Helen Mirren admitted she was intimidated to drive with Vin Diesel in the new Fast and Furious installment titled F9: The Fast Saga, where she plays the role of Queenie. The film series began as a standalone film about illegal street car races and turned into a series of movies that turned its stars into action film icons. Although the Fast & Furious movies are known for insane fast-driving sequences, the core of the series is an unlikely group of characters that have created their family dynamic. Diesel heads the clan in the role of Dominic Toretto and is the muscle behind lots of the exciting film sequences fans have come to know and love.
The newest installment of the film will deliver on the big car chase scenes fans have come to know and love. Perhaps one of the most beloved returns to the franchise is Mirren, who first made her debut in 2017's The Fate of the Furious as the criminal mother of Deckard (Jason Statham), Owen (Luke Evans), and Hattie (Vanessa Kirby). She returned in the 2019 spin-off, Hobbs & Shaw. However, the one thing she did not get to do in either of the previous films was driving one of the film's hot cars, a wish that has been granted this time around.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Mirren revealed that she was thrilled to learn she would finally be allowed to get behind the wheel. She was shared her excitement to be near Diesel, whom she spoke of lovingly.
Vin is so generous and kind, but it was a little bit intimidating because those guys are so experienced at what they do. They know it, and it's all a bit new to me, the technicality of it. Not the driving part, but the filming of the driving. But you're in very safe and loving hands when you're in a Fast & Furious. It was just great to be in a very small space with Vin Diesel for quite a long time. I just loved every minute. It was great, hearing that beautiful, soft brown velvet voice really, really close, because we were squished together. Oh, I just so love his voice. He's got the best voice ever."
Mirren spoke of her and Diesel's natural and easy chemistry. She explained their mutual adoration of each other was there at the starting point of their film collaboration. Mirren said the way she and the actor seamlessly worked with one another was just one of those things that automatically happened and could not be forced and is something that fans will appreciate throughout F9.
Mirren campaigned hard to be allowed to be behind the wheel for this installment after spending most of her time in one film in an ambulance and jail in the other. Mirren's love of fast cars initially was what piqued her interest in the film series. The strong women she worked alongside were the other. The franchise's authentic and dynamic female leads inspired Mirren to take a leap of faith and sit behind the wheel, the fulfillment of a long-awaited dream.
The final two installments of Fast & Furious are rumored to tell a story that will take two films to conclude. Mirren will star alongside Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, John Cena, and Sung Kang. Queenie may have finally been able to put the pedal to the metal, but it remains to be seen if she will continue to be in the driver's seat during the final two films of the Fast & Furious franchise.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
