“They taught us how to drift two weeks before we started shooting.
I mean, it was like jet fuel we were putting in these cars.
And then at the end of the week I got a paycheck to do it!
John Johnson / Universal
It was awesome.”
But, just like Sean did with Neela (Nathalie Kelley), Black eventually wore his director down.
“I’m like, ‘Justin, you got to let me drift,'” he recalls.
Everett Collection
“He’s like, ‘No, no, you’re free to’t do it.’
And he’s like, ‘Alright, Lucas.
Whenever there’s a time, I’ll let you know.’
So it’s not like your normal, regular setup on a movie.
Justin comes up to me and says, ‘Hey, now’s your time.’
That’s all he said.
And I was like, ‘Yes!
You got it!'”
“Just being a part ofFast & Furiousis incredible and a huge success for me,” Black says.
“It was blessing to see that it was one of those films that stood out from the franchise.
That’s what’s so unique aboutTokyo Drift, it kind of has its own following.
ButTokyo Driftstands out different, and I’m proud of that.”
“There was always talk of bringing my character back,” he says.
“And so when they called me for7, you just want to know what that entails.
And so they made it happen forF9, and we’ll see what happens from there.”
And I said, “That’s me.
That’s me, Justin.”
Because he wanted somebody to have a bloody nose with a tissue in it.
And that’s my favorite scene ofTokyo Drift.
Welcome back to EWs BINGE ofThe Fast Saga, full transcripts of which are available on ew.com.
I’m Derek Lawrence, aka, the guy who went as Dominic Toretto for two straight Halloweens.
Chanelle are you ready to drift into an episode all aboutThe Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift?
I’ve always loved all the Fast movies.
I hate the word cult, because I feel like… ButTokyo Driftreally felt like that, and it was the slow momentum for the film.
But today it’s the new DK himself, and no, that doesn’t stand for Donkey Kong.
We’ve got Lucas Black aka Sean Boswell on the show to talk about the third film.
Which as we said, has had quite the journey since its release in 2006.
So I’ll describe it as it was supposed to be at the time.
So it’s all about the next generation, that’s how they had envisioned it.
We meet these new characters.
Of course, the main one being Sean Boswell.
He loves cars and racing so much.
Amazing, amazing, amazing time for us, and every time you revisit it, it’s awesome.
And he’s so cool.
And then, that all culminates in big race down a mountain, which is insane.
Like I said, it’s quite the Fast debut for Justin and for Sung and for Lucas.
And we’re really excited that they’re all back together for F9.
And so we’re thrilled to be around Lucas Black.
So let’s go to that chat now.
Lucas, welcome to our binge ofFast and Furious.
Oh man, it’s good to be here.
Appreciate you guys having me.
We’re super excited to talkTokyo Drift.
I mean already a great film, but I think the legend has even grown over the years.
So how would you in 10 seconds summarizeTokyo Drift.
Exhilarating and burning lots of rubber.
Is it a scene?
Is it, I don’t know, a day on set?
What do you think of?
Well, a line that gets said to me a lot is, what does DK stand for?
And Sean Boswell replies, “Donkey Kong.”
That’s a good one.
I love that so much.
I know, something.
Maybe there’s still an opportunity there.
Were you a fan already?
Or did you not really… Obviously, they were came out not too long beforeTokyo Driftdid
Yes.
…so did you have any relationship with them before?
I’ve watched them both and enjoyed them.
I was 24 when I didTokyo Driftand so they came out in my early 20s.
And, yeah, they were films that were fun to watch.
It was toward the end, I think, he was looking at that mansion.
And he says, “You got any food up in there?
Because we hungry bro.”
I love that line.
The way he says hungry is perfection.
And so that was a line that we used a lot.
because we hungry bro.
So how didTokyo Drift… How were you first told about it?
How did that come into your life?
You must’ve been excited too, being a fan of the other two movies.
And was really intrigued that it was something different than the other two, a different style of racing.
Can you still drift?
Do you still have it?
It’s been 15 years.
So I give a shot to stay away from it in my private life.
But I was so excited when they wrote that scene for me.
I still got a little bit in me.
I’m ready to drift.
Hey, we need to go.
We need to go.
Yeah, I think you even have… That wasn’t written in the script.
I was like, “Hey, still got it.
Still got it.”
What a great nod.
And, obviously, he went to write on all of them up until nine.
He talked about a lot of different forms that this project took.
And then there was talk, maybe this was straight to DVD at one point.
But then, obviously, it becomes a big release in theaters and does really well.
Well, I wasn’t in any of those conversations, but I had high expectations as an actor.
I guess, I was pretty confident, still am.
So while we were filming, it felt like a big-budget project and a blockbuster hit to me.
