Dwayne Johnson On Putting Vin Diesel Joke In Red Notice After Feud

“The jokes never end,” Johnson said. “People were asking me about [making Diesel jokes] and they just, they find a way, and you know, what’s interesting is, you know, these Vin diesel jokes, which play great by the way to the audience, which is always a good thing because it’s all about [the audience]. But, people think these jokes come from me and they actually don’t. I mean, you’d be surprised at how many people come to me with ‘I got a great one.’ I’m like ‘okay.’ ‘I got another great Vin Diesel joke.’ ‘I’m sure you do.’ [Laughs] Always funny.”

The Johnson-Diesel feud went public after Johnson called Diesel a “chicken shit” and “candy ass” in a viral Instagram post. Speaking to Vanity Fair last month, Johnson said choosing to share that post with the world was a mistake. And yet, the actor added, “I meant what I said. For sure. I mean what I say when I say it. But to express it publicly was not the right thing to do.” “It caused a firestorm. Yet interestingly enough…[it was] as if every single crew member found their way to me and either quietly thanked me or sent me a note,” Johnson continued. “But, yeah, it wasn’t my best day, sharing that. I shouldn’t have shared that. Because at the end of the day, that goes against my DNA. I don’t share things like that. And I take care of that kind of bullshit away from the public. They don’t need to know that. That’s why I say it wasn’t my best day.” Diesel tried to explain his side of the feud in June after telling Men’s Health magazine that the source of the tension between the actors was him “giving tough love” to Johnson in order to get Johnson’s acting to “where it needed to be.” Diesel added, “That took a lot of work. We had to get there and sometimes, at that time, I could give a lot of tough love. Not Felliniesque, but I would do anything I’d have to do in order to get performances in anything I’m producing.” Johnson’s “Red Notice” opens in select theaters November 5 before launching on streaming November 12.