People were mocking Vin Diesel for his 'dad bod' — so he came back with a response no one expected

Vin Diesel, the face of the 'Fast & Furious' franchise, is known for his tough-guy persona as he meets every fitness goal needed for his action movies. However, in today's world, no one is immune to criticism; even the likes of Diesel! The actor once faced internet trolling when he gained a few extra pounds. However, true to his character, he flipped the script and shamed the haters.

While on vacation in 2015, Diesel was enjoying some time off when the paparazzi snapped a photo of him looking chubbier than his usual muscular self. The picture quickly went viral online, and trolls wasted no time mocking him for the weight gain. Diesel, at the time, was preparing for 'The Last Witch Hunter,' and had put on some weight. A candid paparazzi shot featured him standing on a balcony with a pot belly. As the hate poured in, Diesel didn't the negativity slide. He fired back in style, playfully calling out the body shamers, as reported by BuzzFeed. He quipped, “The director kept saying, you know, there is no Gold’s Gym in the 13th century.”

On Instagram, Diesel also penned, "It is amazing the response from the journalists who I have been talking to for the last two days in New York. Today one wanted to see the dad bod. Haha. I am wondering if I should show the picture. Body shaming is always wrong! What do you think?" In another post, Diesel lifted his T-shirt to expose his abs, to silence haters. He stood confidently, strong, and healthy, demonstrating that true power is about owning who you are rather than just looks. In the caption, he wrote, “For those who wanted the show... For all the angels that love dad bod regardless." 

Diesel also brought up the incident during a later interview. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, he said, “Honestly, I would rather it come to me than somebody else. I can take it...I don’t care, really. I’m not trying to be in super shape all of the time. I’m trying to master my craft of making films.” Diesel continued, "I do think it’s wrong to body shame.” In response, Fans showered the actor with praise. On Instagram, a person (@kristikrb83), said, “I think whether you have a Dad bod or rock-hard abs, it's always gonna be carried very well. You're very attractive regardless babe.”

Another person, @heidihorkey, chimed, “I completely agree with you, body shaming is always and completely wrong...You are gorgeous regardless of what other people think of you. You’re an amazing person.” Diesel is in fact known for changing his body at will to suit each role. Even so, haters are quick to find faults.