Vin Diesel (born Mark Sinclair Vincent in New York City, New York on the July 18, 1967) is an American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter who came to prominence in the late 1990s and became best known for his roles as Dominic Toretto in The Fast and the Furious series and Richard B. Riddick in The Chronicles of Riddick film series. He is also the founder of the production companies One Race Films, Tigon Studios, and Racetrack Records.
For Disney, he portrayed Navy S.E.A.L. Shane Wolfe in the 2005 action comedy film The Pacifier. He also voiced Groot in the 2014 Marvel science-fiction action film Guardians of the Galaxy, and he reprised this role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War and Ralph Breaks the Internet, and will do so again for Avengers: Endgame. He was mentioned in Need for Speed, the Liv & Maddie episode "Howl-a-Rooney", the BUNK'D episode Cabin vs. Cabin, the Stuck in the Middle episode "Stuck at the Movies", and the Gamer's Guide to Pretty Much Everything episode "The DJs".
Biography[]
Vin Diesel was raised by his astrologer and psychologist mother and adoptive father in an artist's housing project in New York's Greenwich Village, never knowing his biological father. His first break in acting happened by chance, when at the age of seven he and his friends broke into a theatre to vandalize it.
A woman stopped them and offered them each a script and $20, on the condition that they would attend everyday after school. From there, Vin's fledgling career progressed from the New York repertory company run by his father, to the Off-Off-Broadway circuit. At 17 and already sporting a well-honed physique, he became a bouncer at some of New York's hippest clubs to earn himself some extra cash. It was at this time that he changed his name to Vin Diesel.
Following high school, Vin enrolled as an English major at Hunter College, but dropped out after three years to go to Hollywood to further his acting career. Being an experienced theatre actor did not make any impression in Hollywood and after a year of struggling to make his mark, he returned to New York.
His mother then gave him a book called Feature Films at used Car Prices by Rick Schmidt. The book showed him that he could take control of his career and make his own movies. He wrote a short film based on his own experiences as an actor, called Multi-Facial, which was shot in less than three days at a cost of $3,000. Multi-Facial was eventually accepted for the 1995 Cannes Film Festival where it got a tumultuous reception.
Afterwards, Vin returned to Los Angeles and raised almost $50,000 through telemarketing to fund the making of his first feature, Strays. Six months after shooting, the film was accepted for the 1997 Sundance Film Festival, and although it received a good reception, it didn't sell as well as hoped. Yet again Vin returned disappointed to New York only to receive a dream phone call.
Steven Spielberg was impressed by Multi-Facial and wanted to meet Vin, leading him to be cast in Saving Private Ryan. Multi-Facial earned Vin more work, when the director of Stalowy gigant saw it and decided to cast Vin in the title role. From there, Vin's career has steadily grown, with him securing his first lead role as Richard B. Riddick in the sci-fi film Pitch Black.
Awards[]
- Together with Bradley Cooper, he was nominated for a MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo for his work on Guardians of the Galaxy.
Trivia[]
- Vin has a twin brother named Paul Vincent.
- Vin Diesel provided his voice for the international dubs of Guardians of the Galaxy.
- Vin Diesel's involvement with Marvel Studios began as just an internet prank he began by posting on Facebook that Marvel had "requested a meeting" with him. Eventually Marvel Studios actually contacted him and he was cast as Groot.
- While recording for the voice of Groot, Vin Diesel was pleasantly surprised to be reunited with sound technician Doc Kane, whom he met while recording his role on The Iron Giant.
- Vin Diesel was linked to the role of Black Bolt for a long time when Inhumans was being developed as a feature film, however James Gunn stated that Diesel was unlikely to play the role due to it becoming a television series instead.
- Vin Diesel previously worked with Nathan Fillion in Saving Private Ryan.
- Vin Diesel previously worked with Dave Bautista in Riddick.
- Vin Diesel previously worked with Djimon Hounsou in Furious 7.
- Vin Diesel previously worked with Seth Green in Knockaround Guys.
- Vin Diesel previously worked with Kurt Russell in Furious 7 and The Fate of the Furious.
- Vin Diesel previously worked with Peter Dinklage in Find Me Guilty.
- Vin Diesel previously worked with Samuel L. Jackson in XXX and XXX: Return of Xander Cage.
- Vin Diesel worked with John C. Reilly in Ralph Breaks the Internet.
- Vin Diesel will portray Bloodshot in the Sony Pictures Studios production Bloodshot.
- Vin Diesel shares his birthday with Elsa Pataky.