R.I.P. Paul Walker (1973-2013)
It is with a great sadness that we must report the tragic death of actor Paul Walker. Reps have confirmed that Walker died in a car crash in California on Saturday, November 30th, 2013, at age 40. Star of the Fast & Furious franchise, reports are saying that Walker was taking his friends out for rides in Santa Clarita in a brand new Porsche GT when the driver he was with lost control and hit a tree. The car then burst into flames and both occupants were killed. While many at first thought this was just another internet hoax, various PR friends have confirmed with Walker's rep directly that his death is not a hoax. It is very real, unfortunately.
Actor Paul Walker's early roles in Hollywood included appearances in Pleasantville, Varsity Blues and She's All That in the late 90s. He broke out big playing Brian O'Conner in Fast and the Furious as well as with Joy Ride, both released in 2001. Since then, he has gone on to star in four more Fast & Furious sequels, and was in the middle of filming Fast & Furious 7, being directed by James Wan. We're not sure how much he had filmed of Fast & Furious 7 yet, or if he'd even shot any of his scenes at all. (We'll have more updates soon.) TMZ reports that Walker was in Santa Clarita for a car show to support the Philippines typhoon relief effort, and was taking friends for rides in his new Porsche when the accident happened, killing him and his friend.
This is extremely tragic news to report regarding an actor that was reaching/in his prime. In addition to his Fast & Furious roles, Walker was also beloved for his performance in the movie Running Scared. He also starred in Eight Below, appeared in Flags of Our Fathers, Takers, Into the Blue, Vehicle 19 and the indie Hours, directed by Eric Heisserer. According to his IMDb, he has finished filming a role in Brick Mansions, directed by Camille Delamarre, and was obviously slated to star in Fast & Furious 7, (tentatively) due out in theaters July 11, 2014 next summer. While not currently married, Walker does have a 14 year old daughter.
It's a particularly sad story, and completely shocking, considering Walker was so young and so admired. Not only was he a very talented actor, but he was a nice guy too, which makes this news even harder to swallow. We'll be keeping an eye out for any major updates regarding this news, his life, and his upcoming projects.
Update: Universal, behind the Fast & Furious franchise, has released a statement: "All of us at Universal are heartbroken. Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the Fast and Furious films, and to countless fans. We send our deepest and most sincere condolences to Paul's family." In addition, Walker's official Facebook page posted a memo confirming additional details: "It is with a truly heavy heart that we must confirm that Paul Walker passed away today in a tragic car accident while attending a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide. He was a passenger in a friend's car, in which both lost their lives."
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