Vin Diesel breaks down over Paul Walker tribute at emotional Cannes screening of ‘The Fast and the Furious’

Vin Diesel became visibly emotional during a special midnight screening of The Fast and the Furious at the 2026 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL, delivering a heartfelt tribute to his late co star Paul Walker in front of a packed audience inside the Grand Lumiere Theatre.

The event marked the 25th anniversary of the 2001 street racing blockbuster that launched one of Hollywood’s most profitable action franchises. Diesel was joined on the red carpet by Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, producer Neal H Moritz and Walker’s daughter Meadow Walker, whose appearance added another emotional layer to the celebration.

As the screening concluded, Diesel paused several times while speaking to the crowd, struggling to hold back tears while reflecting on his bond with Walker, who died in a car crash in 2013 at the age of 40.

“I pray that in your life, you can have a brother like Paul,” Diesel told the audience after the film received a lengthy standing ovation.

The actor explained that revisiting the original film brought back deeply personal memories connected to Walker, whom he often referred to as “Pablo.” Diesel said certain scenes now carried a completely different meaning for him after all these years.

“It’s so hard for me to watch it because there’s so many moments in this movie that you see, that I see differently,” he said. “The scene that you see, I see the moment Pablo told me he had a 1 year old daughter.”

Diesel later embraced Meadow Walker on stage while recalling a conversation they had earlier in the day. He shared that she had reflected on watching the film at the same age her father was when he made it.

“She said, ‘I’m 27, and I’m watching this film that my father made at 27,’ and I thought, ‘How profound,’” Diesel said.

The emotional tribute quickly spread across social media, where fans praised the actor’s loyalty to Walker’s memory and the close bond shared by the franchise cast. Clips from the screening circulated widely online, with many viewers commenting on Meadow Walker’s presence beside Diesel during the tribute.

Earlier in the evening, Diesel also reflected on his own history with Cannes. The actor reminded audiences that he first attended the festival more than three decades ago with his short film Multi Facial, long before becoming an international action star.

The screening celebrated the enduring success of the Fast and Furious franchise, which has earned more than $7bn worldwide across 11 films. Universal is currently preparing the final instalment, reportedly titled Fast Forever, for release on March 17, 2028.

Diesel hinted at the emotional importance of completing the saga for longtime fans, telling the audience their support was the reason the franchise continued for so many years.

“What you’re gonna watch tonight is the beginning of one word, and that word is love,” he said. “I love you all.”