How Fast X's Jason Momoa Secured A Custom Harley Motorcycle For His Role
The "Fast & Furious" franchise is coming back next month with what is being billed as the beginning of the end, in the form of "Fast X." The tenth overall film in the main series is the penultimate adventure for Vin Diesel's Dom Toretto and his fast family. This time, they'll be going up against Jason Momoa's new villain, Dante Reyes, who has ties to "Fast Five." A cool ride is still central to the DNA of "Fast" even with its globetrotting, action-heavy nature these days, and Momoa didn't miss the opportunity to secure himself a sweet ride in taking on the role.
As we've seen in the extremely wild trailers for the film, Momoa rides a very unique-looking Harley Davidson motorcycle. It turns out, it looks unique because the "Aquaman" actor actually got the company to make him a custom bike just for the movie. Speaking to Total Film (via Syfy), Momoa explained how he made it happen.
"The first thing I asked was, 'What bike do I get to ride?' Generally, it's a Bugatti or a Triumph or some kind of smaller performance bike for doing tricks on. I was like, 'Hell no. I want to ride a Harley!' I called Harley instantly, called the CEO, and was like, 'Bro, can you help me?' So they sent up like six bikes. I totally got hooked up. They let me build it for my character."
Being one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, starring in one of the biggest franchises in history, clearly has its advantages.
An inviting, dangerous villain
As for Momoa's character, Dante is actually the son of Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida), who was the central villain of "Fast Five," which is still arguably the most beloved film in the series to date. Dante was there for the fall of his father's empire at the hands of Dom and his friends. So, he's been quietly plotting in the shadows, waiting for the right time to strike. Speaking a bit about his villain, Momoa explained that he wanted to set himself apart from other baddies by being a bit more approachable in some ways – at least on the surface.
"I didn't want it to turn into another macho, testosterone showdown kind of thing. I wanted to make him look inviting and easy-going, to have a softer side. That's why he wears pastels. He's a little androgynous. He's been really, really hurt, so he's a dangerous person. But his external vibes... I want you to be intrigued by Dante Reyes, and when you get close, he has you."
Louis Leterrier directed "Fast X," stepping in to replace Justin Lin mere weeks after production began. That apparently went quite well, as Leterrier is set to direct "Fast & Furious 11," which is set to conclude the franchise (barring any spin-offs or what have you). The massive ensemble cast for the film includes Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, John Cena, Jason Statham, Sung Kang, Alan Ritchson, Daniela Melchior, Scott Eastwood, with Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron, Brie Larson, and Rita Moreno.
"Fast X" hits theaters on May 19.