Top 40 Best Fast & Furious Characters

 

The Fast & Furious franchise comprises twelve motion pictures; thirteen if we include the spin-off, Hobbs & Shaw. Popular for highlighting illegal street racing, drifting, and glamour, these films have a lot more to offer than the obvious.

 

Not only have they injected world-class action into their storytelling but they have also gone on to show a ton of creative ways to exact revenge and drive four-wheelers. The cars in the series have gone through so much that it wouldn’t have been surprising to see them do a crossover with the mighty dinosaurs in the future (just kidding!).

 

Aside from the cars, non-stop action, and the endless Corona product placement, what makes this franchise stand out is its larger-than-life characters. It is imperative to mention that some of them are so popular among fans that they have returned from the dead on multiple occasions.

 

Also, the actors who play a pivotal role in the movies have been more than willing to reprise their roles that originated over two decades ago. That being said, the over-the-top, globe-spanning action series has continued to add fresh characters with the release of each new film.

 

Needless to say, there are a ton of memorable personalities that have managed to make their striking presence felt. Therefore, we have done some intense research and gone through several rounds of debates to zero in on the best figures in the franchise.

 

While we don’t have one specific criterion to rank these individuals, we certainly have included only those figures who either have more than a few lines of dialogue or delivered a kick-ass action sequence or two.

 

To make our story all-inclusive, we have also decided to add characters from the spin-off feature Hobbs & Shaw. We understand the rankings may differ from one person to another, but we assure you that these characters have experienced their fair share of action, lies, betrayals, and deaths over the years.

 

So, watch out as we race to you with this article at full speed.

 

 

 

1. Dominic Toretto

 

 

There is no pace or fury in the Fast & Furious franchise without the indomitable Dom Toretto, who plays the main lead in almost all the films. The story begins with him and will most likely culminate for good when his character decides to hang his boots.

 

While he certainly is a well-built man who can take his foes head-on, what gives him an extra edge is his dedication to his family. The man believes in nothing more than loyalty and is willing to do everything he can to keep his clan together.

 

Also, let’s not forget the fact that he carries the power to convince any member of the series to come back for one last ride. Dom may have had humble beginnings, but he has gone on to establish himself as a solid racer and leader over time.

 

He is pretty much a superhuman with a heart.

 

 

 

2. Letty Ortiz

 

 

Michelle Rodriguez brings the dashing and daring Letty Ortiz to life with charm. She is undoubtedly the finest female character in the series. Aside from being Dom’s lady love, she also happens to be a super-skilled driver.

 

Her love angle with Dom really works and perhaps helps her make her comeback towards the end of Fast Five, and, officially, in Fast & Furious 6. Letty is a tough nut who cannot be taken for granted; not even by the love of her life.

 

That is one reason how she has gone from being a streetwise bandit to a bonafide hero in no time. Better still, she is open to sacrificing everything for the ones she adores.

 

 

 

3. Brian O’Conner

 

 

Paul Walker delivers the most popular performances of his career in the Fast & Furious series of flicks. He arguably has the saddest ending of all the characters in the story.

 

It is imperative to mention that his arc was cut short due to actor Paul Walker’s passing. So, if you’ve seen Furious 7, you’d be able to gauge that so much of the film is dedicated to his memory.

 

Indeed, Brian was an immensely likeable character and had been with Dom and his family since the inception of the hit franchise. Matter of fact, the twist his character brings to the story is what sets the ball rolling for future films in the series.

 

It is not surprising then that his character has resonated the most with the core audience of the franchise.

 

 

 

4. Luke Hobbs

 

 

There’s no denying that Dwayne Johnson’s Luke Hobbs plays a big role in making the fifth instalment of the franchise the one to beat. The man allows his electrifying screen presence to come to the forefront and puts up a fierce battle against Dom and his formidable crew.

 

At first, he is only just a Diplomatic Security Agent who decides to go all out on his pursuit of Dom’s team. But, he soon bids adieu to his agency and joins the family in their search for Owen and Deckard Shaw.

 

Be that as it may, we catch his teaming up with the latter in the spin-off film. Needless to say, he is impressed by Shaw’s willingness to change for the better.

 

Hobbs probably has a good heart for he can see the good in people. Also, his inclusion in the series does inject it with a new and much-needed energy.

 

 

5. Roman Pearce

 

 

Tyrese Gibson looks legit playing Roman Pearce. He is the other half of the iconic duo with Teji and is a character that the core audience of the series really takes to.

