have friends. I got family.’. Cue in applause.
Didn’t Resonate: Jordana Brewster
One of the original cast members, and Vin Diesel’s on-screen sister, Jordana Brewster had the potential to stand out. But after appearing in five movies of the series, she has probably been the weakest actor of the main lot. Brewster plays Mia Torretto, a good-natured street racer who initially disapproves of her brother’s criminal past but then ends up being on his side. Her performance has been hollow and fans have mostly rooted for Michelle Rodriguez than Jordana when it comes to the heroines of the franchise.
To suit the needs of the storyline, her character stopped appearing after the seventh film. But the thing is that she has hardly been missed even by die-hard fans. Brewster has since appeared in a few TV shows like Lethal Weapon and American Horror Story.
Nailed: Paul Walker
The last entry to this list would come as no surprise. These action movies already had a lot of action, thanks to stars like Vin Diesel, catchy soundtracks, and lots and lots of cars but it’s Paul Walker’s performance as leading man Brian O’Connor which brings soul to these movies. Walker had been one of the most convincing actors in this fictional universe, playing an undercover cop-turned-racing vigilante of sorts. Not a muscular hunk like his co-stars, Walker adds a human touch to his character making his struggles and stunts seem more believable than the others.
It’s tragic that he passed away in a car accident before Furious 7’s release. But the mellow rap track See You Again and every sequel of the franchise seem to carry on Walker’s legacy.
