The Hollywood film industry has just witnessed a very heated “indirect criticism” between the two most famous action stars in the world – Vin Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. After The Rock’s new movie, The Smashing Machine, only earned $6 million in its first weekend – a record low in his career, Vin Diesel did not miss the opportunity to make some meaningful comments that caused a stir in public opinion.

In a short interview in Los Angeles, when asked about The Smashing Machine’s disappointing opening, Vin Diesel chuckled and said:

“He’s past his prime, that’s obvious. The way he tries to be strong, to prove himself… it’s not effective anymore. At one time, what he did was valuable, but now it’s different. Always trying to be the center of the universe, and eventually, everyone realizes that hypocrisy.”

This statement caused social networks to explode. A series of The Rock’s fans reacted strongly, saying that Vin Diesel was taking the opportunity to “show off” to his old rival, while many agreed that The Rock was really “running out of steam” in his career.

The tension between Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson is not new. The two once collaborated on the famous Fast & Furious series, but the relationship quickly fell apart due to personality conflicts and huge egos. Since 2017, The Rock announced his departure from the Fast & Furious franchise, and since then, they have barely seen each other.

This time, Vin Diesel’s “taunt” is considered the first public blow after many years of cold war. A source close to People revealed:

“Vin always felt that The Rock was not being sincere in their relationship. When The Smashing Machine failed, he took it as a kind of ‘karma’. But whatever, Vin Diesel should be careful — because The Rock has more fans than he thinks.”

As for Dwayne Johnson, he has remained silent in the face of offensive comments. However, in an Instagram post a few hours after Vin Diesel’s statement went viral, The Rock wrote succinctly:

“Success isn’t about never failing, it’s about getting back up every time you fall. I’m still on that journey.”

The post received millions of likes and hundreds of thousands of supportive comments. Many praised The Rock for his calm and professional attitude, not putting anyone down to lift himself up.

Hollywood analysts say Vin Diesel’s comments could backfire, as his image has been associated with his “arrogant and arrogant” personality on set. Some comments on Reddit even sarcastically said:

“Vin Diesel should thank The Rock, because it was his appearance that helped revive the Fast & Furious series. Without The Rock, this franchise would have ended long ago.”

Although The Smashing Machine had low revenue, experts still appreciated The Rock’s efforts to challenge himself in psychological roles instead of pure action roles. A critic from Variety wrote:

“Dwayne Johnson bravely tried something new. Maybe the audience wasn’t ready, but he is showing true maturity in the art of acting.”

Meanwhile, Vin Diesel is said to be focusing on the sequel to Fast & Furious, scheduled for release in 2026. But after his latest statement, his image is once again associated with jealousy and envy.

The secret war between the two “muscle giants” of Hollywood seems to have no end. One side tries to maintain a steadfast and professional image, the other side chooses to be sarcastic to assert itself. And the audience — as usual — witnessed another top-notch drama in the American cinema world, where ego is sometimes bigger than fame.