ButTokyo Driftof stands out different, the fans remember that one particular movie different than all the others.
And so I was proud of that.
So when you saw the script and everything, was Han in there?
Did you get to talk to him at all, before things were finalized?
How did that exactly work?
What was the timeline there?
Well, I don’t really remember.
So it was fun, man.
We had fun with it.
It was such a relaxed feel onTokyo Drift.
And I think that was from the leadership of Justin Lin.
And I know Sung Kang thinks the same way, because we talk about it.
So it was a good time.
What was it like a filming in Tokyo?
It was obviously a culture shock for Sean.
Was it a bit of the same for you?
Oh, yeah, absolutely.
And so, I ate tons and tons and tons of sushi, till I got tired of it.
But after about two weeks, I was craving the American food.
Where can I find some Western culture food.
But yeah, it was a shell shock, culture shock, definitely.
You stand out when you go to Japan.
It was just, you’re soaking it all in.
Like when I went to Japan and Tokyo, you’re just kind of taking it all in.
We went to Mount Fuji.
But Bow Wow, I remember that he was, I think, 19 at the time.
And so I remember that, vividly, we had some battles in the trailer.
What was it like filming the…
So what was it like doing some of those long driving sequences through the crowded streets of Tokyo?
Why’d you let me race with your car?
You knew I was going to wreck it.
Sung Kang:
Why not?
Because this is a lot of money.
It’s trust and character I need around me.
Who choose to be around you, let’s you know who you are.
Look at all those people down there.
They follow the rules for what?
They’re letting fear lead them.
What happens if they don’t?
Life’s simple, you make choices, and you don’t look back.
I will say this.
So they taught me how to drift, so I wanted to do it, while we were filming.
I’m like, “Justin, you got to let me drift.
Man, I know how to drift.”
I would go up to him, be like, “Justin.
Let me drift.”
He’s like, “No, no, you could’t do it.
you’ve got the option to’t do it on this scene.”
And I’m like, “All right.
So one day, we were filming in downtown LA, I remember.
And it was Han’s garage, was in downtown LA.
And so I take Justin, and I’m like, “Justin come with me.”
He’s like, “Where are we going?”
So I get him in the car.
So I took him to that spot and drifted to show him, because he hadn’t…
I’ll let you know when it’s possible for you to drift.”
We’re tuning it.
We’re practicing for the big race at the end.
We’re going down that mountain, practicing.
Justin comes up to me.
This was like a BMW with a crane and a camera on it.
And that’s all he said.
That was all he said.
And I was like, “Yes.
You got it.”
So I got to do some drifting in that scene, and that was awesome.
But I got to do some, so I was super pumped that Justin gave me the okay.
And I got to drift a little.
You talk about Shibuya Crossing, and this will tell you a lot about my Fast fandom.
And I stood in the middle when they did the cross, I took a picture.
I was like, Sean drew drove through here.
It felt like history.
It felt like history.
I definitely did something similar.
Do you have a favorite scene, thinking back onTokyo Drift?
… on the back and a slapstick a gearshift.
Literally, I could spin the tires in third gear going 60 miles an hour.
And I said, “That’s me.
That’s me Justin.”
Because he wanted somebody to have a bloody nose with a tissue in it.
And that’s my favorite scene ofTokyo Drift, favorite moment right there.
Because I love it, every time it-
Yep.
It gets me every time.
I love hearing that that was kind of an on-the-moment spot.
That’s too perfect.
It’s such a great character note too.
Like you said, it just encompasses who Sean is.
Literally, like a NASCAR, over 500 horsepower.
And so I did that, off camera.
I like to say I’m on the right side of history, I want to seeTokyo Drift.
I couldn’t believe it.
I couldn’t believe it.
So what’s your reaction?
You’re a fan of those original movies.
So when you hear, “Oh, we’re bringing Vin back.
You’re filming a scene with him to go at the end.”
What was your reaction?
We do it a couple of takes.
Because he was gripping it tight for the camera to look cut up and flexed.
And so I was laughing, man.
I was dying, laughing.
I was like, thank goodness, he can at least make fun of himself a little bit.
So that was cool.
That was cool to see.
But, yeah, it was exciting.
It brought excitement to think about the next project.
The next movie or what was going to happen after that race.
We weren’t involved in four… or I wasn’t.
I wasn’t involved in four or five and six.
They ended up you using those as prequels toTokyo Drift.
But, yeah, man, it was awesome.
It was awesome to have him there and see him.
And that was an exciting moment, I think, for the fans as well.
You know this ain’t no 10-second race.
Vin Diesel:
I got nothing but time.
We’ve got to take a break, but we’ll be right back.
Now let’s get back to the interview.
Did you already know also that they might want to bring Sean back again?
