was born Mark Sinclair in Alameda County, California, along with his fraternal twin brother, Paul Vincent. He was raised by his astrologer/psychologist mother, Delora Sherleen (Sinclair), and adoptive father, Irving H. Vincent, an acting instructor and theater manager, in an artist's housing project in New York City's Greenwich Village. He never knew his biological father. His mother is white (with English, German, Scottish, and Irish ancestry), and his adoptive father is African-American; referring to his biological father's background, Diesel has said that he himself is "definitely a person of colour".
His first break in acting happened by chance, when at the age of seven he and his friends broke into a theatre to vandalize it. A woman stopped them and offered them each a script and $20, on the condition that they would attend everyday after school. From there, Vin's fledgling career progressed from the New York repertory company run by his father, to the Off-Off-Broadway circuit. At age seventeen and already sporting a well-honed physique, he became a bouncer at some of New York's hippest clubs to earn himself some extra cash. It was at this time that he changed his name to Vin Diesel.
Following high school, Vin enrolled as an English major at Hunter College, but dropped out after three years to go to Hollywood to further his acting career. Being an experienced theatre actor did not make any impression in Hollywood and after a year of struggling to make his mark, he returned to New York. His mother then gave him a book called "Feature Films at used Car Prices" by Rick Schmidt. The book showed him that he could take control of his career and make his own movies. He wrote a short film based on his own experiences as an actor, called Multi-Facial (1995), which was shot in less than three days at a cost of $3,000. Multi-Facial (1995) was eventually accepted for the 1995 Cannes Film Festival where it got a tumultuous reception.
Afterwards, Vin returned to Los Angeles and raised almost $50,000 through telemarketing to fund the making of his first feature, Strays (1997). Six months after shooting, the film was accepted for the 1997 Sundance Film Festival, and although it received a good reception, it did not sell as well as hoped. Yet again Vin returned disappointed to New York only to receive a dream phone call. Steven Spielberg was impressed by Multi-Facial(1995) and wanted to meet Vin, leading him to be cast in Salvar al soldado Ryan (1998). Multi-Facial (1995) earned Vin more work, when the director of El gigante de hierro(1999) saw it and decided to cast Vin in the title role. From there, Vin's career has steadily grown, with him securing his first lead role as Richard B. Riddick in the sci-fi film Pitch Black (2000). The role has earned him a legion of devoted fans and the public recognition he deserves.
Since then, he has headlined a series of blockbusters, often but not only centered on fast-driving motor vehicles: The fast and the furious: A todo gas (2001), xXx (2002), Un canguro superduro (2005), Fast & Furious: Aún más rápido (2009), Fast & Furious 5(2011), Fast & Furious 6 (2013), and Fast & Furious 7 (2015). He also voiced Groot in Guardianes de la galaxia (2014) and starred in the lower-budgeted courtroom drama Declaradme culpable (2006), the latter directed by Sidney Lumet. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Lilith <webmistress@vindiesel.co.uk>
Trade Mark
Shaves his head
Muscular physique
Deep voice
Big, lanky boots
Trivia
He worked as a bouncer in New York at the famous nightclubs Tunnel (which has since closed) and Mars.
Has a fraternal twin brother, Paul Vincent, who is a film editor.
Has an Italian Mastiff named "Roman".
Has a younger sister, Samantha and a younger brother in addition to his fraternal twin, Paul.
Ranked #46 in Premiere magazine's 2003 annual Power 100 List. Had ranked #95 in 2002.
Is an admitted fan of "Dungeons and Dragons", and, according to an interview on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) that he played for 24 years.
Was offered the role of Matt Murdock/Daredevil in Daredevil (2003) that eventually went to Ben Affleck.
Vin was born Mark Sinclair in Alameda County, California (where his mother was also born). He later moved to New York City, New York, where he was raised. Vin's mother has English, German, Scottish, and Irish ancestry, while Vin's biological father's identity and background are not publicly known. Vin has described himself as "definitely a person of color". He was raised by his Caucasian mother and African-American stepfather.
Producing partner with George Zakk. Their company is called One Race Productions.
Wrote an original screenplay titled "Doormen" (based on his experiences as a bouncer) as a follow-up to Strays (1997), his directorial debut. However, his acting career exploded and his plans to direct the film fell by the wayside. The concept eventually developed into the Fox Digital Entertainment web series The Ropes (2011), which Diesel created and produced.
During his teens, he performed breakdancing in an instructional video on the subject.
Credits the book "Feature Filmmaking at Used Car Prices" by Rick Schmidt as the one resource above all upon which he built his career. This book, according to Diesel, gave him the tools, knowledge, and most importantly, the inspiration to develop his short film Multi-Facial (1995), which he wrote, produced, directed and starred in.
He was cast opposite Ben Affleck in Operación Reno (2000), but left the production shortly after filming began over concerns with the quality of Ehren Kruger's screenplay and creative differences with director John Frankenheimer.
Revolution Studios wanted him for the title role in Hellboy (2004), but director Guillermo del Toro thought that Ron Perlman was the perfect choice for the role, and would not direct the movie if he was not cast.
Was listed as a potential nominee on both the 2003 and 2004 Razzie Award nominating ballots. He was listed as a suggestion for the Worst Actor category on the 2003 ballot for his performances in the films Ajuste de cuentas (2001) and xXx (2002). And was listed as a suggestion again on the nominating ballot in the Worst Actor category the next year for his role in Diablo (2003). He did not receive either nomination. The following year though, he finally received his first Razzie nomination for Worst Actor in the film Las crónicas de Riddick (2004). However, he did not "win".
