Helen Mirren Shares Hilarious Story About Filming F9 Car Scene With Vin Diesel

The Academy Award-winning actress reprises her role in the Fast and Furious franchise as criminal mastermind Queenie, and this time Helen Mirren is taking the wheel alongside Vin Diesel.

Watch: Helen Mirren Is a Total BADASS in “Fast & Furious 9”

Helen Mirren is a Dame action star. 

The legendary Academy Award winner exclusively dished on reprising her badass role of Queenie in the Fast & Furious franchise with E! News’ Daily Pop co-host Justin Sylvester.

Even her husband Taylor Hackford was shocked that Mirren took on F9, premiering June 25. “He did a double take, ‘say what? Are you serious?'” Mirren laughed during the June 3 interview. “I’m so excited, it’s fantastic.” 

F9 also marks the first time Mirren gets to be behind the wheel of a Fast & Furious car. “I got to drive, finally,” Mirren quipped. “I’ve done two movies, ‘Oh Fast & Furious, here comes the script. Oh I’m in jail. I won’t be driving. I can’t be driving in jail.’ And then this one arrived and yes, here I am in the getaway car, great, with Vin [Diesel]. Fabulous!”

Yet driving so fast and so furious came with its own set of difficulties—including just fitting into the luxury vehicle! “Both Vin and I had great difficulty getting in, and then even more difficulty trying to get out, especially Vin because he’s really big,” Mirren smiled. “It was very funny.”

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Fast & Furious‘s Best Franchise Characters

It’s quite a love-fest between the co-stars. Diesel previously described working with Mirren on eighth film The Fate of the Furious a “magical” experience.

“No one else in the room mattered. Nothing existed but this bond between her and I,” Diesel told Indiewire in 2018. “It’s probably her which is why The Fate of the Furious was [one of] the fastest movies in history to hit a billion dollars.”

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Watch the sweet clip above to see Mirren gush about working on F9 and her plan to snap selfies next to her massive Sunset Boulevard billboard!

See This Touching Throwback Photo of "Eternal" Brothers Paul Walker and Vin Diesel

Nearly a decade since Paul Walker's death, his Fast & Furious co-star Vin Diesel continues to honor their infinite bond. See the actor's moving message about his beloved castmate.

Watch: Paul Walker’s Daughter Reunites With Vin Diesel’s Kids

While they’ve been apart for nearly a decade, it’s clear Vin Diesel will always carry Paul Walker in his heart. 

On Sunday, June 6, the star of the upcoming F9 got a sweet reminder of his late co-star and friend when Paul’s only child, 22-year-old Meadow Walker, sent him a touching throwback photo. In the picture, Vin and Paul’s coordination is picture perfect as they smile in black shirts and similar sunglasses. 

“Weeks away from the F9 release… in preproduction for the finale that starts only months from now,” Vin explained in the caption of his Instagram post. “@meadowwalker sends me this image and tells me how happy the photo makes her feel.”

“Naturally,” he continued, “one gets filled with emotion, purpose and ultimately gratitude. Eternal brotherhood is a blessing beyond words.”

The blockbuster star concluded the caption, “Hope to make you proud… All love, Always.” The heartbreaking picture has since amassed more than 2 million likes, including a simple, but ultra sweet comment from Meadow: “I love you.”

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Paul Walker and Daughter Meadow Walker’s Cutest Moments

The two families have made their love for each other known over the years. When Meadow celebrated her 21st birthday in 2019, she got a special shout-out from “Uncle Vin” on Instagram. 

“I could say that I am so proud of the person you are becoming… but the truth is I have always been proud of you,” he wrote to her at the time. “Happy Birthday Meadow! I know it’s your 21st and you wanted to go big in Japan, but the family has a cake waiting for you when you get home, so hurry. Love you kid.”

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Meadow had recently turned 15 years old when her famous dad tragically died in a car crash in 2013. He was 40 years old at the time of his shocking passing, one that sent shockwaves through Hollywood and devastated his Fast & Furious family. 

“Seven years…Not a day passes…,” Vin wrote on Instagram in November, commemorating the anniversary of Paul’s death. “All love, Always.”

(E! and Universal Pictures are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)