• Though an experienced New York theater actor, Vin Diesel had trouble attracting roles in Hollywood when he first came to California in the early 1990s. He made his own films as vehicles for himself before he broke into Hollywood. Steven Spielberg saw one of those films, and eventually cast him in the ensemble film Saving Private Ryan. Within a few years, Diesel found himself at the center of three burgeoning franchises: Pitch Black, XXX and The Fast and the Furious. He ended up only making a sequel to the first film, though he made a brief cameo in the the third The Fast and the Furious movie. He will be reprising his drag racing role on a larger scale in the fourth installment in the franchise, set for release in 2009.

• Fast Facts

  1. Birth name: Mark Sinclair Vincent
  2. Born: July 18, 1967
  3. Birthplace: New York, New York
  4. Breakthrough role: Saving Private Ryan
  5. Provided the voice for The Iron Giant
  6. Big Dungeons & Dragons fan
  7. Height: 6 feet
  8. Attended Hunter College
  9. Worked as a bouncer at New York clubs
  10. April 2008: Daughter born

• Vin Diesel Notable Roles

  1. 2006: Jack DiNorscio in Find Me Guilty
  2. 2005: Lieutenant Shane Wolfe in The Pacifier
  3. 2001: Dominic Toretto in The Fast and the Furious
  4. 2000: Richard B. Riddick in Pitch Black
  5. 1998: Private Caparzo in Saving Private Ryan

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Paul Walker | Sidney Lumet | Steven Spielberg | Rob Cohen | Tom Hanks | Matt Damon | The Fast and the Furious Film Series | Saving Private Ryan | Pitch Black | The Pacifier | Find Me Guilty | Boiler Room Movie | XXX The Return of Xander Cage

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