"Obviously, for me, story is first and foremost, even in the face of the attractive idea of having all the cast there, or having a great piece of talent come to it"
About this Quote
The intent is practical and political. Diesel isn’t just an actor here; he’s long been a producer and de facto steward of the Fast universe. Saying “story is first and foremost” functions as a bargaining position in negotiations with studios, co-stars, and fans who equate bigger casts with bigger events. He’s framing restraint as artistic integrity, but also as brand protection: coherence keeps a franchise from collapsing under its own fan service.
The subtext is defensive, too. “Attractive idea” acknowledges the dopamine hit of spectacle without shaming it. He isn’t condemning star power; he’s demoting it. “Even in the face of” implies pressure - from marketing departments, from audience expectations, from the gravitational pull of celebrity - and suggests he’s had to say no to “great pieces of talent” because the narrative couldn’t absorb them.
Contextually, this is franchise-era rhetoric: a star reassuring viewers that the next installment won’t be just a roll call. Diesel positions himself as the guardian of meaning in a genre often accused of running on fumes, promising that emotion and continuity - not merely the loudest possible party - are what make the engine worth revving.
Quote Details
| Topic | Movie |
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| Source | Help us find the source |
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Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Diesel, Vin. (2026, January 16). Obviously, for me, story is first and foremost, even in the face of the attractive idea of having all the cast there, or having a great piece of talent come to it. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/obviously-for-me-story-is-first-and-foremost-even-124193/
Chicago Style
Diesel, Vin. "Obviously, for me, story is first and foremost, even in the face of the attractive idea of having all the cast there, or having a great piece of talent come to it." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/obviously-for-me-story-is-first-and-foremost-even-124193/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Obviously, for me, story is first and foremost, even in the face of the attractive idea of having all the cast there, or having a great piece of talent come to it." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/obviously-for-me-story-is-first-and-foremost-even-124193/. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.



