Vin Diesel Dating Maria Menounos  7/27/06

Action star Vin Diesel is reportedly dating a sexy US TV presenter he once publicly flirted with as she interviewed him for news show Access Hollywood.

Maria Menounos chose the XXX star as her date when she cheered on her pal Rita Wilson during a recent performance of stage musical Chicago in New York last week (19JUL06).

A source close to Menounos confirms a relationship saying, "They've been friendly for about a year."

The 28-year-old Menounos is also an aspiring actress and will star opposite Jamie Kennedy in the upcoming comedy Kickin' It Old Skool. She also appears in Jessica Simpson's new music video A Public Affair.

A Menounos pal says the actress has had a long-standing crush on Diesel and is thrilled with the progression of the relationship.

The source adds, "There's always been an attraction there. (Now) they're taking it to the next level."