 

In the story, he joins the family since he happens to be one of Brian’s childhood cronies. While there is an in-universe theory that Roman is invincible, what is, however, a fact is that he is the funniest of the lot.

 

That said, what makes him even more amiable is that he is a bonafide team player, participating in almost all of their exploits.

 

 

6. Han Lue

 

 

Han Lue surprises one and all when he comes back from the dead in F9. He was thought to be murdered by Deckard Shaw in Fast & Furious 6 and Tokyo Drift.

 

However, certain creative liberties have been taken to bring him back to incite excitement among the viewers. While his death is retroactively confirmed in the sixth instalment, the plot is reversed in F9 when it’s revealed that he was never dead at all in the first place.

 

Kurt Russel’s Mr. Nobody is eventually credited with saving him. Bringing him back may not have been a tough decision for it is evident that the team functions better when he is around.

 

 

7. Tej Parker

 

 

Chris “Ludacris” Bridges aims to put his acting skills on display by playing Tej Parker – a loyal mechanic for the Toretto family. While he certainly does know a thing or two about cars, what makes him even more exciting is the vehicles that he drives in the Fast & Furious titles.

 

When we first lay our eyes on the man, he is merely a proprietor of illegal street races. However, he is revealed to be an entertaining character who happens to be a tech genius.

 

Better known for his relationship with Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), Tej does the best he can to help his team with computers during heists. He shares an excellent chemistry with Pearce and brings some comic relief to the action-packed franchise.

 

 

8. Mia Toretto

 

 

The magnetic Mia Toretto, played by Jordana Brewster, is Dom’s little sister and Brian O’Conner’s (Paul Walker) love interest. Even though it feels like her story would revolve around these two men, we discover that she’s much more than her relationships with them.

 

First introduced in 2001’s The Fast and the Furious, she is courageous enough to put her life on the line for her beloved family. That being said, you do often feel that the franchise has underutilized her full potential by putting her in the position of a hostage or damsel in distress.

 

Add to that the fact that there wasn’t a lot left for her to do following the death of actor Paul Walker, which is perhaps why you feel that her character is missing the spark in the last two films of the franchise.

 

 

9. Deckard Shaw

 

 

The charming Jason Statham plays the complicated Deckard Shaw in the Fast & Furious franchise. Even though he manages to redeem himself over time, it’s difficult to forget his past actions.

 

The man shares a complicated history with the Toretto clan and is yet given a more heroic arc in the spinoff feature, Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw. Soon into the series, it is revealed that he went after Dom and his family only because he wished to avenge his brother’s demise.

 

Over time, we see Shaw changing as he ends up forming a Bond with Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), as well as saving Dom’s son in The Fate of the Furious.

 

 

10. Vince

 

 

Make way for the beefy and uptight Vince who pretty much looks like a modern-day Roman gladiator. We say so because he can be seen wearing full forearm bracelets and fishnet tanks.

 

While he can easily be spotted from a distance, his appearance is not his best trait. This is because all he wants in his life is to be loved by both Dom and Mia, for the Torettos are his adopted family.

 

Needless to say, the man is loyal to a fault; so much so that he fears being replaced by someone else in the crew. In more ways than one, Vince comes across as an able but scared little boy who fears losing out on his loved ones.

 

 

11. Gisele Yashar

 

 

Gal Gadot manages to impress with her character projection of Gisele Yashar. At first, she is shown working for the crime lord Braga. However, she eventually joins the squad in bringing him down.

 

Following her demise during the events of Fast and Furious 6, the team discovers that she had been one of Mr. Nobody’s agents all along. She may have been a short-lived character but she certainly was a compelling one.

 

While she could easily win people over with her gorgeous looks, she was also caught up in the constant struggle between doing what’s right and doing what she truly wants.

 

 

12. Brixton Lore

 

 

Brixton Lore, who refers to himself as “Black Superman”, manages to get the better of both Hobbs and Shaw for the better part of the spinoff full-length feature Hobbs & Shaw.

 

As a supervillain, Idris Elba takes things to the next level. Matter of fact, we also catch him stopping bullets with his hands. The man’s a cyborg who is seen beating the crap out of two action superstars in the aforementioned flick.

 

Be that as it may, they soon join forces to show Brixton who’s boss.

