Brie Larson Likely To Eclipse Dwayne Johnson’s Starpower Absence in $340M Fast X: “Dom knows she has a strong mind”

Brie Larson and Dwayne Johnson are two heavyweights in Hollywood. While both are veterans of the industry, it can’t be denied that Johnson is the face of action films while Larson is just associated with the MCU as Captain Marvel. However, it looks like the actress is eager to establish herself as part of more major franchises and that’s why she has joined the Fast and Furious team.

She and other high-profile stars like Jason Momoa have joined the tenth installment of the franchise, Fast X after Dwayne Johnson departed owing to a public spat with Vin Diesel. As such, fans are wondering if Larson and Momoa are replacements for Johnson. But even if they are, will they be able to bring the star power of The Rock? Larson’s Tess might be able to pull that off.

Brie Larson Brings A Strong Character To Fast X

Brie Larson in Fast X

In an interview with Total Film, Brie Larson revealed new details about her Fast X character, Tess. The actress revealed that she is the daughter of Kurt Russell’s Mr. Nobody and is trying to build trust with Dom. Larson stated:

“Tess is Mr. Nobody’s daughter. She is technically Agency, but she’s kind of a bridge, in a way. She doesn’t go along with the way that the Agency’s headed now that her father isn’t there. She believes in the legacy that her father set up, which is standing with Dom and standing with the Toretto family, and is fighting for that.”

Brie Larson and Vin Diesel

The Marvel star also teased that Vin Diesel’s hero has a grudging respect for her character. Both because of her strong personality and also because she goes out of her way to repair the relationship between them. But Larson states that it won’t be easy for Tess to become a part of his family. She said:

“Dom knows that she has a strong mind and definitely respects that she’s gone out of her way to talk to him and wants to build trust. What he asks of Tess is a test. Like, if it’s an impossible task, and she can get it done, then that’s family for life.”

Larson’s Tess is different from Dwayne Johnson’s Luke Hobbs, who began his story as a bounty hunter. However, if audiences love the actress’ character, she might be able to eclipse Johnson’s popularity within the fanbase. While it is going to be an uphill climb, since Larson has nowhere the star power of Johnson and neither is she an equally bankable actor, but it’s certainly not an impossible task. After all, Johnson departing the franchise amid troubles with Vin Diesel has left a sour taste in the mouth of many fans.

Why Did Dwayne Johnson Depart The Fast And Furious Franchise?

Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel

Everyone knows that there’s bad blood between Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel. But the exact reason behind their feud isn’t known yet. The public got the first whiff of problems when Johnson made a now-deleted Instagram post in 2016 that made everyone know that he has trouble with his male co-stars. He wrote:

“There’s no other franchise that gets my blood boiling more than this one. My female costars are always amazing and I love ’em. My male co-stars, however, are a different story. Some conduct themselves as stand-up men and true professionals, while others don’t… When you watch [The Fate of the Furious] next April and it seems like I’m not acting in some of these scenes and my blood is legit boiling – you’re right.”

Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs

Later on, Diesel made an Instagram post urging Johnson to reprise his role for Fast X and saying that he has promised his children the same. In an interview with CNN, Johnson stated that the post took him by surprise. But he clarified that he won’t return. He said:
“I was firm yet cordial with my words and said that I would always be supportive of the cast and always root for the franchise to be successful, but that there was no chance I would return. Vin’s recent public post was an example of his manipulation.”

It’s not yet officially known what caused this public fallout between the two megastars. Some fans speculate that Johnson tried to take over the franchise from Diesel which resulted in a broken professional relationship, while others think that it’s because The Rock had trouble with the way Diesel was treating him. It’s unknown if fans will ever know the full reason, but for now, Brie Larson’s Tess and Jason Momoa’s Dante are here to fill The Rock-sized hole of the franchise.