Moritz says, “Because of the incredible
response to The Fast and the Furious, we knew we had struck
a chord with young audiences. I believe we had tapped into
a culture—the very urban world of street racing. It
really resonated with our fans, who continued to support
the film when it hit the streets on DVD and video—I
mean, it really just exploded again, allowing even more people
a chance to take the ride. We knew they were ready for another
film, but only if we delivered one with the same authenticity
and edge as the first. Well, we’ve done just that.”
And as if Moritz and the team behind
those fast and furious projects needed any more evidence
that the youth culture
was hungry for more, studies conducted by Teen Research Unlimited
or TRU (a marketing research firm specializing exclusively
in teenagers) confirmed the phenomenon: in both TRU’s
Fall 2002 and Spring 2003 study results, The Fast and the
Furious was ranked as teens’ all-time favorite movie.
For Oscar®-nominated director John Singleton, watching
the original film gave him an eerie sense of déjà vu.
Singleton explains, “When I saw The Fast and the Furious,
I was like, ‘Damn, why didn’t I think of that?’ Growing
up in South Central L.A., we had street races all the time.
We sort of had car shows along Crenshaw
Boulevard, people lining up their cars with the snazzy
wheel rims and hydraulics.
And late at night, they’d race between Crenshaw and
Florence, and into Inglewood and around Centinela Park. I
referenced it in Boyz N the Hood.”
The director sides with Moritz on the fact that the world
of street racing is one that most young audiences either
want to see or be a part of. He feels that speed is endemic
to the urban lifestyle and, as such, perfect subject matter
for seat-of-your-pants moviegoing. He happily signed on to
helm 2 Fast 2 Furious.
As production got underway, the filmmakers
were again reminded that they were capturing a popular
way of life that is continuing
to burgeon—which began clearly evident during a particular
weekend during pre-production.
Singleton, Moritz and the screenwriters
were in total agreement that the original’s success was due mostly to its freshness…in
everything from the visuals of it to the wheels driving in
it. So, they turned to custom race enthusiasts themselves
to get a look at what was scoring with drivers and turning
heads with on-lookers.
Singleton reflects, “We put
a casting call out on the West Coast for owners to submit
their cars for use in
the film. We made a couple of contacts and put out a notice
on the Internet for drivers to convene in a parking lot in
Santa Monica. There was only about a 36-hour notice, so we
expected about 100 cars or so.
On the day of the call, there were
traffic jams in the area because drivers with more than
700 cars showed up, some from
as far away as Seattle. There is definitely a car culture
out there, and by doing this, we were able to pick up on
what is contemporary now and project what’s coming—and
what’s coming is what’s in the film. I want people
to come to this film and then emulate the cars onscreen.”
Much like building their four-wheeled stars, the filmmakers
gave a great deal of attention to creating the onscreen characters
who drive the vehicles and are they themselves driven by
them. The locations and situations depicted in the original
Los Angeles-set film had been covered.
It was decided that the conflicted
character of the disgraced (now fugitive) cop O’Connor (as played by Paul Walker)
would be the through line to the next high-octane story;
his driving prowess would provide him with the opportunity
to restore his name. And this would take him to another city,
where the nighttime streets come alive with the roaring of
engines—the humid, gritty streets of Miami.
Another lure to filmmakers, particularly
Singleton, was that there were no color limitations, within
the cars or
the cast. The setting of Miami is itself a character of mixed
heritage, resulting in everything from pastel-tinged architecture,
stunning beach vistas and pricey real estate to urban sprawl,
multi-generational families and varied, vibrant neighborhoods
populated literally by citizens from around the globe—all
exciting opportunities to add to the excitement in the film.
Familiar landmarks such as the Seven-Mile Bridge in the
Florida Keys, Homestead Air Force Base with its U.S. Customs
headquarters, as well as the former Coral Gables mansion
of actor Sylvester Stallone are among the many locations
used by the production.
“Because of the sleeper success of The Fast and the
Furious, we needed to repeat the excitement created by the
first film, but also turn it up a few notches,” observes
producer Moritz. “By having an accomplished director
such as John Singleton shoot the next film, he has brought
a gritty realism to the story. Combine that with exciting
stunts and the attractive, talented cast, and the film delivers
on many levels.”
The Stars
Paul Walker’s return as Brian O’Connor is not
just another turn in a familiar role. Singleton asked even
more of the tough, blond Californian—which included
Walker continuing and increasing his high-speed driving training
in order to include him in even more racing scenes. (This
allowed Singleton to bring the camera along for more of the
ride, staying with O’Connor inside the vehicles he
controls—more on that below.)
