Rita Moreno Cast As Vin Diesel's Grandmother In Fast X

The "Fast & Furious" franchise has no intention of stopping or hitting the brakes, and the upcoming "Fast X" movie has added another cast member to its team. Rita Moreno will be playing Dom's (Vin Diesel) grandmother in the next installment, which was confirmed by Diesel via a video shared on his Instagram (via Variety). Check out the video below.

I mean, sure, go off, Rita Moreno, you can do whatever you want. I do hope she will, at the very least, get to drive some sort of vehicle at breakneck speed in a particularly badass sequence. 

The "Fast and Furious" franchise has not been one devoid of problems, especially the recent departure of "Fast X" director Justin Lin, who has been replaced by "The Incredible Hulk" director Louis Leterrier. An adjustment period is necessary, of course, as Lin's involvement with the franchise over the years cannot be undermined, and it would take some time for a new director to take stock of things. 

Then there's Diesel himself, who has been immensely involved in the process of discerning the direction of the franchise, and it remains to be seen how things fare when it comes to the upcoming installment. Hopefully, all will be well. 

Diesel has been manifesting Moreno as his grandmother in the "Fast & Furious" franchise for quite some time, as evidenced by his statement in a 2021 Variety interview, in which he expressed his excitement of approaching the EGOT-winning actor for the role: 

"Before we get to Mother Toretto [Dom's mother], we will get to Abuela. And the person that I'm so excited to talk about that role is Rita Moreno."

Looks like things have worked out for the best, as Moreno seems happy to be a part of the franchise, and had previously expressed interest in donning "black leather" for the role. Does this mean a sick motorcycle chase sequence? Time will tell. 

"Fast X," the latest installment in the franchise, will see the return of Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Sung Kang, and Nathalie Emmanuel. Other cast members include Moreno, Scott Eastwood, Michael Rooker, Charlize Theron, Jason Momoa, Daniela Melchior, Brie Larson, and Alan Ritchson. Cardi B will also be reprising her role as Leysa.

Hopefully, the narrative stakes in "Fast X" will be higher than previous films in the franchise, justifying the involvement of an even bigger ensemble cast in a potentially exciting premise. 

"Fast X" is scheduled to hit theaters on May 19, 2023, provided that all goes well in the meanwhile.