Dwayne Johnson says the Vin Diesel jokes in his movies aren't his idea

Dwayne Johnson's once red-hot feud with Vin Diesel has cooled to the tune of a few lighthearted jokes about his Fast franchise costar making their way into his movies, but the Red Notice actor has revealed he can't take credit for their inclusion in his new projects.

"The jokes never end. People were asking me about that and they just find a way. It's interesting, these Vin Diesel jokes — which play great, by the way, to the audience, which is always a good thing, because it's really all about them — but people think these jokes come from me and they actually don't," Johnson said during a recent interview on The Jess Cagle Show. "You'd be surprised with how many people come to me with, 'I've got a great one! I've got another great Vin Diesel joke!' I'm sure you do. It's always funny."

The latest jab appears in his new Netflix action flick Red Notice, which sees the cast joking about Diesel auditioning for a role in the beloved musical Cats.

Reports of a feud between Johnson and Diesel began in 2016, during production on the Fast & Furious series' eighth installment. In an Instagram post, he referred to some of his colleagues — which many assumed to be Diesel — as "candy asses," adding: "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."

Diesel responded in 2017, telling USA Today: "I think some things may be blown out of proportion. I don't think that was his intention. I know he appreciates how much I work [for] this franchise. In my house, he's Uncle Dwayne."

In a subsequent interview with Rolling Stone, Johnson clarified that he and Diesel had a "fundamental difference in philosophies on how we approach moviemaking and collaborating."

In June, Diesel again addressed the conflict, noting that he gave "tough love to assist in getting that performance where it needed to be" while filming the Fast series with Johnson. Speaking to Vanity Fair for its November cover story, Johnson said the moment he shared the initial Instagram post addressing an on-set clash in a public manner wasn't his "best day," but he stood by the sentiment.

Red Notice — also starring Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds — opens in theaters Friday ahead of its Nov. 12 streaming debut on Netflix. Watch Johnson discuss his Diesel jokes above.

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