The fast and the fabulous: Rita Moreno joins ‘Fast X’ as Vin Diesel’s grandmother
The “Fast and the Furious” family just got a little bigger.
Vin Diesel announced on Instagram that Rita Moreno will play his onscreen grandmother in the upcoming film “Fast X.” The action star, who portrays street racer Dom Toretto in the movie franchise, posted a celebratory video Tuesday featuring Moreno and Michelle Rodriguez, who plays his onscreen wife, Letty Ortiz.
“It’s been my dream forever to work with Rita Moreno, and the fact that she’s here playing my grandmother makes my soul smile,” Diesel said in the clip. “I am so blessed.”
“I think my old age was waiting for you to invite me,” Moreno said. “Isn’t that nice? And I’m here, and the answer is yes, I’ll do it. ... Not only do it — I’m tickled. ... I’m so thrilled. It’s gonna be such fun.”
‘Fast X’ had just started filming when director Justin Lin made a shocking and abrupt departure from the hit action franchise.
With a smile, Rodriguez simply shouted, “Rita Moreno in the house, baby!”
The 90-year-old screen legend recently appeared in Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-winning adaptation of “West Side Story” 59 years after receiving an Academy Award for her dynamic performance as Anita in the original movie musical.
The casting announcement comes about a month after “Fast X” director Justin Lin exited the highly anticipated sequel barely a week into production. Lin — who has directed more than half of the movies in the “Fast” saga — is still attached to the project as a producer, despite making “the difficult decision to step back” from the helm, he said in a statement.
In “Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It,” the 89-year-old Puerto Rican actress holds nothing back, including the abuses large and small in early Hollywood.
Earlier this month, Variety reported that Universal Pictures had tapped Louis Leterrier to replace Lin as the director of the blockbuster franchise’s 10th installment. As of late April, the film was still on schedule for a May 19, 2023, release.
Starring opposite Diesel, Rodriguez and Moreno in the latest “Fast” flick are returning cast members Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel and Charlize Theron, as well as franchise newcomers Brie Larson and Jason Momoa.
Only good movies
Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
