Longtime friend and co-star Vin Diesel pays tribute to his late pal Paul Walker.
Although Fast and Furious 8 is busily moving forward, Diesel, arguably the franchise’s biggest star, took a brief moment to recognize his late co-star with a special message. In the post shared via Instagram on Saturday, May 21, the action actor, 48, shared a throwback photo of himself being interviewed with Paul Walker. What followed was a gentle reminder that the actor is gone, but never forgotten.
“Many of the crew members who have worked on several of the past Fast films are here again to help us make something special,” Vin wrote. “One of them at the end of the week came up to me and said wow what we are capturing on film is excellent… And then looked at me and said Paul would be proud. #wemakethemwithourhearts.”
While Walker’s passing still weighs heavily on Diesel, newcomers to the franchise, like Scott Eastwood (The Longest Ride, Suicide Squad), are also feeling the impact. Shortly after announcing he was joining the film, Eastwood couldn’t help but acknowledge Walker’s influence on the franchise. “It’s hard to put into words how excited I am for the next Fast & Furious,” Eastwood began in a April Instagram post. “To me, the series is so much more than just a franchise. It’s a legacy. These great actors who have been in it together for so long have become a family. I absolutely can’t wait to join it.”
Adding, “Paul was a close friend of mine. We surfed together, traveled together, and he was a huge role model and influencing figure in my life when I was younger. He still is,” he continued. “He was an older brother to me. For me to be able to add to the F&F story, Paul’s story, and the FAST family is like a dream come true.”
Fast 8 is set for release Apr. 14, 2017, while Fast 9 and Fast 10 are hitting theaters on Apr. 19, 2019, and Apr. 2, 2021, respectively. Will you be watching? Sound off in the comment section below.