You’re come back in nine, which is incredible.
Well, there was always talk of bringing my character back.
You know what I mean?
I don’t want to give it away, but that’s… And so that’s cool.
And I think that’s what everybody wanted and the fans wanted to see.
And so, they made it happen forFast 9, and we’ll see what happens from there.
I love… You’re almost like an Easter egg in theFast 9trailer.
I was like, oh my God, wait…
It’s like, oh my God, John Cena is playing Dom’s brother.
Did you see…" I was like, “Wait, what?”
So I went back and I was like, “Oh my God.
There he is.”
So I know everyone’s excited to see more of that.
So what’s it been like for you?
I’m sure you get a lot of people talking to you aboutTokyo Drift.
Well, yeah, appreciate it, man.
That means a lot.
Just being a part of the Fast and Furious franchise is incredible, and a huge success for me.
It was about a skill set.
And so there was a lot of appreciation for that, and so that’s cool.
I appreciate that and thankful for that.
And like you say, it kind of has its own following.
And so, people were kind of intrigued by that, and that city and Japan.
And so it had that element to it as well.
Yeah, absolutely, great question.
So there was that level of maturity that Justin Lin and I talked about.
And so,Fast 9, that’s what I’m doing.
And so, I hope that comes across inFast 9and we’ll see.
Is there an actor or a character you would have loved to have Sean come across inTokyo Drift?
Oh man, tough one.
You could say the hungry line at him.
He makes me laugh, man.
He makes me laugh.
We’ve worked together before, so I guess, his character.
Have you thought about like what someone like Neela could be doing in the future?
If you could envision anything for her, where would she be?
So that’s kind of where I see Neela.
He was fast, but obviously, he slowed down with drifting.
So that kind of docked his Fast rating a little.
Furious, he was pretty furious.
I gave him a high score there.
So what do you think, like Sean could use a reevaluation there?
Do I need to move him up?
Do you think he’s faster and furiouser then I have him?
You’re definitely going to reevaluate after you watchFast 9.
Oh, that’s what they call a tease in the business.
There’s a little bit of shift.
He gets attached, has an attraction and affection for Neela, that love interest there.
And that takes a little bit of an emotional control.
And so that is unique about Sean’s character inTokyo Drift.
So that’s what’s cool about this character.
I’m curious as how Sean’s going to change from a seven.
I think I might have to do that, because Sung said the same thing about his ranking.
So he thinks there might need to be a redo on nine, too.
I mean, Mike Winchell,Friday Night Lightsand Pee Wee Reese 42, so what do you think?
I mean, do you qualify?
I think you do.
I think you might need to be put in that Sports Movie Hall of Fame.
That’s right, I got the football
I mean, that seals the deal.
That seals the deal.
We’ve got the baseball, racing, golf movie.
That’s four, yeah, that’s four.
But yeah, I’ve been blessed, man.
I’ve been blessed.
Or, “How can I become a better actor.”
I mean, I learned how to drive boats, being on the water.
So really, I learned how to drift before I was a teenager, right?
It blows me away when I look back on it.
We really appreciate it.
Thank you guys for having me, man.
I enjoyed talking to you guys about it.
It’s always fun to talk aboutTokyo Driftand the fans love it too, man.
So that’s awesome.
There’s no wax on wax off to drifting.
You learn by doing it.
The first drifters invented drifting out here in the mountains, by feeling it.
Thank you, again, to Lucas, who I think had as much fun as we did.
It’s become such an important place inThe Fast Saga, the lore, the history of it.
I’m right there with you.
Chanelle, what’s our first category today.
Well, of course Dom’s respect, so we get to decide who wins our respect.
I think we’re probably agreed on this.
After that, it just has to be Lucas Black, right?
I mean props to him.
Like I said, he was a really fun interview and was really into it.
And I still… his, we hungry impersonation if Tyrese is iconic.
Because we should add that was done after the movie was completed.
They were test screening it.
They were ready to release the sucker in the world.
And this is where Vin, I mean, Vin’s had our respect.
I’m a business, man."
That’s the definition right there of what Vin did.
I love that we basically have to remember to thankChronicles of Riddickin some way forFastcontinuing.
I mean, no comment on Riddick, but I’m glad it got us to here.
We’ve got the, hey, this guy’s in the movie.
They were in this?"
And I think that’s the direction we’re going on this one.
She plays cheerleader number one, so it’s like very early in her career.
She doesn’t have a flag or anything.
It’s like a wild cameo.
And, of course, she’s gone on to be in the TV showGreek, which I love.
When you go back, I was like, “Oh right, I know her.”
I’m going to be honest, I love22 Jump Street.
I never once was sitting throughTokyo Drift, and was like, “Hey, Amber Stevens West.”