Himself a car enthusiast (and a self-confessed
pedal-to-the-metal driver), Walker comments, “I was glad to come back
because I knew that the fans would want to see it. Rarely
do you have the luxury of going into a movie that you know
a lot of people want to see. This film is going to be bigger
and better, especially the driving sequences. We are just
taking it one step further. This time around, we went for
more exotic cars. We have a Nissan Skyline R-34, which isn’t
even available in the States, and a Mitsubishi Evolution
7, just out this year. That is what makes it fun for the
car enthusiasts.”
About working with John Singleton,
Walker says, “We
had a blast together. His enthusiasm really kept me going.
John’s a guy who really loves movies, so when he sets
up a shot, everything is an analogy, he’s not telling
you how to do it. He is genuinely excited.”
The young star heaps equal high praise
on his onscreen partner, the singer/actor Tyrese Gibson,
stepping into the role of
fast-talking ex-con Roman Pearse. Walker elaborates, “Tyrese
said to me, ‘Hey, man, I’m a singer, not an actor!’ And
I told him he’s kidding himself. He’s a natural.
What’s great is that he brings an amazing amount of
credibility, street credibility—you hear actors talking
about coming from tough neighborhoods, that sort of thing.
Tyrese is the real deal, and he feels it’s his duty
to bring that history and honesty to the screen. He’s
also a dynamic, funny man.”
When asked about stepping into a
role in a film with such high expectations, Tyrese explains
that he did not feel any
pressure. “When you are given the opportunity such
as this, you just need to bring yourself to the film. After
seeing my performance in Baby Boy, Universal approached me
about the role. And like I was thrilled to take it,” he
adds.
Gibson found the car culture depicted
in the screenplay different from the one he was familiar
with growing up in
Los Angeles. He comments, “The story depicts a lot
more detail than I ever knew about. It’s a brand new
experience for me. In the film, they race for pink slips.
We kind of do it another way…”
About the partnership between O’Connor and Pearse,
Gibson jokes, “I think Paul and I have a lot of chemistry
because, basically, I am from the ‘hood and he is this
white boy from Huntington Beach.”
Cast as O’Connor’s entrée into Verone’s
world is Eva Mendes, portraying undercover agent Monica Fuentes…who
may herself have wavering loyalties.
But it was Mendes’ loyalty to filmmaker Singleton
that led her to the role. She says, “What really attracted
me to the role was John Singleton, I’ve always liked
his work—where he’s come from and what he says
about it in his films.”
The talented newcomer also had other
motives behind taking on the role. Mendes offers, “I have a lead foot. My
first car was a ‘66 Mustang, and I love fast, muscle
cars. And I have it out for [producer] Neal Moritz, because
my character doesn’t even get to drive!”
Actor Cole Hauser, who plays the
film’s heavy, Carter
Verone, previously worked with director Singleton on his
film Higher Learning. Hauser relishes getting to step into
the expensive shoes of Verone who, he says, “has a
bunch of different colors—he’s charming, he’s
the kind of guy that everyone’s after, plus he’s
got his hands in everything in Miami…legitimate businesses
like clubs and real estate, but also drugs and money laundering.”
Playing villains is something the
actor admits he enjoys, explaining, “There are no walls. If you play a hero,
you have to act a certain way, but being a bad guy, it’s
up to your imagination—you can do as you please. And
working with John [Singleton] is a gift. He keeps instilling
confidence in you, which allows you go further out on a limb
and deliver the goods.”
“I also have to give all props due to my man, John
Singleton,” adds accomplished recording artist Chris “Ludacris” Bridges,
cast in the role of racing ringleader/promoter Tej (the first
time the entertainer will have portrayed anyone other than
himself onscreen).
“He personally asked me to try out for the part. He’d
seen my videos, and said he thought I’d be perfect.
I nailed it, I mean, I was totally up for the challenge.”
Ludacris’ natural personality and presence dovetailed
perfectly with a character the performer himself dubs, “the
P.T. Barnum in this insane, crazy automobile circus that
goes down in this movie.”
Rounding out the large cast of characters
also participating in the “automobile circus” are
such familiar faces James Remar (as Federal Agent Markham)
along with relative
newcomers, such as popular model Devon Aoki (cast as Suki,
the lone female driver in the male-dominated Miami street
racing scene depicted) and rapper Jin (as Jimmy).
Prior to filming 2 Fast 2 Furious,
Aoki had never driven anything other than a golf cart.
The exotic beauty earned
her driver’s license and then gamely undertook a “crash” course
in professional racing to prepare her for the role where
she fearlessly challenges the male drivers on the streets
of Miami in her pink Honda.
“Don’t let the paint job fool you,” Aoki
admonishes. “It may be pink, but it’s a very
powerful car. It can really whip around.”
The character of Jimmy works as the “go-to” guy
for garage owner Tej, and the young star found similarities
between his onscreen personae and himself. Of his character,
Jin says, “He’s young, energetic and likes to
have fun—his life revolves around the races and being
Tej’s right hand man. Working with someone like Ludacris,
I can totally relate.”
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