Is the cousin of rapper/producer Kwamé "The Boy Genius". Kwame says if you watch his old videos, you'll see Vin in a few of them.
Once worked as a telemarketer, selling light bulbs.
In addition to being considered for the role of Hellboy in 2004, he was also considered for the part of Abe Sapien.
He gained 35 pounds so he could portray Fat Jackie in Declaradme culpable (2006).
Attended Hunter College and got his jump start by Steven Spielberg just like fellow actors Sam Feuer and Edward Burns.
He and his girlfriend, Paloma Jiménez, welcomed their first child, a girl, on April 2, 2008.
Started the video game company Tigon Studios in 2002. They in turn worked on the movie based game The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay (2004). Tigon Studios is now working on more next gen games as well as having a hand in all Vin Diesel-based games.
Revealed that the daughter he welcomed in April 2008, is named Hania Riley. [September 2008]
Wrote a three-page letter to director Steven Spielberg expressing his admiration for his work, particularly La lista de Schindler (1993). Spielberg was impressed with the heartfelt prose, prompting him to invite Diesel into the star-studded cast of Salvar al soldado Ryan(1998).
Lives in Los Angeles, California.
Is close with The fast and the furious: A todo gas (2001) castmates Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson and Michelle Rodriguez.
Vin revealed in several interviews that he has remained extremely close to friend and The fast and the furious: A todo gas (2001) co-star Michelle Rodriguez. His children even refer to her as their aunt.
Traded a cameo in A todo gas: Tokyo Race (2006) for the rights to the character Riddick from Pitch Black (2000) and Las crónicas de Riddick (2004).
Was considered to voice the role of Ultron in Vengadores: La era de Ultrón (2015) before James Spader was cast.
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on August 26, 2013.
His third child, a daughter, is named Pauline after late friend and co-star, Paul Walker. Mother is Paloma Jiménez.
His second child, a boy named Vincent Sinclair, was born in 2010. Mother is Paloma Jiménez.
Personal Quotes
Well, I've worked out for years. For a long time it was my only sense of gratification.
I would get into fights with other bouncers when a guy was already on the floor and the other guys thought it was alright to jump up in the air and land on the guy's head.
[on why he didn't do the "Fast and the Furious" sequel] I was being offered three franchises at the same time: Pitch Black (2000), xXx (2002) and The fast and the furious: A todo gas (2001) -- and I had to choose. I couldn't do all three. [he has since appeared in sequels to all three franchises]
[on the xXx (2002) poster and what it means for his career] This isn't a poster. This is a declaration of war!
[on his mysterious ethnicity] I am definitely a person of color.
[on the planned "Chronicles of Riddick" trilogy] We gave the script to the studio, I bought three leather binders. One said C1, one said C2 and one said C3. They all had locks on them and we only gave the key to C1 to the studio"
In the next film, Riddick is going to go to the underverse. Riddick will act with new elementals. Not air elementals [as Judi Dench's character is] but fire and water. It'll come full circle in C3 when he must return to Furya.
[on Las crónicas de Riddick (2004)] The concept behind switching genres was to create a film that you could continue exploring. In the ending of this movie, it's not just something that says we're opening it up so we can tell another story, it's very specific. A very daring ending because it's left open-ended.
From the very very beginning, when everyone thought it was crazy, I was thinking of Las crónicas de Riddick (2004) as a trilogy. That would start with the movie you saw, and Pitch Black (2000) would act as a prequel that introduced you to the character. So in simple terms, in Chronicles 2 we venture to the Underverse. We knew we could get away with a PG-13 on the first one, but once you go to the Underverse it's rated R, because it's a place where war is the norm and there is constant, constant battling. Then on Chronicles 3 we will see Riddick return to Furya, to deal with the homeland.
I was a bouncer for nine years - it was all I knew how to do - and my training was not to talk loosely... That's still my thought process: Shut your mouth, watch your back and keep working 'til your ass falls off.
With age, you get to a place where you don't want to knock people out. You just want to give people a hug.
When people view me, they don't necessarily see a black man. For that reason, a film like Adivina quién viene esta noche (1967) or Paseando a Miss Daisy (1989) could never work with me in it.
I am truly multi-racial. I never knew my biological father. I've always had less information than I would have liked to have had. All I know from my mother is that I have connections to many different cultures.
[on Multi-Facial (1995)] That film is my tribute to my background. The man who raised me is black. Culturally, he made me who I am. He was a theatre director, so he also guided me artistically.
I act because it's the one time I'm sure of my identity. There's no doubt. It's on paper.
We're in a gaming society now, so people are conditioned to work a little bit for their story. People like to be rewarded for whatever equity they put into your universe.
[on the Fast & Furious and Riddick franchises]: My whole approach to making these movies and to creating these sagas is saying to the studio, 'The audience is paying attention to the nuances and all the story points that lead up to this film. The more you acknowledge that, the better movie you have.'
[on Multi-Facial (1995)] I guess I've always looked past the exterior and the ambiguity that my existence represents. When I was in my mother's stomach, it was still illegal in parts of America for people of color and white people to procreate. Everyone had known me just as a bouncer in New York because I wasn't able to get any work. There was something too ambiguous about the way I look that would prevent me from ever getting a star.
My mom used to say that I became a fighter and a scrapper and a tough guy to protect whom I am at my core. This exterior means that I am actually one of the few people who can show love without coming across as soft.
Salary
Saving Private Ryan (1998) $100.000
The Fast and the Furious (2001) $2.000.000
xXx (2002) $10.000.000
A Man Apart (2003) $2.500.000
The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) $11.500.000
Fast Five (2011) $15.000.000 (including producer fee) ...............................................................................................