 

 

13. Jakob Toretto

 

 

World Wrestling Entertainment megastar John Cena joined the franchise as Jakob Toretto. His character was perhaps included in the storyline to keep the momentum of the popular franchise going. While we cannot really be sure as to how much his inclusion has helped the storyline, what we can be certain of is that it did turn heads and helped attract the masses.

 

Either way, we all can agree on the fact that John Cena tried his best to do justice to the part.

 

 

14. Elena

 

 

Let’s just start by stating the facts here: Elena’s role is a bit weird in the franchise. Aside from being an able Brazilian police officer being recruited by Hobbs, she also partially serves as a supposed new love interest for Dominic in Fast Five.

 

However, her part as the latter is cut short when it’s discovered that Letty is still alive. Having said that, the lady is great at what she does and is arguably the only incorruptible individual in Rio.

 

Also, it is imperative to mention that she doesn’t seem to have a major issue with Dom letting go of her, even though they have a child together. In The Fate of the Furious, she is shot dead by Dreadlock Cyberterrorist Charlize Theron.

 

 

15. Magdalene Shaw

 

 

No matter how great an actor one has been, they are probably never going to be winning an Oscar for their performance in the Fast & Furious series of motion pictures.

 

The celebrated British film star Helen Mirren also gets a chance to make her presence felt in the franchise by portraying Magdalene Shaw, aka “Queenie”, the matriarch of the Shaw crime family.

 

It’s been reported that she went out of her way and requested to be part of the series.

 

 

16. Owen Shaw

 

 

Played by Luke Evans, Owen Shaw is the merciless antagonist of the sixth film in the franchise. Matter of fact, he is responsible for bringing both Magdalene and Deckard into Toretto’s crew’s world.

 

However, we soon witness him failing in his quest and, consequently, falling into a coma. Be that as it may, that doesn’t stop him from popping up in the eighth movie to help save Dominic’s child.

 

Well, you can’t really be surprised because that’s how it goes in this franchise.

 

 

17. Mr. Nobody

 

 

Kurt Russell is a compelling mix of mystique and charisma as Mr. Nobody. He doesn’t reveal much about himself, but it’s clear that the man’s a government operative. We feel that the character has been a tad under-utilized in the franchise, for he is primarily seen delivering exposition for Dom’s latest missions.

 

Since the viewers know so little about him, it makes him far more appealing. Indeed, Russell effortlessly portrays Mr. Nobody even if the Fast franchise doesn’t exactly know what to add depth to his character.

 

 

18. Johnny Tran

 

 

The main antagonist of The Fast and the Furious, the first instalment in the franchise, was the ultra-cool Johnny Tran. Seeing him ride his Ninja motorcycle with his sidekick would’ve certainly made some youngsters ride a bike with their best pals at the time.

 

Not only did the guy utter dope stuff like “Too soon, junior” (and appeared even cooler) but he was also seen carrying an uncanny smile after having gotten pummeled by Dominic Toretto.

 

In the movie, he is seen as a member of the criminal underworld and leading an opposing race crew to Dom. He is often credited with establishing the franchise’s multicultural facets.

 

That is one of the reasons why some of us believe that she shouldn’t have died towards the end of the film.

 

 

19. Hattie Shaw

 

 

Since we’ve already stepped into the world of “Hobbs & Shaw” as well, let’s make some space for yet another engaging Shaw family member. Played confidently by Vanessa Kirby, Hattie Shaw is an ass-kicking female character who happens to be the sister of Owen and Deckard.

 

Even though there is a considerable age difference among the actors playing siblings, Kirby gets into the skin of the character and makes it work. Well, we can totally understand why the team wanted her to make a splash as Hattie.

 

Expectedly, she steals every scene she’s in and must be included as one of the key characters in a female-led spinoff in the future.

 

 

20. Cipher

 

 

Not a lot of us would have been able to guess that Oscar winner Charlize Theron will also make her way into the franchise by playing an exciting criminal chameleon who happens to be a world-class hacker and master manipulator.

 

Indeed, this international woman of mystery can be seen making several guys her puppet at will. This supercharged character stays bad throughout her screen time and rocks long blonde dreads/braids that do full justice to her character sketch.

 

 

21. Jesse

 

 

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to claim Jesse sort of played a computer wizard long before Tej, Ramsey, and Cipher stepped into his shoes. In the very first film of the series, we witness the guy stressing just how good he was at math and algebra.

 

And, the fact that car engines could calm him down only helped him get closer to the Toretto family. Be that as it may, his character was sacrificed for Ludacris, who took his place and gave that particular role his own twist.

