Hollywood is deeply saddened to have lost Paul Walker, one of the real nice guys of cinema. Tributes across social and traditional media have poured in for the actor best known for his role in the Fast and the Furious franchise, some hard-pressed to find adequate words and others praising his good conduct.
Fans of the popular franchise will feel his death just as much. Contracted to films seven and eight in the series, the seventh film was set a July 2014 release date. Whether that remains after filming finishes has not been decided, but it is widely known his presence is the centre of this series’ universe.
With a pair of piercing blue eyes helping his cause Walker had dabbled in other films, with support roles in the likes of Pleasantville (1998) and Flags of Our Fathers (2006), and lead roles in Eight Below (2006) and the yet-to-be-released Hours and Brick Mansions (both 2013). Interested in working behind the camera, he had produced two films this year. But it was always the story of cop-turned-street racer Brian O’Conner that drew Walker back to a franchise that loved him.
It is resentfully ironic his life was taken by the risk his beloved character took. But this was no drag race. Walker was reportedly the passenger in this accident to friend and CEO of his high-performance car company Always Evolving, Roger Rodas. He was a responsible man, having just attended a charity event for his organization to aid victims of the Philippines’ Typhoon Haiyan. He created Reach Out Worldwide as a response to the Haiti earthquakes of January 2010, believing that helping one person could make the world a better place.
Paul Walker, a self-confessed “gearhead”, will be remembered for possessing an attitude fans could relate to. His loyalty towards the Fast and the Furious franchise, and Universal through that, is something now seldom heard of in the industry. Survived by his daughter Meadow, Walker was a rarity in Hollywood. His career never seemed to overtake personal ambitions, and he was committed to helping others. At 40 years old, he realized being a movie star was not the endpoint.
He will be missed.
