All of the major studios are making a concerted effort to increase the amount of diversity and representation in their biggest projects, and while the Fast and Furious franchise has always boasted a culturally rich and ethnically diverse ensemble, it’s never felt the need to shout about it from the rooftops in an effort to score societal brownie points.
That’s hardly a surprise when Vin Diesel has been the creative driving force behind the series, with the action icon getting a foothold in the industry by writing, directing and producing the 1995 short film Multi-Facial. The pic tells the story of a multiracial actor auditioning for a variety of roles, with Diesel’s Mike using his ambiguous ethnicity to play Italian, African-American, Spanish and Cuban characters in a critique of the Hollywood casting system.
As the biggest movie star on the planet and another key member of the Fast and Furious team, not to mention a powerhouse producer in his own right, Dwayne Johnson has a huge say in all of his projects, and insider Daniel Richtman is now claiming that the 48 year-old wants the cast of his in-development sequel Hobbs & Shaw 2 to boast even more in the way of diversity than the first installment.
It’s not like the original film was exactly lacking in that department, though, as the only white dudes with major roles were co-lead Jason Statham, walking plot device Eddie Marsan and guest star Ryan Reynolds, who appeared in just a couple of scenes. Indeed, outside of Vanessa Kirby and Helen Mirren’s members of the extended Shaw clan, David Leitch’s blockbuster also featured Idris Elba, Eiza Gonzalez, Cliff Curtis, Roman Reigns, John Tui and Kevin Hart, so the Hobbs & Shaw franchise is already well represented by actors from many walks of life, but it seems that the cast will only become more diverse as the series continues on.
