There is a very surreal moment in DJ Caruso’s xXx Return of Xander Cage when actor Samuel L. Jackson & Neymar share the screen together. The curious casting of Neymar, the Brazilian forward and star of Barcelona’s current football team, alongside Vin Disel in the third xXx film is certain to bring in a new audience eager to see their favourite on screen. We found out exactly how it came to be.

The film’s cast is an eclectic one. Vin Diesel returns to the series which made his name along with the aforementioned Jackson, Toni Collette, Donnie Yen, Nina Dobrev, Ruby Rose and, of course, the footballing legend Neymar Jr. We sat down to interview the cast (see our interviews up on the site shortly) and in particular took time with director Caruso to talk about having Neymar on set. In a film series whose connection to reality often wanders off the beaten path the casting of Neymar and his appearance in the film seemed, to the director, to set the tone for the new xXx film.

Neymar Jr. xXx Return of Xander Cage Poster

xxx returm of xander cage neymar

The director was keen to tell usĀ  of the curious way he came to be cast, and the day he spent working with him. Caruso talked of having a Usain Bolt type character needed in the script and how he immediately wanted to cast the Brazilian footballer in the role. The left field casting seems to fit the strangeness of this film perfectly. The footballer’s popularity is worldwide, and he was recently named as Europe’s most valuable player. With this film he follows fellow sportsmen and women to engage a new audience.

You can see all of our interviews from the premiere of xXx Return of Xander Cage right here and below you can see the full video of Stefan Pape talking to DJ Caruso about the footballer’s role in the new film.

Neymar Jr. xXx Return of Xander Cage Interview