The Fast and Furious franchise has become a global phenomenon, spanning over two decades and capturing the hearts of fans around the world. With its high-octane action, stunning cars, and star-studded cast, it’s no wonder that many actors dream of being part of this blockbuster franchise. However, behind the glitz and glamor, the cast members have to adhere to a set of rules. In this article, we will delve into the 16 rules that Dwayne Johnson, Vin Diesel, and the rest of the cast had to follow in order to keep their roles in Fast and Furious movies running.
1) Embrace The Exotic Travel
Fast and Furious movies are renowned for their international settings, and actors must be prepared to travel to various exotic locations around the world. This requirement allows the franchise to capture the unique atmosphere and diverse landscapes that contribute to its global appeal.
2) Practicing The Stunt Choreography Is Your New Routine
The franchise is known for its thrilling action sequences, which often involve hand-to-hand combat and high-speed stunts. Actors must dedicate hours to learning fight choreography and are encouraged to perform their own stunts whenever possible. This commitment adds authenticity and reduces the need for visual effects.
3) Getting Connected With The Cars Is Not A Good Idea On The Sets Of Fast and Furious
Fast and Furious films feature an array of stunning and rare cars, but cast members can’t afford to become too attached. After shooting, the film studio often destroys the vehicles to prevent fans from recreating dangerous scenes at home. This rule ensures that actors maintain a professional detachment from the cars.
4) Get Accustomed With Green Screens
A significant portion of the filming takes place in studios with green screens, requiring actors to perform against virtual backgrounds. This reliance on visual effects poses a unique challenge, as actors must imagine their surroundings and interact with objects that don’t physically exist.
5) It Is Not The End, Even If They Write You Off The Script
Once a character is written off the franchise, it doesn’t necessarily mean the end of an actor’s involvement. Michelle Rodriguez, who plays Letty, discovered her character’s return when she watched Fast Five in theaters. This suggests that cast members are never truly done with the series, even after being written out.
6) One May Have To Negotiate To Get Their Desirable Scenes
Despite their popularity, cast members don’t always have the freedom to choose the scenes they desire. Ludacris, for example, had to plead for his character to participate in fight sequences, even going so far as to provide a demo reel to Vin Diesel and the director.
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7) Get Yourself Ready To Work In Sequels
When actors join the Fast and Furious franchise, they commit to multiple films. While this provides financial stability, it also limits their potential to try different roles. The contract gets renegotiated as the franchise progresses with the popularity of that particular actor’s character. Ludacris shared his experience to make this very point valid.
“And now we’ve got nine and ten planned for you. Let me just keep renegotiating my contract. Sounds good to me!”
8) Compulsory Press Tours Are A Part Of Your Contract
The cast of the Fast and Furious franchise has detailed contracts that extend the duty to cast members beyond the sets. The star cast needs to participate in press junkets, public appearances, and premieres to actively promote the movie.
9) Guard the Spoilers with Silence
Maintaining secrecy is crucial for film studios to surprise audiences and generate buzz. Cast members are strictly prohibited from revealing major plot points or spoilers, even in the face of countless interviews and press events leading up to a film’s release
10) No Room For Ego
In the Fast and Furious franchise, ego is not tolerated. Ja Rule, who appeared in the original movie, didn’t return for the sequel despite being offered a decent amount. The director, John Singleton, reached out to Ludacris instead, who took on the role and became a fan favorite. Singleton believed that the actor thought himself to be way too big to work in the sequel.
“Ja got too big for himself. He was acting like he was too big to be in the sequel.”
11) Acting In Uncertain Storylines Is Your New Normal
Surprisingly, even the cast members are kept in the dark about certain plot details. Michelle Rodriguez, who plays Letty, found out about her character’s return in Fast Five when she watched the movie in the theater along with the audience. This means that the actors must trust the filmmakers and follow their direction, even when they are uncertain about the future of their characters.
12) One Better Be Prepared For On-Set Improvisation
The actors are not simply there to memorize lines and deliver their performances, at least not in this blockbuster franchise. They are encouraged to contribute to their roles while on set. The approach was introduced by John Singleton to bring the creativity to set.
13) Resolve Your Conflicts With Co-Stars Privately
It’s no secret that conflicts can arise on a film set, even among the tough and talented Fast & Furious cast. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Vin Diesel had their share of disagreements. The Rock made their disagreement public through his social media handles, gaining public attention. Though the two stars sat together in private space to talk out any disputes. However, the cast is expected to resolve their differences privately and maintain a professional working relationship.
14) Get Satisfied By Driving A Dummy Car Only
The actors don’t always get to drive the actual cars seen on set, as it will get way too difficult to shoot and can be dangerous as well. Stunt drivers handle the high-speed driving, while the actors act like they are behind the wheel in a setup.
15) It’s Mandatory To Have A Driver’s License To Star In Fast and Furious
Believe it or not, some cast members didn’t have a driver’s license before joining the Fast and Furious franchise. Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster had to obtain their licenses to be part of a movie, as the franchise revolves a lot around cars.
16) Tighten Your Seat Belts To Get Trained In Racing School
To bring authenticity to the racing scenes, the actors, whether they already have a driver’s license or not, are required to attend racing school. Notable stars like Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Vin Diesel, and Jordana Brewster had the opportunity to drive Formula One car as part of their training.
It looks like being a part of a multi-billion franchise is not as easy as it appears. Along with your remarkable acting, the actors need to follow these rules to lead the franchise in a positive direction. The Fast and Furious franchise has recently released its tenth installment called Fast X.
Fast X was released on May 9, 2023, and is currently running in theaters.
Source: Hotcars
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