Full Name: Mark Sinclair
Date of Birth: July 18, 1967
Place of Birth: Alameda County, California, USA
Height: 5′11½″ (1.82 m)

Vin Diesel, born Mark Sinclair, is an American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter best known for his roles in high-octane action films. He grew up in New York City’s Greenwich Village with his fraternal twin brother, Paul Vincent, raised by his mother, Delora Sherleen (an astrologer and psychologist), and adoptive father, Irving H. Vincent, an acting instructor and theater manager. Diesel has never met his biological father but identifies as a person of color, with a multiracial background.

Diesel’s entry into acting came unexpectedly at the age of seven when a woman offered him and his friends a script and $20 in exchange for attending theater every day after school—an experience that led him to the New York theater scene. As a teenager, he worked as a bouncer at popular New York clubs, adopting the name "Vin Diesel" during this time.

After briefly studying English at Hunter College, he dropped out to pursue acting in Hollywood but faced challenges. Inspired by the book Feature Films at Used Car Prices, he wrote, directed, and starred in the short film Multi-Facial (1995), which was accepted at the Cannes Film Festival. He followed this with Strays (1997), showcased at Sundance. These efforts caught the attention of Steven Spielberg, leading to a role in Saving Private Ryan (1998).

Diesel gained fame through lead roles in action franchises such as The Fast and the Furious, xXx, and The Chronicles of Riddick. He is also well-known for voicing Groot in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy series. Beyond blockbusters, he has also received praise for his performance in Sidney Lumet’s courtroom drama Find Me Guilty (2006).

A family man, Diesel has been in a long-term relationship with Paloma Jiménez since 2007, and they have three children. He named his daughter Pauline in tribute to his late friend and co-star, Paul Walker.

Notable Traits:

• Deep, gravelly voice

• Muscular physique

• Bald head

• Known for action-packed roles and strong on-screen presence

Selected Filmography:

• Saving Private Ryan (1998)

• Pitch Black (2000)

• The Fast and the Furious (2001) and its sequels

• xXx (2002)

• The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)

• Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) – voice of Groot

Recent Salary Highlights:

• Fast X (2023): $20 million

• Furious 7 (2015): $47 million

• Fast Five (2011): $15 million

Vin Diesel continues to be a dominant figure in action cinema, celebrated for his intensity, versatility, and dedication to his craft both in front of and behind the camera.