It’s the team-up you never knew you needed.
Oscar-winning actress Rita Moreno is getting ready to join the Fast and Furious franchise, Vin Diesel has announced in a surprise Instagram video.
Fast X, which marks the tenth film in the series, will see Moreno play the iconic role of Dominic Toretto’s grandmother.
“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 video.
Sitting between Moreno and Michelle Rodriguez, who has been a regular in the Fast and Furious films, he added: “I’m so blessed.”
“You know what, I think I was getting … I think my old age was waiting for you to invite me. Isn’t that nice? And I’m here. And the answer is yes, I’ll do it,” Moreno replied.
“And yes, not only do it: I’m tickled… this is going to be such fun.”
“Aww, I love you,” Diesel said.
The 90-year-old Moreno has a CV that would put most other actors to shame: during her decades-long career, she has starred in everything from West Side Story (twice) to Gene Kelly’s Singin’ in the Rain.
Fast X, which will be released in 2023, serves as a direct sequel to 2021’s F9 and will see the return of Diesel alongside a star-studded cast.
Jason Momoa will also be showing up alongside fellow newcomer Moreno, while Charlize Theron will be returning as the villain Cipher.
Brie Larson, who played Captain Marvel, will also be making an appearance as a mystery character.
"You have no idea how timeless and amazing she will be in our mythology," Diesel has teased previously.
"Beyond her beauty, her intellect... her Oscar, haha, is this profound soul who will add something you might not have expected but yearned for. Welcome to the FAMILY Brie."
The film has not been without its share of controversy: director Justin Lin, who previously worked on F9 and had directed the third through sixth films in the franchise, left suddenly a few days into shooting. He was replaced by Louis Leterrier some weeks ago.
The Fast and Furious franchise is one of the biggest in the world. Grossing over $6bn, the most recent film managed to draw in $700m despite airing during the Covid-19 pandemic.
