Vin Diesel believes Furious 7, the latest and final film in the epic action franchise, deserves a best picture Oscar. Not that the Academy will give it its due, of course. “Do I shy away from aiming high? No, I don’t,” said the 47-year-old actor, who just named his baby girl after Paul Walker , his late Furious 7 co-star. Diesel, a mainstay of the Fast & Furious films based around fast cars, says the simple fact that it’s an action franchise discredits it within the Academy . “We all know there’s a little stigma towards action films, we know it, we’ve heard people complain about it,” he says of the lack of critical acclaim. “We’ve heard Marvel complain about it, we’ve heard DC complain about it, and now Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Batman has never gotten a shot at that.” Alluding to the fact that a lot of recent Academy Award winners for Best Picture winners haven’t fared too well, or well at all, at the box office, he said: “The Oscars have been somewhat criticized in the last few years for maybe not being as populist as they could be … we have a very powerful movie here.” “We’re actually responding to the fact that our female audience has just increased and has either eclipsed or threatening to eclipse our male audience.” “We’ve seen that across the board,” said Diesel, who produced the movie and also plays Dominic Toretto, the character he originated over a decade ago. Diesel said a sequel hasn’t won Best Picture since 1974 ( The Godfather: Part II ), however The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won it in 2004. Furious 7 is also special in that it is one of the last movies starring Walker, the beloved star whose brothers helped complete his part to honor Paul. The film opens in the United States next Friday, April 3, and you can all but guarantee it will generate HUGE buzz and revenue all weekend long. Should the Academy at least start giving a semi-serious look to films in the action genre, as Vin says? Should box office results be taken into account? Remembering Paul Walker (1973-2013) 1. Paul Walker, Daughter Meadow View Photo Paul Walker and his daughter Meadow pose for a sweet photo. May he rest in peace and may she find it. 2. Paul Walker, Meadow Walker View Photo Paul Walker and his daughter Meadow, when she was a baby. She shared this photo on what would have been his 41st birthday. He tragically died in a car crash in 2013. R.I.P. 3. Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Tyrese View Photo Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Tyrese smile in a photo while promoting their latest movie together. RIP Paul. 4. Paul Walker Tribute Video View Video A tribute to the late Paul Walker, featuring some of his best moments from the Fast & Furious films. Advertisement A message from our sponsor. 5. Paul Walker and Friend View Photo Paul Walker and the friend with whom he was killed in a car accident November 30, 2013. RIP. 6. Paul Walker Photograph View Photo The late Paul Walker in one of his final films. RIP to one of the good guys. 7. RIP Paul Walker View Photo Paul Walker died in a car crash November 30. He is the subject of another hoax alleging this did not happen, when tragically it did. 8. Paul Walker Pic View Photo Paul Walker in the Fast & Furious film that made him a household name. RIP. Advertisement A message from our sponsor. 9. Paul Walker’s Dad Speaks on Tragedy View Video So emotional to hear Paul Walker’s dad talk about his death. Listen to it here. 10. Paul Walker and Vin Diesel View Photo Paul Walker and Vin Diesel in Fast & Furious 6. Paul was killed in a car crash in November 2013. 11. Paul Walker Picture View Photo Paul Walker has passed away. The actor was just 40 years old. RIP. 12. Paul Walker Photo View Photo Paul Walker has passed away following a car accident. The actor was just 40 years old. Advertisement A message from our sponsor. 13. Paul Walker Cover View Photo Paul Walker on the cover of Us Weekly. The star will be missed dearly. 14. Vin Diesel Remembers Paul Walker View Video Vin Diesel pays tribute to Paul Walker in this moving video. It features the actors hanging out away from the set. 15. Paul Walker Exclusive: Fast and Furious 7 Interview View Video Paul Walker dishes on Kurt Russell joining the cast of Fast and Furious 7. What does he bring? 16. Beyonce Tribute to Paul Walker View Video Beyonce honors Paul Walker in concert with a moving rendition of “I Will Always Love You.” Advertisement A message from our sponsor. The End. Up Next: ” Remembering Paul Walker (1973-2013) .” We’ll be redirecting you shortly…
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Vin Diesel: Furious 7 Should Win an Oscar, But Academy is a Bunch of Haters
