During the U.S. premiere of F9, Vin Diesel breaks down in tears as he recalls Paul Walker, whose legacy continues to live on in the Fast & Furious franchise.
During the premiere of F9, Vin Diesel paid a heartfelt homage to his old Fast and Furious co-star Paul Walker. Diesel co-starred in The Fast and Furious (2001), and it is subsequent sequels with Walker until the latter’s terrible loss in 2013. Despite Walker’s death, the franchise continued, and it is presently on its eighth installment.
F9 is the sequel to 2017’s The Fate of the Furious and was initially set for release in 2020. However, after several delays due to the Covid 19 outbreak, the film was eventually released abroad last month and instantly became one of 2021’s top films. It will be released in theaters in the United States on June 25. It portrays Diesel’s character, Dom, who has withdrawn from street racing and is now living a quieter life with his beautiful wife, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez). Apart from Diesel and Rodriguez, numerous previous Fast & Furious cast members appear, including Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, and Charlize Theron.
This ensemble reunion emphasizes Walker’s terrible demise, which is still a significant part of the tale eight years later.
During the F9 U.S. premiere in Los Angeles, Diesel became emotional as he remembered his old co-star and buddy. The 53-year-old star paid poignant homage to Walker on Instagram, sharing an old photo of the two at the Fast & Furious 5 premiere in 2011. “On my way to the premiere… you’ll be there in spirit,” Diesel captioned the photo. According to People, Diesel also mentioned Walker, referred to as “Pablo,” while conversing with journalists on the red carpet.
“Some of my greatest moments in life have been going to premieres, and the person, the fact that I have at every one of these enormous premieres, has always been my brother Pablo. After we produced the movie, it was always after we had given everything to all of the fans that he and I just pondered on the trip. He’d traveled such a long distance. We stunned the world with this modest small movie about brotherhood, and we would dream about the potential, so when I was thinking about who I’d meet at this premiere, I kept coming back to Pablo, and I know he’s here; as well.”
Walker played LAPD officer Brian O’Conner in the first Fast & Furious film, released in 2001. He continued his performance in the franchise’s subsequent sequels until he died in a car accident in 2013. Walker, 40, had been in the middle of filming Furious 7 at the time of his painful death. So the staff suspended production to figure out what to do about Walker’s unexpected exit. In the end, his character was saved but given a dignified send-off. The movie was shot posthumously in 2015, and the actor’s part was filled using stand-ins and digital effects from his brothers.
Walker died nearly eight years ago, but his character is still very much a part of the saga’s tale, and his castmates frequently pay tribute to him. Because Brian O’Conner is still alive in the Fast & Furious world, it’s not surprising that he’ll be mentioned and referenced in F9 and future editions of the film series. In addition, meadow Walker, Walker’s 22-year-old daughter, is rumored to be joining the cast of future films. While nothing has been verified yet, one thing is sure: Walker remains at the core of the action franchise, and his legend goes on through his fans and castmates.
