Tyrese Gibson has been vocal when it comes to praising the latest cast member of ‘The Fast & Furious’ movie franchise- Charlize Theron. The singer-turned-actor recently opened up about Theron’s addition to the cast, pointing out that she is setting high standards for the other cast members.
The ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ star is set to play an antagonistic role in the upcoming ‘Fast & Furious 8.’
"I can tell you Charlize really came into this thing and set the tone for all of us. I often like to think of us as a franchise team and you get a new player to come in and they're killing it and we like, we got to step," Gibson said in an interview with E! Online.
The former fashion model is known for taking on the role of Roman Pearce since the second film of the franchise, ‘2 Fast 2 Furious, alongside the late Paul Walker.
"Charlize really elevated us on an inspiration level. The overall scope of the movie is much bigger and more significant than it's ever been. We're really proud of it," he shared.
Gibson even revealed that he had good conversations with Theron while filming and recalled, "I got Charlize's cell phone number. I was flirting with her a little bit. We're trying to get the kids together, have a little fun...She's sweet."
The father-of-one also shared his thoughts in his expectations for a leading lady, emphasizing education and spirituality as key traits.
“I love a sweet woman with a lot of confidence. I love a woman that can walk in a room and everyone notices. I love it. Education, smart, spiritual, I could be here for another 45 minutes if you want,” he said.
The 37-year-old actor also opened up about how the other cast members have been making adjustments for the franchise’s eighth movie since Walker’s death.
Walker, who took on the role of Brian O’ Conner in the past seven films, passed away in a car accident in November 2013.
"It's not easy moving forward without [Paul Walker], and we feel his energy every day," Gibson said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. "His trailer used to be parked next to mine. So, every time I step out of my trailer, it's always rough."
Amidst their struggle of missing their well-loved costar, the ‘Fast & Furious 8’ cast and crew members have been prepping to come up with a sequel that is remarkable better than the past films. Along with Theron, actors such as Scott Eastwood (‘The Longest Ride,’ ‘Suicide Squad’) and Helen Mirren (‘Red,’ ‘Eye In The Sky’) have joined the cast.
"What we pride in 'The Fast and Furious' is a very diversified cast that's translating domestically and internationally in a major way. We have bits and pieces of power women in it, but we needed to bring it up a notch,” Gibson explained.
As for original cast member and longtime friend of Walker, Vin Diesel, the actor took some time off from his busy schedule to share a tribute to the late actor, posting two photos of them together. In the images, Walker shows a smile while Diesel is noticeably sad. A message saying, “See You Again,” was added onto the picture that the 48-year-old actor shared on his Instagram account.
"Thank you for sharing this beautiful picture of our sweet adorable angel Paul. Your brother is always with you," one fan commented on the post.
The upcoming ‘Fast & Furious 8’ is set to premiere in the U.S. on Apr. 14, 2017.
