The “Mana” was strong when the celebrities turned out on Saturday to celebrate the premiere of Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw.
Hollywood Boulevard shut down in both directions to host to the mega-sized event with two separate carpets dedicated to team Hobbs and team Shaw. Speaking on the carpet, the man of the hour, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson explained how meaningful the film is and how excited he was to share his Samoan culture with audiences.
“This movie is really deeply personal to me because I am proudly half black and half Samoan, and we were able to showcase one of my cultures,”
This is more than a movie to me – our culture & warrior mana is very real.
Joining Johnson on the “Hobbs” side of the red carpet were WWE superstar Roman Reigns (Mateo Hobbs), John Tui (Kai Hobbs) and newcomer Eliana Su’a (Samantha Hobbs). Echoing Johnson, Su’a was all smiles discussing her role as Hobbs’ young daughter.
“I’m so glad that incorporated Samoa into the movie and that I received this opportunity. I’m Mr. Johnson’s first Samoan daughter that he ever worked with.”
Joining the cast on the “Shaw” side of the carpet were film co-stars Jason Staham (Deckard Shaw), Idris Elba (Brixton Lorr) and Vanessa Kirby (Hattie Shaw).
The latest installment of the Fast and Furious franchise ventures off the main drag and takes a deeper look into the unlikely pairing of Hobbs and Shaw.
Ever since hulking lawman Hobbs (Johnson), a loyal agent of America’s Diplomatic Security Service, and lawless outcast Shaw (Statham), a former British military elite operative, first faced off in 2015’s Furious 7, the duo have swapped smack talk and body blows as they’ve tried to take each other down. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever — and bests a brilliant and fearless rogue MI6 agent (The Crown’s Vanessa Kirby), who just happens to be Shaw’s sister — these two sworn enemies will have to partner up to bring down the only guy who might be badder than themselves.
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw opens in theaters August 2nd. For photos from the red carpet premiere, flip the pages.
Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures.
