Victorious: Vin Diesel was emotional in accepting the MTV Generation Award for The Fast and the Furious at the MTV Movie and TV Awards in Los Angeles Sunday. The action star was flanked by co-star Jordana Brewster and other castmates onstage

The xXx actor looked back to the early days of the drag racing-oriented film anthology.

‘In 2002, I was standing on this stage and MTV had given Paul Walker and I an award for Best Duo, and now 15 years later, I’m with my whole family and you’re giving us the Generation Award,’ Diesel told the crowd.

The actor noted how audiences were drawn to the diverse demographics of his film franchise, which continues to set revenue records in the wake of the latest installment in the series, The Fate of the Furious.

Fiery friends: Diesel welcomed castmates (L-R) Tyrese Gibson, Michelle Rodriguez and Brewster onto the stage to accept the honors with him

Tribute: Diesel said he hoped his late friend Walker was proud of the film franchise’s enduring success

Dressed to kill: Diesel went casual cool for the high energy award show, in an all-black ensemble in a leather jacket as he showed off his golden popcorn trophy

Top of the world: With the Furious and xXx series, Diesel is among the foremost action stars of his generation

‘I gotta thank a generation that was willing to accept this multicultural franchise, where it didn’t matter what color your skin was or what country you were from – when you’re family, you’re family,’ he said.

Last month, Diesel said that the franchise’s massive success – personified by high-profile castmates who later joined the series, such as Dwayne Johnson, Charlize Theron and Jason Statham – was attributable to Walker.

Big-hearted: The action star reminisced about the franchise’s beginnings in the rousing acceptance speech

Movie mojo: Wonder Woman’s Gal Gadot posed with Diesel, Brewster and Tyrese backstage

Memories: Walker and Diesel posed in suits in this shot from the London premiere of The Fast and Furious 6

Diesel, at a New York screening at Radio City Music Hall, said ‘a lot of great talent in this movie’ wouldn’t have been possible ‘if it wasn’t for the decades of work that my brother Pablo put into this franchise. When you see this movie, know that this is from love.’

He said that ‘there wasn’t a second we made this movie, not a minute … not a day that went by that we weren’t thinking about our brother, Pablo, and how to bring him into the movie and how to represent him and to make something that he will be proud of.’