Paul Walter Hauser is offering a sincere apology to Vin Diesel after Inside Out 2 star “talked too much and made a careless and unnecessarily mean comment” about the Fast and furious star.
Hauser, 37, was in the middle of a press conference last month for Pixar’s new animated film when a reporter with CinemaBlend compared his character, Embarrassment, to Diesel’s performance as Groot in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hauser, however, didn’t accept it well to this comparison.
“Please don’t say that,” he told the outlet. “I like to think I’m punctual and accessible.”
Hauser added: “I love people, but when I hear stories about Hollywood actors who are overpaid and mistreating people… I call them out constantly, and it’s incredible.”
About 10 days after those comments went viral, Hauser is clarifying his stance on a long Instagram caption which quotes a Bible verse. Hauser explained that his comment “started out somewhat humorous, but devolved” into him “picking on” Diesel “for behavior that I had heard on multiple occasions from multiple sources.”
Hauser and Diesel, 56, have never worked together.
O I, Tonya The star said fatigue played a role in him not being careful with his words. He explained that he had done a night shoot on a Friday, slept for an hour, and then flew from Atlanta to Los Angeles at 6 a.m. to do a full day of press for Inside Out 2.
“I was exhausted and in my fatigued state I said too much and made a careless and unnecessarily mean comment,” he said.
He added: “I’m just here to say I’m sorry for making that comment. I genuinely get upset about some of the behavior I’ve witnessed or heard about, and ‘outing’ people to any extent can be momentarily gratifying. I no longer feel that way and I’m sincerely sorry for talking too much and showing no love for Vin, who I don’t know and have never met. It’s not fair of me to make judgments like that, and even if some of these things are true, it’s mean to yell and playfully attack someone.”
To close his caption, Hauser — who earlier this year accepted his Primetime Emmy barefoot — personally apologized to Diesel and even tagged his Instagram profile while praising his work.
“@vindisel – I apologize,” he wrote. “Thank you for entertaining so many people and making them happy. I’m trying to do the same. Time to be quiet. Sometimes I talk to myself and become an idiot.”
Diesel has not publicly commented on the offense or the apology.
Diesel starred in all 10 films of the acclaimed Fast and furious franchise, although he already had a public coming and going with Dwayne Johnson after an alleged rivalry was triggered after Johnson’s introduction to the Fast and furious franchise in 2011 Fast and furious 5.
The pair, however, appeared to put the past behind them as Johnson, 52, returned for a X fast post-credits scene — all but confirming that he’ll also be back for the 11th Fast film. Johnson will also star in an upcoming Focused on Hobbs Fast and furious film that will bridge the gap between X fast It is the next Fast X: Part II.
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