Moving on, the quote of the movie, there’s a lot of options on this one.
So I’m going to throw a few nominees your way Chanelle, and then, you might decide.
I’ll give you that power to decide the winner here.
Come on, this ain’t the Boy Scouts, this what we do.
Another Han one here, “I have money, it’s trust and character I need around me.
Who you choose to be around you, let you know who you are.
One car in exchange for knowing what a man’s made of.
That’s a price I can live with.”
I mean, I used that as the throw to the Lucas interview.
So you know I’d like that one.
That’s a good one.
Again, we have a Sean and Han back and forth.
“What’s the point of a race.”
“To see if I’m better than the other.”
“Just proves you’re faster, that’s all.”
I mean, that’s just wise words from Han.
Han’s so wise in this movie.
We got two more.
“Donkey Kong.”
I mean, he’s not wrong.
He’s not wrong.
And Dom responding, “I ain’t got nothing but time.”
So, where do you land Chanelle?
“Donkey Kong.”
Lucas loves that one.
It’s just a great line.
Yeah, it is great delivery too.
I think, a lot of these are really dependent on the delivery.
We talked about the we hungry line from Tyrese.
It’s how you deliver it.
And Lucas kind of really nails that.
So I’m right there with you.
What do we have up next?
So I feel like it’s another one that’s like pretty obvious.
Justice for Sung, that’s what I have to say.
So yes, I totally agree.
Even that first viewing, where maybe I’ll admit, I wasn’t in love…
I’ve never seen him before.
I definitely hadn’t seen Better Luck Tomorrow at that point.
And there was just some…
So, yeah, I agree.
Where it’d stack up.
This was a little bit of a controversial year.
I think both of those should stay.
So I mean
True.
I won’t take that from him.
There are two where I think maybe some Sung could have snuck in.
Jackie Earle Haley,Little Children, I’m just going to be upfront, never heard of it.
So I’m just deciding
Oh, really.
… right there that Sung’s sneaking in.
Or it’s still wild that Blood Diamond got two nominate acting nominations.
Djimon Hounsou, futureFaststar and Leo both get nominated.
Djimon is good inBlood Diamond, but that was kind of a weird film to get to two nominations.
But I just say it, I think there’s a world we could have got that campaign going.
So Sung for an Oscar forFast 9coming up in 2022, let’s start that campaign now.
I think that would be so great.
I mean, honorable mention, probably to Bow Wow for, literally, being named Twinkie.
And we don’t get it really an explanation for it.
So maybe he does just love Twinkies.
I don’t know.
Somethings we don’t need the backstory, just his name’s Twinkie, and I like not knowing.
And now it’s sort of like with the Ramsey of like, what is the real name there?
I would love to know.
That one I could use the answer on, Twinkie, not as much.
So I won’t classify us not knowing that as the Ja Rule mistake of the week.
Instead, the Ja Rule mistake of the week goes to all of us, right?
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
I think I just mentioned it.
I walked out theater.
We were at the point where she felt the need to defendTokyo Drift.
So, I mean, do you think that’s fair that we… Our like version of the Razzie for ourselves.
It was a movie that I didn’t hate.
It’s part of Fast.
I really appreciated it.
I mean, we’ve now seen, there’s literally…
The Han death scene inTokyo Drift, we’ve seen like five times in other movies.
So it’s likeTokyo Driftmight have the longest runtime somehow at the end of the day too.
Wrapping up, we always end with this award, because we know that winning’s winning.
So we have to pick the ultimate winner ofTokyo Drift.
Chanelle, where’s your heart driving you to?
The Han character is tied to Justin Lin, the director.
So I want to say him and Sung Kang together.
This is almost a direct-to-DVD at one point.
So, no, you’re totally right.
The co-winner Sung Kang and Justin Lin.
I mean, Justin Lin now has become one of the best action in film.
And then you just kind of end up taking the franchise to new Heights, both literally and figuratively.
So, yeah, I’m totally with you on Justin and Sung being our ultimate winners here.
Like Anthony Hopkins though at the Oscar, Sung and Justin are not here to accept their award.
So we’ll just wrap up the show there.
Why did we do that?
I wonder if this is the part of the reason they’re pivoting to saga.
They’re calling itThe Fast Sagainstead of justFast and Furious, to really differentiate that fourth film.
So, hopefully, we’ll get answers from him on the next episode.
you’re free to find us on Twitter at @derekjlawrence or me @chanelleberlin.com.
Also head to ew.com for complete coverage ofThe Fast Sagaand full episode transcripts.
This episode was hosted and produced by Derek Lawrence and Chanelle Berlin Johnson.
Thanks for listening, and until next time salud, mi podcast familia.
