Sad, sad news. TMZ has reported that Paul Walker has passed away in a car crash at the age of 40. At first it was unclear what the circumstances were but it has since been clarified that he was a passenger in a car while at an event for his charity called Reach Out Worldwide.
Walkers acting career goes back to the 80’s but it really started picking up steam around the late 1990’s, when he had roles in movies like Pleasantville (1998), Varsity Blues (1999), and The Skulls (2000).
Of course he turned into a superstar after appearing in The Fast and the Furious (2001), a movie that was all at once a blockbuster and cultural touchstone that perfectly road a wave of car culture that was huge at the time. He would go on to star in four more Fast and Furious movies and is about to star in the 7th instalment. It is unknown how his death will affect that movie.
After having a career so tied to cars and car culture the terrible irony of his death will be lost on no one. Our condolences go out to his family and legions of fans.
One of Walkers final movie, Hours, will go into limited release on December 13, 2013.
God speed, Paul. You will be missed.
Posted By Derek Scarzella