Vin Diesel was born on July 18, 1967 to the name Mark Sinclair Vincent. He never knew his biological father, but was raised by his mother, Delora Sherleen, and step father, Irving H. Vincent. His step father was an acting instructor and theatre manager. With that said, his acting career began by chance when him and friends broke into a theatre to vandalize it and a woman caught them, gave them scripts, $20 and told them they must come back every day after school. Since then his career has constantly grown bigger over time.
image via INFphoto.com
While working as an off-Broadway actor, he took a job as a bouncer in the city. It was around this time that he changed his name to Vin Diesel. He would eventually drop out of college and move to Hollywood in hopes of expanding his acting career. After barely any success, he returned to New York when he decided to write his own short film. Shot in less than three days at a cost of only $3,000, Multi-Facial (1995) was accepted into he 1995 Cannes Film Festival where it got a decent reception.
This would be the platform to expand his career as the likes of Steve Spielberg would see the film and eventually call up Vin to meet with him. He eventually cast him on the big Tom Hanks film Saving Private Ryan (1998).
Today, he is ready to see his newest film released, Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). In light of that, here are his top ten films of all time.
[new page = 10. Fast & Furious 6, 2013]
In the most recent film of the fast and furious series, Vin Diesel is facing his most dangerous opponent yet. However, none of that matters. He just found out that his old girlfriend, a woman he believed to be dead, was in indeed alive and working with the man he is tasked to hunt down. He needs no other reason to help out the police and his emotion and intensity can be seen throughout the film.
[new page = 9. The Chronicles of Riddick, 2004]
In the second film of the Riddick trilogy, Vin Diesel is once again trying to save the day. A race of people called ‘the Necromongers’ have set out to kill or convert everyone in the universe. Vin’s character is facing his destiny and it can be seen throughout the film that he is working towards salvation even when he doesn’t know it.
[new page = 8. Fast & Furious, 2009]
Vin Diesel is an escaped convict living in Mexico. When his girlfriend does a job for the police to potentially bring him home, she is killed. He doesn’t need any more motivation to go after the people who killed her. His intensity is definitely present and his character just seems like a man on a mission.
[new page = 7. Boiler Room, 2000]
Diesel works for a suburban investment firm. He loves to make money and doesn’t ask questions when money is continually flowing in. However, when things start to change and questions circumference whether or not their firm exists, the characters begin to change as well.
[new page = 6. The Iron Giant, 1999]
While Vin Diesel doesn’t have that many lines in this film, it is still an awesome film. He does a great job at voicing an alien robot who befriends a young boy.
[new page = 5. Find Me Guilty, 2006]
Vin Diesel is playing Jack DiNorscio, a former mobster who defended himself in trial. Based on a true story, Diesel does a great job at capturing the voice of the character. He is very believable in the role and does a great job commanding his audience when making a long speech.
[new page = 4. The Fast and The Furious, 2001]
The original fast and furious, Vin Diesel is an elite street racer who is being watched by the FBI. He is slick and cool throughout the film but you do not want to make him mad. He has an anger problem and it shows throughout. His best scene comes at the end when an emotional Paul Walker lets him free after all they had been through.
[new page = 3. xXx, 2002]
Vin Diesel is an extreme sports enthusiast, and that is an understatement. However, when he is recruited by a government agency to help take down an international criminal, things get a little out of hand. He does a great job playing the badass character that he is supposed to be. The best scene however comes when Samuel L. Jackson decides to test him in the very beginning at the diner.
[new page = 2. Saving Private Ryan, 1998]
Diesel has a smaller role in this film, but it is still one of his best performances. He is somewhat comical at times and plays a member of Tom Hank’s unit. Ironically his best scene comes with his death.
[new page = 1. Pitch Black, 2000]
This movie is simply awesome. Diesel plays a badass criminal throughout the universe that simply has everything figured out. He almost knows what is going to happen in every situation. He has this smirk on his face throughout the film that epitomizes his character. He was the perfect cast for this role.