Things are continuing to look up for Cardi B! Fast & Furious star and producer Vin Diesel dished in a new interview with Entertainment Tonight that the “WAP” rapper will be reprising her F9 character, Leysa, in the tenth film of the franchise.
“We are very much excited to evolve her character and to expand it to the finale,” said the action star. “She made it just in time. She came in Fast 9 just in time.”
Director Justin Lin also spoke to ET about how seamlessly the rapper fit in on the set of the upcoming film, F9: The Fast Saga, which opens on Friday (June 25). “She showed up, and within a minute, she’s part of the family, right?” he told the outlet. “And I love how when I got together with her, her and Vin were talking about the character because she’s actually really embedded into the overall universe. She’s been around for a long time and this is just the first time we are seeing her, so I’m really excited to explore that character of her.”
Billboard has reached out to Cardi B’s rep for comment.
The rapper herself also dished on the role and how it came to be in a video shared by the film franchise on June 15. “Vin Diesel reached out and he was talking about a role, and I’m like, ‘It’s freakin’ Fast & Furious. Get me there! Put me on a plane!’” she exclaimed. “I like the fact that it’s like I’m representing such a powerful, strong woman. She’s just that b—-!”
She also had high praise for the man who made her part of the Fast & Furious family. “Being around Vin, he’s just so nice, so dope,” she shared of the actor. “He makes me feel so comfortable.”
In addition to her debut in the film franchise this weekend, Cardi B is up for trophies in three categories at the 2021 BET Awards on Sunday (June 27). She’s vying for best collaboration (“WAP” featuring Megan Thee Stallion), best female hip-hop artist, and video of the year, in which her visuals for “Up” and “WAP” both received nods.
Watch Cardi’s teaser video for F9 below:
