As a bald man with an array of secret talents and passions, Vin Diesel literally wears many hats. While Vin achieved his fame through blockbuster roles in serious action flicks, he isn’t your average macho meathead. A quick YouTube search reveals that Vin Diesel truly contains multitudes. From choreographed popping and locking to heartfelt karaoke, these minutes-long masterpieces are arguably more compelling than the entire The Fast and the Furious franchise.
Dancing to Beyoncé
Diesel’s Internet celebrity reached a new high this week, as the beefy celeb delighted his Facebook fans with this slightly unsettling video. In the clip, Diesel indulges in what we imagine to be his daily morning routine: dancing around and halfheartedly mouthing the lyrics to Katy Perry and Beyoncé hits. Diesel replays portions of the songs over and over again, and rarely abandons his signature move of energetically swaying from side to side while hunched in front of the camera. In between karaoke bits and feverish dance breaks, Diesel delivers a few heartfelt monologues to the camera. This video proves that beneath Vin Diesel’s tough exterior lurks a Katy Perry-obsessed middle-school girl who just wants her sultry black and white fan vid to get a bunch of likes on Facebook.
The Rihanna Karaoke Performance
Certain events combine horror and entertainment so seamlessly that we simply can’t look away—like a car crash, or a totally sincere karaoke performance. This somber cover of Rihanna’s “Stay” is Vin Diesel’s most pared down and emotionally honest performance to date. Between his soulful stares, restrained gesticulations, and unapologetic falsetto, we’re not going anywhere.
Breakdancing Vin
Sometimes, when the Internet is getting boring, nothing is on TV, and Mercury perfectly aligns with Venus, the pop culture Gods deliver a gift that is simply too good to be true. This divinely inspired video of a teenage Vin Diesel breakdancing is one such gift. The clip has it all: a cheap graffiti-adorned set, jumpsuits and sweatbands (because nothing screams hip hop like matching outfits), and some painfully out of synch popping and locking.
Vin Discovers Helium
This cult classic Vin Diesel clip from a British talk show is great for a number of reasons. It’s not often that you see a grown man discover helium for the first time on national television, and Diesel’s utter ignorance and awe is delightful. We could watch Vin Diesel learn about mundane goods and common household objects for hours (In fact, we’re genuinely surprised that this show hasn’t been pitched yet). But the best part of the clip is Vin’s decision to use his helium-soaked voice to recite a line from Withnail & I, a dark British comedy from the 1980’s. O Vin. You’re just so, so weird.
Karaoke, Part Deux
So you re-watched Vin’s rendition of “Stay” more times than is socially acceptable, and now you’re going into withdrawal from a lack of Vin Diesel karaoke? Don’t worry, we’ve got a video for that. This classic Diesel cover of “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)” is as gravelly as it is adorable. Looking out over a gorgeous NYC view, Vin Diesel seduces his computer camera, whispering Christmas greetings to his fans and even dedicating the video to his grandmother. For an action franchise superstar, Vin Diesel is pretty freaking adorable.
For Paul Walker
In this final video, we see the real Vin Diesel, behind the playful bravado and dubious musical taste. In the clip, Vin is visiting the crash site of his co-star and friend Paul Walker. When a paparazzo begins to pester Diesel about The Fast and the Furious film that he and Walker were shooting at the time of the accident, Vin totally shuts him down, responding, “I can’t even think about anything but the loss of a loved one.” This classy rebuke shows that despite his penchant for silly social media, Vin Diesel is still not some one you want to mess with.