 

 

22. Ramsey

 

 

One of the latest and finest additions to the Toretto family is Ramsey, who makes her debut in Furious 7. Played effortlessly by Nathalie Emmanuel, she is a powerful hacker who also provides additional wit to the dynamic between Tej and Roman.

 

But, it is her tremendous hacking abilities that help her in cementing her place in the squad. Sure, it puts her in danger from time to time, but it’s impossible to not see her character live on the edge.

 

While not a central character, Ramsey is fun.

 

 

23. Hector

 

 

Since Noel Albert Gugliemi is known for playing Southern Californian gangsters, he could do full justice to his character projection of Hector. Let us remind you that the man is largely responsible for organizing the critical street race in The Fast & the Furious, through which Brian O’Conner and Dom Toretto are brought together.

 

In more instances than one, we have also caught him trying to keep the team grounded and reminding them of their humble beginnings. Suffice it to say that we all need a friend like Hector in our vicinity.

 

 

24. Carter Verone

 

 

Carter Verone is the Latino villain in 2 Fast 2 Furious. This one-off antagonist makes himself quite memorable and comes across as an innovator of sorts in the field of DIY torture.

 

The man certainly does carry a high level of menace and his mere presence feels like a dark cloud that is strong enough to disrupt the good Miami vibes. Needless to say, Carter is an integral part of the movie.

 

 

25. Tego Leo

 

 

Fast Five is that tent-pole franchise classic that brushes past its traditional origins and showcases the crew’s transition into a team of elite superheroes who are invincible, to say the least.

 

Among the crew is a former street racer from the Dominican Republic, named Tego Leo. Along with his fast friend Rico, he comes to the aid of Dominic and his other team after they are framed for the deaths of three DEA agents.

 

He’s also a part of the crew that wants to steal $100 million to start new lives.

 

 

26. Rico Santos

 

 

Just like his friend Tego Leo, Rico Santos also is a former street racer from the Dominican Republic. He and his buddy joined forces with Dominic Toretto and his team to steal $100 million.

 

The man also comes into the picture later when he helps in the rescue of Brian Marcos – the son of Dominic and Elena Neves – after he was kidnapped by the dreaded cyberterrorist, Cipher.

 

 

27. FBI Agent Michael Stasiak

 

 

There are a ton of law enforcement officers in the Fast & Furious franchise but the one who sticks out is FBI Agent Michael Stasiak. One reason he manages to make an impression is that he’s been enacted by recognizable character actor Shea Wigham, who has portrayed enough law enforcement types in his career to be able to do full justice and more to this character.

 

Also, you’ve probably not forgotten that Brian once broke his nose, despite the fact that the two shared a fun rapport during his brief stint at the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

 

 

28. Sean Boswell

 

 

Some people are of the opinion that “Tokyo Drift” carries a poor reputation compared to other entries in the franchise due to the uninteresting depiction of its protagonist. The film was released at a time when studios believed that they could bankroll cheap car flicks without relying too much on A-listers.

 

However, that didn’t really happen in the future, leaving Sean to feel left out. Also, the fact that he was sharing the screen with a comparatively cooler Han didn’t help his case either.

 

 

29. DK

 

 

DK isn’t that great of an antagonist in “Tokyo Drift”, but we are still ranking him here on this story because his name is an acronym for “Drift King”. And, as you all know, the only currency that truly works in the aforementioned feature is DRIFTING.

 

Sure, he’s a cocky jerk, but he also has some growing up to do. It’s fun and silly at the same time to see him get threatened by the fact that a white guy resembling Lucas Black’s personality traits is more likeable than him.

 

 

30. Reyes

 

 

Reyes is an incredibly strong villain who prefers to rule with muscle and not power. While he isn’t an indomitable force, he does rule over Rio de Janeiro with his reach in politics and utter notoriety.

 

What makes him stand out in Fast Five is the fact that there’s a cartoonish evilness to him, which makes him a good fit in the story. Therefore, it is a delight to catch the Fast family outwitting him and dragging his gigantic safe through the Brazilian streets in broad daylight.

 

It is, indeed, one of the highlights of the movie.

 

 

31. Arturo Braga/Ramón Campos

 

 

Arturo Braga, also known as Ramón Campos, is the main antagonist of Fast & Furious and Fast & Furious 6. Even though he seems to have a ton of henchmen, he believes in doing some important things himself to ensure that they are done right.

