Remember when Vin Diesel was Private Adrian Caparzo in Saving Private Ryan? What about that time he was an investment broker in the film Boiler Room?
Those were the days before The Fast and The Furious. Before the days when that did not involve him driving a fast 70’s muscle car alongside the late Paul Walker. He has turned one franchise into an entire career, and for that, we bow to his glorious badassery.
Among the forgotten flicks are some really good movies that people either forgot about or simply never saw because, once again, he wasn’t wearing a muscle shirt or named something awesome like Dominic Toretto. Films like xXx, The Chronicles of Riddick Franchise, Babylon, A.D., Guardians of the Galaxy, and The Last Witch Hunter.
As the action star, whose birth name was Mark Sinclair, celebrates his 49th birthday today, we wanted to give him the honor he deserves by listing the those times he was a real badass in his movies.
“I’ve only got one rule. Everything is done my way, no highway option.” – Shane Wolfe, The Pacifier (2005)
“And another thing, every time you salute the Captain, you make him a target for the Germans. Do us a favor. Don’t do it. Especially when I’m standing next to him, capisci?” – Private Adrian Caparzo, Saving Private Ryan (1998)
“Whatever happens, no matter what they tell you, don’t let them take the chains off me.” – Riddick, Riddick (2013)
“Running ain’t freedom. You should know that.” – Dominic Toretto, Fast Five (2011)
“You’re not afraid of the dark, are you?” – Riddick, Riddick (2013)
“You know the benefit of eternal life? I get to kill you twice.” – Kaulder, The Last Witch Hunter (2015)
“Ask any racer. Any real racer. It don’t matter if you win by an inch or a mile. Winning’s winning.” – Dominic Toretto, The Fast and the Furious (2001)
“I’ll kill you with my teacup.” – Riddick, The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
“Because the busta kept me out of handcuffs, he didn’t just run back to the fort, the buster brought me back.” – Dominic Toretto, The Fast and the Furious (2001)
“If it talks like an asshole, and looks like an asshole, then chances are it is an asshole.” – Jackie DiNorscio, Find Me Guilty (2006)
“You break her heart, I’ll break your neck.” – Dominic Toretto, The Fast and the Furious (2001)
“Don’t know how many times I’ve been crossed off the list and left for dead, so this, this ain’t nothing new.” – Riddick, Riddick (2013)
“Ride or die, remember?” – Dominic Toretto, Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
“You know what I’m afraid of… Nothing.” – Kaulder, The Last Witch Hunter (2015)
“I used to say I live my life a quarter mile at a time and I think that’s why we were brothers, because you did too. No matter where you are, whether it’s a quarter mile away or half way across the world. The most important thing in life will always be the people in this room, right here, right now. Salute mi familia. You’ll always be with me. And you’ll always be my brother.” – Dominic Toretto, Fast & Furious 7 (2015)