The first installment of the thrillingFast & Furioussaga hit theaters in 2001, earning a whopping $207 million at the box office. It indeed delivered everything a street car racing-lover would want. Since then, the franchise has come a long way,evolving over the last 20 yearsin its gripping storytelling and commerciality. TheFast and Furious, at the moment, has spawned into nine movies along with a prequel/spin-off titledFast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.
Interestingly, that is not the end of what the franchise has to offer. PerCollider, thefirst part ofFastⅩ, which is split into two parts to cover more ground, is scheduled to hit the theaters in May 2023. The film is expected to bring back the principal cast that includes Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Sung Kang, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Charlize Theron, among many other actors.
Today, the cast of theFast and Furiousfranchise may appear near-perfect, but this was never the first intended choice of actors for their respective roles by Universal Studios. Many surprising names surfaced during the development of the debut film. Here is a look at the actors who were almost cast in theFast & Furiousfranchise.
The late Paul Walker no doubt played the beloved character of Brian O’Connor profoundly well in theFast and Furiousfranchise. However, during the 2000s, he was not the only name that was being considered for this role. One of the fabled names circling the character of Brain was surprisingly Marshall Mathers, an actor and rapper widely known asEminem. He turned down the role due to his packed schedule. PerThe Digital Fix, during those days, Eminem was busy with the movie8 Mile, where he played the role of aspiring rapper Jimmy B-Rabbit Smith. Ultimately,8 Milewas also an excellent call as it became a commercial and critical success.
Related:Fast and Furious: 8 Coolest Cars in the Franchise, Ranked
4Eliza Dushku
Jordana Brewster, as we know, plays the role of Mia Toretto, Brain’s love interest and Dom’s younger sibling. But many fans are unaware of the fact that the character of Mia was written explicitly forEliza Dushku. Riding high on the success following her roles inBuffy the Vampire SlayerandBring It On, Dushku made quite a name for herself in the industry. But sadly, the actor declined the role, though it is unknown why she did so. However, considering how busy she was in the early-2000s, it was likely a matter of scheduling. In addition to Dushku, other actresses considered for the part were Natalie Portman, Kirsten Dunst, and Sarah Michelle Gellar.
In the first installment of theFast and Furiousfranchise, Ja Rule played the role of Tej Parker. But the second installment saw him being replaced with rapper Ludacris due to friction between him and Universal Studios because of payment issues (via Project Casting). Ludacris, of course, was not the first name in mind for the swap in2 Fast 2 Furious. Originally,Reggie “Redman” Noblewas approached for the same role. Apparently, he had to drop out of the project due to scheduling conflicts. Noble was busy with the TV seriesMethod&Redand a few other projects that demanded his undivided attention. That said, Ludacris did unimaginable justice to the character, which we cannot deny.
Related:Fast & Furious: Every Movie in the Franchise, Ranked
2Timothy Olyphant
Before Vin Diesel got cast as Dominic Toretto in theFast and Furiousfranchise, the role of Dom was offered toTimothy Olyphant. When the film was pitched to Universal Studios, the producer only agreed to proceed with the idea if Olyphant was cast as the lead. Sadly, the actor turned down the role, believing it was “stupid.” After his refusal, naturally, the role was passed on to Diesel, who no doubt helmed the movie and the role responsibly. Well, the billions of dollars that have poured in due to the massive success of theFast and Furiousfranchise, at least, speak volumes about Diesel’s effort in putting the franchise together.
1Deepika Padukone
Popular in Indian cinema but otherwise unknown to the western audience,Deepika Padukonewas the original choice for the character of Ramsey. The actor even won the role as a result of her successful audition, but had to turn it down due to her commitments in the domestic film,Ram-Leela.Nonetheless, the actor garnered critical and commercial for her role as Leela in her native country. Though we cannot help but wonder whatFast and Furiouswould have looked like for her. Ultimately, Nathalie Emmanuel played the part, and the rest, as we know, is history. However, Padukone did join forces with Diesel in another film in Hollywood. In 2017, she played the role of Serena Unger inxXx: Return of Xander Cage; what’s more, she will reprise the same character inxXx 4.
