A playfully imagined Disney animated character feud might have hit a little too close to home for Paul Walter Hauser.
The Inside Out 2 voice actor alluded to some rumors of Vin Diesel mistreating people in the industry when he took offense to a reported comparing him to the actor, who voices Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy.
“Please don’t say that,” Hauser told CinemaBlend. “I like to think I’m on time and approachable. Sorry, I love people, but when I hear stories about Hollywood actors who get paid really well and mistreat people, I out them constantly. And it’s a blast.”
Deadline has reached out to Diesel’s rep for comment.
Diesel has previously been the subject of similar rumors after a reported on-set feud with Fast & Furious franchise co-star Dwayne Johnson, who aired his grievances with unnamed co-stars in since-deleted 2016 social media posts.
Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson in Fast & Furious 6 (2013). (Universal Pictures)
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“My female co-stars are always amazing and I love ’em,” he wrote at the time. “My male co-stars however are a different story. Some conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don’t. The ones that don’t are too chicken shit to do anything about it anyway. Candy asses.
Johnson added, “When you watch this movie next April and it seems like I’m not acting in some of these scenes and my blood is legit boiling — you’re right. Bottom line is it’ll play great for the movie and fits this Hobbs character that’s embedded in my DNA extremely well.”
The WWE star later told Rolling Stone that although they filmed their scenes for 2017’s The Fate of the Furious separately, he said he harbors “no ill will” toward Diesel.
“Vin and I had a few discussions, including an important face-to-face in my trailer,” said Diesel in 2018. “And what I came to realize is that we have a fundamental difference in philosophies on how we approach moviemaking and collaborating. It took me some time, but I’m grateful for that clarity. Whether we work together again or not.”
