Silke Jasso
During an early screening of “The Fate of the Furious” at Wednesday’s CinemaCon, star Vin Diesel paid tribute to his late friend and franchise costar Paul Walker, who passed away in a tragic car accident in 2013. During his speech, the actor revealed that it was Walker’s idea to do an eighth “Fast and Furious” film.
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“It was Paul Walker who promised eight,” Diesel said, adding that it was the reason they went forward with the eighth movie in Walker’s absence. “It played over and over again in my brain.”
He then went on to honor the man he has called his best friend by saying that Walker continues to live in through the movie’s characters.
“Part of Paul’s legacy lives through every frame that we shoot,” he said. “You are reminded of this angel that was so integral to this concept of brotherhood for our millennium. There’s something beautiful about that. There’s something celebratory about that.”
Next, Diesel reportedly covered his eyes with his hand as he fought back tears.
“I always feel like he’s looking down on us, so we didn’t want to let him down,” he said.
Fellow “The Fate of the Furious” actor Tyrese Gibson added, “We move and operate in the memory of Paul Walker.”
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