Everybody calm down - The Rock and Vin Diesel are probably still friends

AP Photo/Felipe Dana

Actors Vin Diesel, right, and Dwayne Johnson, left, in happier times.

According to TMZ, Vin Diesel and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson hate each other.

This was devastating news to fans of the two muscular, bald, and badass costars who have been integral to "The Fast and the Furious" franchise.

But if you were worried that America's favorite action heroes were no longer friends, never fear: This is probably a hoax masterminded by Universal Studios, the studio producing "Fast 8," to drum up excitement for the movie.

It all started when Johnson published a post on Instagram on Monday night divulging that he had conflict with some of his unnamed co-stars.

"Some conduct themselves as stand-up men and true professionals, while others don't," he wrote. "The ones that don't are too chicken sh-- to do anything about it anyway. Candy asses."

He later posted another Instagram post on Wednesday to celebrate the end of filming "Fast 8" and added that conflict is necessary for any "family" - a nice tie-in with the franchise - and insinuating that there had been some sort of resolution: "To me, conflict can be a good thing, when it's followed by [a] great resolution. I was raised on healthy conflict and welcome it. And like any family, we get better from it."

According to the anonymous "production sources" that TMZ talked to, but didn't quote, Johnson was talking about Vin Diesel. Diesel made Johnson mad because he "made decisions that didn't sit well with the former wrestling champ."

The two also allegedly had a secret meeting where they failed to make up. TMZ also reported that Johnson is mad at Diesel because he takes too long to get out of his trailer each day, making everyone wait and ruining the movie's production schedule.

These are the facts on the ground, and so far they are thin. Other publications are spinning a narrative that Diesel and Johnson are in some titanic battle - two very muscular men are mad at each other, and have different visions for who should be on top at the end of the day.

In other words, they might as well be talking about the plot of a "Fast and Furious" movie, because this beef seems equally fictional. Johnson is universally considered one of the nicest people in Hollywood, and sincerely posting a mad message on Instagram is totally out of character for him.

Come on: In real life, in all likelihood, these guys are still friends. That's why they've done three "Fast and Furious" movies together. When Johnson joked about Diesel on "Ballers," it was a friendly jab, not a poisonous stab.

Universal Studios

Vin Diesel and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson getting mad at each other in the fictional movie "Fast Five."

It's also absurd to think that Diesel would show up an hour late to the "Fast 8" set every day and ruin the movie. I tried to find reports of him showing up late on set to any movie for his prior roles, and came up with nothing. Vin Diesel, as far as INSIDER can tell, is the consummate professional. He shows up to set on time, puts work into his acting, and promotes the movies once they're released.

The "Fast and Furious" franchise in particular is his baby. He produces them, and they're his primary cinematic output for the past decade and a half. He wants them to be great. Why would he mess them up by being late on-set every day and ruining the production schedule?

If Diesel did indeed provoke Johnson, I'd guess it could just be a form of method acting. Their two characters are rivals in the franchise, and he may have purposefully made Johnson mad so he'd act mad - get it? As Johnson wrote in his initial post, "When you watch this movie next April and it seems like I'm not acting in some of these scenes and my blood is legit boiling - you're right."

Anyway, Scott Eastwood is the likelier candidate to be the "candy ass" Johnson was referring to. A few days earlier, Esquire published an interview where Eastwood appeared to deride liberals with that phrase, and Johnson is known to be politically progressive.

That said, if you personally know of any beef between Diesel, Johnson, or anyone else on the "Fast 8" set for that matter, email me.