The Hollywood film industry is “hot” after the famous director Christopher Nolan unexpectedly gave compliments to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson — whom he called “a rare remaining symbol of Hollywood’s golden age.” However, what made the public explode was not the compliment, but the extremely harsh reaction from Vin Diesel — The Rock’s former co-star and also considered “the archenemy” of the Fast & Furious series.

It all started when Nolan appeared in an interview promoting his new film project. When asked about the action stars he admired, director Oppenheimer did not hesitate to mention The Rock:

“Dwayne Johnson is the embodiment of the spirit of classic cinema. He is not only strong, but also has the honesty, effort and ability to connect with the audience that few people can do in this digital age.”

Just hours after the interview was posted, social media exploded. Thousands of fans expressed their agreement, saying that Nolan — a famous perfectionist director who rarely compliments anyone — had “certified” The Rock’s stature in the global film industry. However, things quickly took a turn when Vin Diesel suddenly posted a meaningful status on Instagram:

“Some people are praised for their physique, others are remembered for their depth. I choose depth.”

This post was quickly understood by netizens as a direct jab at The Rock, especially since the relationship between the two has been tense since Fast & Furious 8. Later, in a short interview, Vin Diesel did not deny when asked about his statement:

“I respect Nolan, but I think there are many actors who deserve to be called action icons. That title does not only come from having muscles or starring in blockbuster movies.”

This statement immediately rekindled the simmering war between the two top action stars in Hollywood. Fans were clearly divided into two camps: The Rock’s supporters said he was a “living legend” with a series of successful blockbusters such as Jumanji, Black Adam, San Andreas and Fast Five, while Vin Diesel’s camp argued that The Rock was only good at commercials and lacked acting depth.

A user on X (Twitter) commented:

“If Nolan praised The Rock, it has a reason. He is not the type of person who easily speaks flowery words.”

But someone else sarcastically said:

“Nolan just said it out of politeness. If we talk about icons, Vin Diesel is the one who keeps the spirit of the classic action series.”

The situation became more tense when some internal sources said that The Rock was “very upset” when hearing Vin Diesel’s rebuttal. A close friend of The Rock told Variety:

“Dwayne is disappointed. He doesn’t want a media war, but if he’s attacked, he won’t stay silent forever.”

Many Hollywood experts believe that this drama could make it difficult for the two stars to reunite on any future Fast & Furious projects, despite Universal’s previous promise that “all possibilities are open.”

Christopher Nolan has yet to respond to the mixed reactions, but fans are waiting to see if The Rock will respond officially. Some fans even joked: “If Nolan makes a movie about the fight between these two, it will break box office records!”

Whether coincidental or unintentional, Christopher Nolan’s praise has once again divided the Hollywood action film industry — between two names that were once symbols of strength, brotherhood, and now… rivals in the public eye.