Overview
- Diesel shared an Instagram message on Nov. 25 lauding Johnson’s portrayal of Mark Kerr and wrote, “Proud of you both.”
- He noted that he and Kerr are longtime friends and said Kerr trained him for 2002’s xXx.
- Diesel called his past pairing with Johnson in the Fast franchise “one of the most dynamic,” crediting Johnson’s full commitment to the Hobbs role.
- The public praise comes after a widely covered feud that surfaced in 2016 and cooled in 2023 when Johnson returned for a Fast X scene and signaled future involvement.
- A24’s The Smashing Machine, directed by Benny Safdie, features Johnson as Kerr in a story about early MMA success and personal struggles, with some coverage observing skepticism about Diesel’s motives.