If the hypothetical sequel to The Social Network needs a bonafide action hero to bolster the box office takings, Vin Diesel is keenly placed to play the role of... himself.
It turns out that the 49-year-old star of the xXx and Fast and the Furious franchises has struck up a somewhat unlikely friendship with Mark Zuckerberg, one strong enough to influence the parts Diesel decides to play.
In a new New York Times chat, the actor revealed that the Facebook founder is such a big fan of his onscreen work that he knows the lines better than Diesel himself.
Oh, and you also have Zuck to thank for the recent release of xXx: Return of Xander Cage.
Diesel said of the tech billionaire:
"I love him. He's such a great guy and he's a fan of my work.
"He probably encouraged me more than anyone else to return to Xander Cage. We were hanging out up at Facebook about two years ago, and I was excited about Fast 7.
"He said, 'You know what movie I'd most like to see is the return of Xander Cage'. It's at a point where if Mark and I are together and if I quote a line from a character I played and I do it slightly wrong, he'll correct me. It's embarrassing!"
In a Facebook Live interview with Diesel last December, Zuckerberg said:
"When we first met, one of the things that struck me about you is how authentically a geek you were. And I say that as a geek myself with love in my heart."
