James Gunn might be to thank for ‘Fast X’ recruiting the newest member of the family

It’s no secret that James Gunn‘s ability to create consistently great superhero movies and television shows makes him the prime choice for co-helming DC Studios. From the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy to Peacemaker via The Suicide Squad, Gunn has proven time and time again that bringing heroes to life is among his finest talents.

And as it turns out, he might be just as deft at building heroes in real life, if a recent remark from one Daniela Melchior is to be believed. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the Fast X star revealed that she received a direct offer for her role after Vin Diesel told her how much he loved her in The Suicide Squad.

“Actually, yes. I felt it when I met Vin and Vin’s sister, Samantha [Vincent], for the first time, because they made sure that they spoke about Ratcatcher 2 and how they fell in love with my character. I didn’t have a clue that they even watched the movie until then.”

Melchior, of course, made her English-language film debut in The Suicide Squad as Ratcatcher 2, the daughter of the original and a core member of Task Force X, alongside Bloodsport, Peacemaker, King Shark, and Polka-Dot Man. The rodent manipulator quickly became a fan-favorite for many a comic book movie fan, including Gunn himself, who would go on to cast her in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

It sounds like Diesel saw the same thing that Gunn did, with Melchior having starred in Fast X as Isabel Neves, the sister of Dominic’s ex-girlfriend and aunt to Little B, and who will likely go on to have an increasingly important role as The Fast Saga continues to wrap up.

Gunn, then, just may be responsible for creating two heroes on the day he made that fateful casting decision; Ratcatcher 2, and Melchior herself.

Fast X is currently playing in theaters.