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Vin Diesel salutes veterans, gives peek at Atlanta-filmed "Billy Lynn"

By Jennifer Brett
Nov 23, 2015

Vin Diesel plays a serviceman in "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk," which filmed in Atlanta this year and is due for a November 2016 release.

Vin Diesel posted this photo of himself in character. "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk" is due out in November 2016.

Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett

The movie, directed by Ang Lee, is based on Ben Fountain's novel about military personnel who are sent on a "Victory Tour" in the United States to rally popular support for the war in Iraq. The cast includes Kristen Stewart, Garrett Hedlund, Steve Martin, Makenzie Leigh and Chris Tucker.

"It was an honor to start my Hollywood professional acting career as a soldier in Saving Private Ryan, a role Steven Spielberg wrote for me," Diesel posted as part of a Veterans Day salute. "This summer I had the honor of playing a soldier in Ang Lee's 'Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk'. Each experience only strengthened my appreciation for Our Veterans... Proud."

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