Vin Diesel Praises Dwayne Johnson on Instagram Reconciliation

Vin Diesel has publicly praised Dwayne Johnson for his performance in the upcoming biopic "The Smashing Machine," marking a notable moment of reconciliation between the two actors amid their history of on-set tensions during the "Fast & Furious" franchise.

In an Instagram post dated November 25, 2025, Diesel shared a throwback photo of himself and Johnson on set, reflecting on their professional partnership and his personal connection to Mark Kerr, the UFC legend portrayed by Johnson in the film. Directed by Benny Safdie and produced by A24, "The Smashing Machine" chronicles Kerr's life as a mixed martial arts fighter, with Johnson in the lead role and Emily Blunt as his partner, Dawn Staples. Diesel described Kerr as one of his earliest friends after moving from New York to California, noting their immediate bond. "What most people don't realize is that Mark Kerr was one of the first friends I made when I moved from New York to California," Diesel wrote. "We hit it off immediately, and the reason is simple: he is genuinely one of the kindest, most warmhearted people you will ever meet."

Diesel credited Kerr with training him for his role in the 2002 action film "xXx," calling...