 

Owen Shaw is known to have helped the drug runner and crime lord in expanding his business into Los Angeles. Braga often used to think far ahead of his adversaries.

 

That’s one reason why he ended up creating a new identity for himself: Ramon Campos, who served as the chief lieutenant to the big boss Arturo Braga.

 

 

32. Leon

 

 

When it comes to the Fast & Furious series, Leon is the personification of how some things, no matter how good, come to an abrupt end. The guy plays a likeable role in the first film and does his best to both balance and fill out the team.

 

Aside from being a day-one member of the Toretto crew, he was also one of the co-founders of Race Wars. However, Leon is soon dropped from the list of characters reappearing in the franchise.

 

So, even when Dom and Brian try to put together the best crew they could think of in Fast Five, Leon, for some reason, doesn’t even spring to their mind.

 

 

33. Edwin

 

 

Portrayed by rap artist and actor Ja Rule, Edwin is one of the minor characters in The Fast and the Furious. He is seen competing against Dominic Toretto and Brian O’Conner in a quarter-mile street race.

 

It is terrible to see him getting brushed off by Monica after he ends up losing the race to the central characters.

 

 

34. Suki

 

 

The uniquely named Suki is quite simply a vibe. She has a penchant for designing automotive vinyl graphics and is a superb driver. Also, how can we forget to mention that she is the on-and-off girlfriend of Tej Parker?

 

Either way, what prompts us to add her to our story is her competitive nature.

 

 

35. Rhodes

 

 

This secondary antagonist in the 2017 film The Fate of the Furious has his moments. He is a mercenary who likes nothing more than terrorizing people on Cipher’s command, which is perhaps why he serves as the second-in-command in her terrorist organization.

 

Soon into the movie, we catch him aiding Cipher in abducting Elena Neves and Dominic Toretto’s infant son. However, he meets his demise when his neck is snapped by Dominic Toretto.

 

Oh, and yes, the character is played by Game of Thrones alum Kristofer Hivju.

 

 

36. Twinkie

 

 

Sean’s best friend in “Tokyo Drift” goes by the name of Twinkie, who is portrayed by rapper and actor Shad Gregory Moss, who is better known by his stage name Bow Wow.

 

Do you guys remember his Volkswagen Touran which had Hulk’s fists coming out the side of it? Oh, yes, you do!

 

 

37. Monica Fuentes

 

 

The scintillating Eva Mendes was seen playing Monica Fuentes in 2 Fast 2 Furious. After Brian and Roman save her by launching a car onto a boat, we feel that we are going to see a lot more of her in the series; especially because there is a possibility of her forming a love-like bond with Brian.

 

However, that wasn’t to be. The latter decides to leave Miami and go back to Los Angeles after being recruited by the FBI. As we all know, the man fell head over heels in love with Mia Toretto and ended up being a special member of Dom’s family.

 

Be that as it may, it doesn’t stop us from thinking is there could have been an additional love angle had Monica and Brian decided to start seeing each other.

 

 

38. Victor Locke

 

 

Victor Locke is a CIA agent who worked alongside DSS agent Luke Hobbs and is supposed to have forged a bond with him. In 2019, he recruited the man to work alongside Deckard Shaw in an operation to retrieve the Snowflake.

 

If you’ve been through the films in which Ryan Reynolds’ Victor Locke appears, you’d know that a plethora of jokes have been built around his obsession with Hobbs. It is not in the least bit surprising since they both even have matching tribal tattoos.

 

That said, Locke’s presence sure does make us wonder if he, along with Hobbs, would’ve been able to get the better of Dominic and his squad in Fast Five.

 

 

39. Otto

 

 

Actor Ersted Rasmussen does his best playing Otto, who is the son of a wealthy head of state and co-leader of a private army. While he plays a minor villain in F9, he does a decent job of portraying a spoiled brat who grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth.

 

Even though he had the most lavish lifestyle possible, he ended up resenting his father to the point of wanting to steal his fortune. Sure, he is killed off unceremoniously soon after, but you’ll have to give it to Rasmussen for trying his best to fit into the Fast canon.

 

 

40. Fenix

 

 

Fenix comes across as formidable not only because he is a sneaky good villain but also because he stands on his own amid a plethora of antagonists in the franchise.

 

Yes, he is a minor villain stuck in a mediocre movie, but actor Laz Alonso ensures that he doesn’t come off as gimmicky and, in fact, punches above his weight.