When Jordana Brewster learned the first scene she filmed for 'Fast 9' was going to be cut from the movie, she initially thought she did something wrong
- A restored scene in the Director's Cut of "F9" reveals Mia watched Little Brian at the film's start.
- It was the first scene Jordana Brewster filmed for the franchise since 2015's "Furious 7."
- Brewster told Insider she understood why it was cut, but was bummed.
The first scene Jordana Brewster shot to return to the "Fast and the Furious" franchise in six years was cut from the theatrical version of "Fast 9," which hit theaters back in June.
Thanks to an extended director's cut of "F9," out now on digital, fans will now get to see it.
"As an actor, it's really hard to hear from the director, 'That scene's not making it in the cut,'" Brewster told Insider during a press day for the film's home release. "You kind of go, 'Wait. Why? What did I do wrong? I don't understand. What was wrong with it?'"
Nothing was wrong with it. The scene actually answers a pivotal question that may have left you momentarily reconsidering Dominic Toretto's (Vin Diesel) parenting skills.
In the theatrical film, after tucking his son, Little Brian, into bed early in the film, we see Dom head out the next morning to go off on an adventure with Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), Roman (Tyrese), and Tej (Ludacris). Little B's nowhere in sight.
The moment left fans wondering what happened to Little B. Did Dom and Letty just leave their kid by himself? It sure seemed like it.
She also makes a small mention of her husband, Brian (Paul Walker).
During the press day, director Justin Lin told Insider he had a tough time cutting that scene from the film.
"I probably drove Jordana crazy," Lin said of how many times he went back and forth on whether or not to cut the approximately minute-long scene.
"We did this scene and I'm like, 'Man. We gotta get going, but let's shoot it,'" Lin said of the film's pacing. "When we cut it together, I called Jordana and I said, 'You're amazing in this scene, I'm putting it back in.' And she's like, 'Yeah.'"
"Then I kept playing with it and ultimately I knew that the extended cut was going to live and I felt like for pacing purposes, I had to take it out. So that was the consolation," Lin said of the decision to cut Mia's opening scene in "F9." "That was one that I struggled with."
In the theatrical cut, Mia makes her entrance 37 minutes into the film after Letty informs her that her long lost brother Jakob (John Cena) has popped back up into the picture.
Brewster said there's no hard feelings on that scene being cut, especially when she learned it was a story decision.
"Ultimately, when I saw the film, I was like, that totally makes more sense to introduce me later on," Brewster said.
"I was bummed because, you're right, that idea of Dom and Letty hiding out and me visiting them and I filled them in on what Brian is doing, it was sad to let that go," she continued, "but I'm really happy that the audience gets to see it now."
Brewster has two of the biggest restored scenes in "F9: The Director's Cut." Along with her babysitting scene, a second scene, later in the film, showcases more of Mia's adventure to Tokyo with her sister-in-law, Letty.
Earlier this year, Brewster told Insider that Letty and Mia were finally getting real scenes together in the movie after Rodriguez pointed out they had never shared any in the franchise.
Both scenes are part of seven minutes of new footage in the film's director's cut.
Lin's aware that when fans revisit the "Fast Saga" before 2023's "Fast 10," this is likely the version of the movie people will watch.
"When people want to watch 'Fast' from the first to the last, the extended cut is going to be what's considered in canon because it's going to answer a lot more questions," Lin said.
"F9: The Director's Cut" is available on digital now and available to own on Blu-ray Tuesday.