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After Paul Walker‘s tragic death in 2013, Vin Diesel was deeply devastated. He had lost his close friend and Fast & the Furious co-star. The two shared a special bond on and off-screen, and their brotherhood played a key role in the franchise’s success. Following Walker’s death, Diesel was unsure if he could ever return to the set of Furious 7. Fortunately, he found inspiration in another project, which helped him cope with the loss.
Walker died while filming the seventh installment of the Fast and the Furious series. At the time, Diesel took a four-month break, during which Universal Pictures paused the production to find a way to complete the film with the late actor. Meanwhile, Diesel struggled with grief that often kept him from leaving home until he met James Gunn to discuss Groot’s role. Eventually, Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Guardians of the Galaxy helped the actor to move on and get past the death of his brother. Diesel voiced the character Groot in the movie and shared with Variety in a throwback interview, “That was healing for me. To play a character that could reincarnate, rejuvenate, and represent life as trees do.”
The Baywatch actor further explained how he practiced playing Groot over the phone with Gunn. He admitted it took much time and meditation, as his voice needed guttural. Diesel shared that his son inspired him.
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