Last Updated on August 5, 2021
#1 – His Voice
Vin Diesel is the f*cking IRON GIANT! His deep, gravelly voice is the epitome of dudeliness and carries with it a gravitas that few other actors can match. Few actors can be identified by nothing more than their voice, so Diesel owes it to the world to share his talents in films both animated and live action. Give us Groot for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and then please use your pull to get a sequel to THE IRON GIANT!
#2 – His humility
Vin Diesel was offered the chance to play a superhero because Marvel wanted the guy. Hell, Diesel even told the world that he was talked to about taking on a new role that none of us know about. As we went nuts considering what the part could have been, we soon learned that the actor decided to go for a supporting role in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. While the part of Groot has not been 100% confirmed as of today, if it ends up being Diesel this would be one of the rare cases where a major celebrity took a supporting role in a film instead of stealing the limelight. Diesel seems like the kind of guy you would actually have a nice time hanging out with who wouldn’t try to stab you in the back. That’s pretty cool.
#3 – His physique
Vin Diesel isn’t as huge as Dwayne Johnson, but he ain’t no slouch either. He comes across as bigger than he actually is thanks to his stature and his voice (more on that later). This is a blessing as he can play roles that Arnold couldn’t. Vin Diesel can play a convincing average American male, a football player, a thug, or any number of roles. He is also perfectly suited to play a superhero. If only Lex Luthor were a younger, more athletic foe and Superman may have met his match. I will settle for getting Diesel more roles that don’t involve special eyeballs or cars. Aside from that, there really are no limits.
#4 – His intensity
Diesel’s gruff exterior betrays what seems to be a really nice dude. Whether he is sweet to his mother and his ladies off-screen, in the movies he is a bad motherf*cker. He is definitely not someone you would want to pick a fight with and his characters show that. Even in movies like THE PACIFIER where he is supposed to be a soft, kinder Diesel, you still don’t want to f*ck with him. While Arnold Schwarzenegger and Hulk Hogan were only funny in their comedies due to the stark contrast with their physical presence, Diesel seems to be able to dial himself down to an appropriate level to make those roles work. I would love to see him get better comedy movies off the ground to show the world he is not just a big meatball.
#5 – His baldness
Yeah, Diesel has flirted with hair in movies like A MAN APART and FIND ME GUILTY, but he looks absolutely ridiculous. Some actors like Bruce Willis or Dwayne Johnson can pull off having hair for roles, but something about Diesel being bald is as iconic as Jason Statham. That may seem like it would limit his available roles, but Diesel just makes it work. You have to respect a guy who has a signature look and is able to cater almost any role to his typical appearance. Spaceman? Check. Criminal? You got it. Male nanny? No problem. Alien warrior? Word.
#6 – His commitment
When THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK underperformed and let lots of PITCH BLACK fans down, Diesel was not swayed from his desire to continue the franchise. When director David Twohy assumed RIDDICK would be an independent film he was surprised to learn that Vin Diesel was willing to put everything he could to get it made by a studio. Using his pull from the mega-successful FAST AND FURIOUS films, Diesel was able to get the third RIDDICK film made, allowed it to get a hard R rating and not be watered down. Even at a modest $38 million with middling reviews, RIDDICK is sure to capitalize on Diesel’s popularity to pretty much guarantee a fourth film.
#7 – His Facebook page
All sorts of celebrities use Twitter to connect with their fanbase while pervasive trolls imitate them to try and gain followers. Sometimes you still have to question whether you are dealing with the actual actor or some creep posing as them. One person who actually posts online is Diesel who has used his Facebook page to share all sorts of exclusives with his fans. It was on his page that we got glimpses at RIDDICK while it was shooting as well as the first hints that he was meeting with Marvel bigwigs. Diesel is not afraid of letting his true self show online which is refreshing in a day and age where most famous folks are groomed and controlled from letting even the most minute detail slip without being quadruple-checked.
#8 – His hyphenates
Before he was RIDDICK or XXX, Vin Diesel was….a writer-producer-director? That’s right. His first two projects were a short film entitled MULTI-FACIAL and a drama called STRAYS, both of which were screened at the Cannes and Sundance film festivals respectively. Now, any yahoo can write and produce a movie these days and some may even be able to get them into festivals, but do they also earn the attention of Steven Spielberg? The iconic director cast Diesel in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN specifically for Diesel after seeing MULTI-FACIAL. If that isn’t a seal of approval, I don’t know what is.
#9 – He has sex appeal
Men and women flock to Diesel’s movies for one of two reasons: they think he is cool or they think he is sexy. Diesel has not quite shown himself to be an Oscar caliber actor (yet) but he has definitely proven that he has what fans want to see. Be it behind the wheel of a car, wielding a gun, or kissing a babe, the guy has what it takes to get people revved up. That puts butts in the seats and if we can get someone who can at least deliver a line of dialogue without sounding like an imbecile, the better. Think about the movies released that would have been better if Diesel had starred: WHITE HOUSE DOWN, JOHN CARTER, hell, even BATTLESHIP or TRANSFORMERS.
#10 – He can sing
Betcha didn’t know it, huh? Diesel is not just some meat-head. I myself passed him off as such in the past but the guy is damn talented in various ways. While he isn’t going to be releasing an album soon, this video shows the guy is at least capable of carrying a tune. I wouldn’t count out seeing him in a big screen musical one of these days.
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