Cardi B has a minor role in 'Fast 9'. Here's what it is and how her character may be more important to the franchise than you realize
- Warning: There are spoilers ahead for "F9."
- Cardi B has a brief cameo in "Fast 9." The rapper said Vin Diesel invited her to be in the movie.
- Diesel has said Cardi B will be back in the next movie.
Cardi B has a minor role in the new "Fast and Furious" movie.
Ever since we learned the singer would appear in "F9," we figured Cardi B's role may be similar to Rita Ora's "Fast 6" cameo where announces the start of Letty and Dom's London race.
Boy, were we wrong.
Though you may be quick to dismiss the singer's role as a quick and unnecessary cameo, as we originally did, upon a second viewing of "Fast 9," we realized there's more to Cardi B's character than we previously considered once listening more closely to her dialogue exchange with Dom.
This is your last chance to head back before spoilers.
Cardi B's role in F9: A fake police officer
When Dom gets arrested in the UK after Otto calls the police, Dom is placed in the back of an Interpol truck.
Seconds later, the officers start removing their helmets one by one to reveal they're all women, led by Cardi B's character, Leysa.
Leysa has a short conversation with Dom in which she says "she'd still be stealing gas" in the Dominican Republic if it weren't for Dom. She also mentions having connections to Queenie (Helen Mirren).
Wait how did Cardi B wind up in 'F9'? Vin Diesel.
In a promotional video for the film, Cardi B mentioned that "Fast & Furious" star Vin Diesel invited her to be in the film.
"Vin Diesel reached out and he was talking about a role and I'm like, 'It's freakin' 'Fast and Furious.' Get me there. Put me on a plane," the singer said of how her part came about.
Diesel said we'll see Leysa again in 'F10,' and we're not surprised because of how she builds on the franchise's mythology
It's easy on a first watch to think this is just a simple cameo.
You're likely so thrown off by the singer's appearance that you may miss the dialogue, especially if you're in a theater with excited fans cheering.
But Cardi B's appearance won't be a one-off.
"We are very much excited to evolve her character and to expand it to the finale," Diesel told Entertainment Tonight, speaking about the singer.
"F9" director Justin Lin told ET he's "excited" to explore her character more.
When you dissect Leysa's dialogue a bit more, you understand how deep her ties with Dom, and likely Han and Letty, run.
When Leysa (Cardi B) mentions the Dominican Republic, fans of the franchise will know she's referencing 2009's fourth film in the franchise, "Fast & Furious," when Dom, Letty, Han, and more were stealing gas at the film's start.
If you're a big fan of the franchise, you'll know Leysa's line cuts even deeper into the "Fast" mythology. Diesel's 20-minute short film, "Los Bandoleros," which bridges "Tokyo Drift" and "Fast & Furious," where Dom is shown visiting family in the DR where gas is scarce.
It's there that Dom decides on the "Robin Hood" mission for the start of the 2009 film to help take care of extended family and the people in the DR. Apparently, Leysa is among the people Dom helped. If you know anything about the franchise, it's taught us that when Dom helps you out and earns your respect, people have his back for life.
Since Leysa mentions having ties to Queenie (Helen Mirren), we wouldn't be surprised to see Leysa and her all-female group back to help, espcecially if they need help taking Cipher down.
If the last two films go all out, it's very possible we're going to see a giant homecoming of a lot of previous faces from the "Fast" franchise to ride with Dom one last time before the saga closes. Cardi B will likely be among them.