‘Fast 9’: ‘Mayans M.C.’ Star J.D. Pardo Has Crucial Role in ‘Fast & Furious’ Saga

Mayans M.C. actor J.D. Pardo has joined the Fast & Furious saga, landing a crucial role in the newest movie, Fast 9. Pardo has been a rising star for years and secured a big breakthrough when he was cast as EZ Reyes in FX’s Sons of Anarchy spinoff. Now, he’s made his debut in the Fast series, surprising both fans of the films and Mayans M.C. watchers. [Editor’s warning: spoilers for F9 are below]

In Fast 9, which opened in theaters on June 25, Pardo portrays Jack Toretto, the father of Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto. The character is seen in F9 flashbacks, as Jack was previously revealed to have died in a stock car accident. Notably, Jack is also the father to Dom’s siblings: Mia, played by Jordana Brewster, and Jakob, played by John Cena. Both Pardo and Cena are newcomers to the Fast franchise, as F9 marks the former WWE superstar’s debut.

Pardo recently finished Season 3 of Mayans M.C., which left his character at quite a cliffhanger ending. Next up, he’ll be joining Chris Pratt, Constance Wu, Riley Keough, Taylor Kitsch, and Jeanne Tripplehorn in The Terminal List for Amazon Studios. The series is based on Jack Carr’s best-selling novel of the same name.

While the actor may be busy with other projects, Mayans M.C. fans can rest assured that the show is not going anywhere. It was recently announced that FX had renewed the series created by Elgin James and Kurt Sutter for a fourth season. “Elgin James, his creative collaborators, this incredible cast and crew delivered on another epic season of Mayans MC,” FX original programming president Nick Grad said in a statement announcing the renewal last month. “Through three seasons, Mayans has told stories that resonate well beyond the border where the club thrives and survives, inviting fans inside their world and giving them a seat at the table.”

Ahead of Mayans M.C. Season 3, Pardo posted a message to fans and offered his take on what Season 3 of the hit action drama will bring. “I can’t express how proud I am of this season. The Cast, AMAZING Crew, Production, Studio were able to come together and film this season despite all the changes and limitations on set and tell the absolute best Mayans MC story to date.”

Pardo then went on to praise James, thanking him “for his sacrifice, and his faith in me, the cast and the show.” The actor continued, “This season is cinematic, raw, unfiltered, touching your soul and breaking your heart at the same time. There’s nothing pretty or glamorous about the Mayans. We are wolves trying to survive and fighting for our lives. This is our story. I hope you tune in with me!”