Vin Diesel demanded ‘equal number of punches’ during fight with Jason Statham in Fast & Furious 7
The actor proposed a very odd system to ensure both men were equal opponents on screen
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Your support makes all the difference.Vin Diesel proposed a numerical system on the set of 2015’s Fast & Furious 7 that made sure he was not being hit, punched or kicked more than his co-star Jason Statham, but was shot down by the film’s producers.
According to a very funny story in the Wall Street Journal, Diesel grew concerned on set that Statham was landing more hits against him than vice versa, and suggested to the film’s crew that each hit be assigned a number, so the amount of hits suffered by both men could be shared equally.
The suggestion was reportedly abandoned once the crew determined it was “too complicated”, but the story claimed it was one of many instances on the Fast & Furious movies in which stars demanded certain stipulations when it came to their on-screen pride.
Statham allegedly has a clause in his contract that limits how badly he can be beaten on screen, while Diesel’s younger sister has been tasked with counting the number of punches her brother sustains on screen.
Diesel and Statham refused to comment on the claims, but Fast & Furious producer Michael Cottrell admitted that vanity “of course” plays a role in the fight-scene decisions.
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