Tyrese Gibson Pays Heartfelt Tribute to Ray Liotta as the ‘Fast & Furious’ Family Reunites at ‘1992’ Premiere
The 1992 premiere honored a difficult time in LA’s history while celebrating Ray Liotta’s life and thrilling fans with a Fast & Furious reunion. Emotions ran high as the cast and crew marked the drama’s release. Starring Tyrese Gibson, Scott Eastwood, and Liotta, 1992 has floated around Hollywood since 2015, finally coming to fruition thanks to the work of director Ariel Vromen and production studio Lionsgate.
In 1992, Mercer (Gibson) hopes to restore his relationship with his son and save him from an angry mob during the historical LA uprising, which began on April 29, 1992. As chaos ensues around the City of Angels, Mercer and his son cross paths with another father (Liotta) and son (Eastwood), confronting their troubled relationship. Although the storyline is fictional, the historical events are largely accurate.
“If you want to watch a documentary about the 1992 riots, that’s not this movie,” Gibson told UPI. “This is about a heist. This is about father-son dynamics.” In reality, the LA uprising began when a jury acquitted four officers of assault following the brutal beating of King. The film’s portrayal of the riots is personal to Gibson, who lived through them. “I was scared, but I was fed up like everyone else,” Gibson said. “…I just remember at least five weeks of never seeing the sun because the sky was pitch black with smoke.”
As the cast gathered to celebrate 1992’s premiere, Gibson witnessed a surprise reunion. His The Fast and the Furious co-star Vin Diesel shared an emotional moment with his longtime friend on the red carpet. Their co-star Michelle Rodriguez later joined them for a group photo. Twenty-three years after the trio starred in the first Fast & Furious film, the group of friends are still close.
“We’re at this really interesting time right now in Hollywood,” Diesel explained to Africa News. “And the first people I’m going to support is a family that’s been recognized by the world, the ‘Fast’ family. I got to just support that and encourage [Gibson] to continue his artistry because I think he’s so good.”
Just as the Fast & Furious cast honored Paul Walker’s death at 2015’s Furious 7 premiere, Gibson ensured that Liotta’s legacy was observed at the 1992 premiere. Ray Liotta died of heart failure, pulmonary edema, and respiratory failure on May 26, 2022. He’d wrapped filming on several projects shortly before his death, including 1992.
Liotta’s daughter, Karsen Liotta, walked the red carpet to honor her dad’s legacy. Gibson joined the 25-year-old for a brief moment, taking her hand and bowing his head. Karsen’s mom is actor/product Michelle Grace, who was married to Ray for seven years until they divorced in 2004. Like her father, Karsen loves to act. She’s appeared in Shades of Blue (2016) and Black Bird (2022) among other films.
On August 30, 2024, 1992 will have a limited theatrical release in the U.S.
