The stars of Fast & Furious 7 filtered into the UAE over the weekend ahead of filming in the capital, with several taking to social media to post the news to their fans.
The most prolific on Facebook and Instagram, Tyrese Gibson charted his arrival in near real-time, posting a photo of himself and co-stars Vin Diesel and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, an inspirational video shot from his Emirates Palace suite – “self-love is the cure for self-hate” was the prevalent theme – as well as another where he jokes about ordering around his personal butler. On Saturday morning, he posted a photo of himself with his late co-star Paul Walker early in the franchise.
“Were gonna make you proud P!” he wrote.
The cast have all been conscious to honour their former cast member, who died suddenly late last year in a fiery car crash nearby an event for his charity.
On April 6 Vin Diesel uploaded a video to his Facebook page introducing a trainer who was helping produce a key fight scene in the film.
“He was Paul Walker’s Jiu-Jitsu teacher, so I met him through my brother [Paul Walker], it made all the sense in the world to invite him into our world, so he could put his stamp of approval on it because he knows how important it is for this film to be the best film in honour of my brother Paul Walker,” he says.
Gibson’s trip marks a return to the UAE after spending most of December in Dubai, including his birthday and New Year’s Eve, hanging out with Will Smith, his wife Jada Pinkett Smith and the performer Maxwell. He also posted footage of himself and his co-star Michelle Rodriguez sitting in first class aboard an Etihad Airways flight.
Rodriguez sits beside him, chatting on the phone and waving at the camera.
“Yeah baby,” she says. “Better than a G6.”
Diesel took another route, on Tuesday posting a picture on his Facebook page with the caption “Tunisia... Carthage... yeah, I was there...P.s. About to take a long flight to Dubai, for the first time…”
On Tuesday, at a party held by Marie Claire magazine in Los Angeles, the actress and cast member Jordana Brewster told E! News there is “definitely a key element missing”.
“I’m sure it will be very bittersweet,” she said. “We all just want to honour Paul going back.”
amcqueen@thenational.ae