5 Ways The 'Furious 7' Cast Vowed To Honour The Late Paul Walker's Life And Legacy
More than a year since Paul Walker's death, his 'Fast and Furious' co-stars continue to pay tribute to a beloved castmate and brother.
By Samantha Khor — 24 Mar 2015, 06:20 PM
It's been a year and a half since Paul Walker was killed in a horrific car crash, and his 'Furious 7' co-stars continue to remember the man who was like family to all of them
With 'Furious 7' set to premiere in less than two weeks, the cast is currently undergoing press tours to promote the movie and they are adamant about reminding fans that Walker's final movie is a true labour of love in honouring their fallen brother
At a recent preview screening in Los Angeles, Vin Diesel was visibly choked up when he spoke about losing his "brother" and the emotional experience of completing the movie, calling it "the hardest movie I've ever had to do"
“It was in some ways the hardest movie I've ever had to do because the relationships that you see on film are so real,” he said.
“Know that we made this movie from our hearts. And know that this is our gift to you and more importantly, it’s for my brother there,” he added, pointing to Walker's picture on-screen.
Watch his poignant tribute to Paul Walker here:
Diesel also paid a sweet tribute to Walker when he named his newborn daughter Pauline - whom he welcomed with long-time girlfriend Paloma Jimenez on 16 March - in honour of his close friend and co-star of more than a decade
"He was in the room. There's no other person that I was thinking about as I was cutting this umbilical cord. I just... knew he was there," Diesel recalled.
"It felt like, you know, a way to keep his memory a part of my family and a part of my world," he added.
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Tyrese Gibson wore a sweater with Walker's face on it during the ongoing press tour for 'Furious 7'.
"While you are interviewing me, I want him to be on everyone's mind because it's not about me," he explained.
Gibson said, "We prayed a lot, and we had to literally pull it together as only a family would. The natural instinct is to want to quit and stop. None of us wanted to be here today doing press interviews because it just feels like, 'How is it not about us?'"
But the cast knew that their brother would want the show to go on.
"Paul is not selfish. He never was selfish. He would’ve never said, 'If anything ever happened to me, this franchise should be over.' Because we all knew that this was a collective energy with all of our talents and gifts, and it was an ensemble, multi-ethnic, international experience," Gibson explained.
Looking past the pain and grief of mourning a beloved cast member, Gibson said that the experience had taught him to "forgive faster, kiss slower, hug longer and if you have any issues with anybody, put it on the table."
"Because it's arrogant to believe the next seconds of life belong to us," he added.
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Michelle Rodriguez recently admitted to doing some "pretty crazy" things in the past year to cope with the loss. She has since come to terms with her grief after "discovering a new sense of purpose".
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Rodriguez said that the shock of losing a trusted friend caused her to unravel.
"I actually went on a bit of a binge. I went crazy a little bit, I went pretty crazy. A lot of the stuff I did last year I would never do had I been in my right mind," she said, wiping away tears. "I was pushing myself to feel. I felt like nothing I could do could make me feel alive, so I just kept pushing myself harder and harder. I was traveling and I was having sex. And I was just trying to ignore everything that I was feeling."
As of now, Rodriguez is finally coming to terms with her grief, having discovered a renewed sense of purpose.
"I just woke up [one morning] with a profound respect for living. I stood tall one day and I said, ‘You know what, Michelle? Stop f—ing hiding. Go manifest.’ And all of a sudden, I picked myself up and started hustling,” she said.
But unlike her castmates, Rodriguez still finds it difficult to talk about Walker during an interview with NBC's Today
"I love that boy so much. I just can't talk without cracking, you know. I'm sorry."
Image via TODAY's YouTubeCast members and 'Furious 7' director James Wan gathered at their movie family's table - possibly for the last time - to discuss the experience of completing the movie without Walker and how important it is for them to honour his legacy
"I don't think it's something any of us will ever get over," Jordana Brewster, who played Walker's wife in the movies, said of the loss. "He was the most wonderful, light, beautiful spirit ever, and he'll be forever missed."
On why it was so important to everyone involved that the film be completed after Walker's death in 2013, Vin Diesel explaines, "We all knew that it was our job to lead the legacy for someone we love, and someone the world loved. That's why the ending is as precious as it is."
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High-speed action and gravity-defying stunts aside, fans can expect to be overcome with feels when they finally watch the movie, thanks to the franchise's final tribute to Walker in his last starring role
According to Brewster, it's just perfect.
"When I finally saw the movie, I breathed a huge sigh of relief because it is beautiful, and he's so good in it," she said. "The tribute to [Paul] is so fitting and beautiful, and I am really happy the fans get to see that."
Co-star Ludacris added, "I don't think there was a better way to honor his legacy in terms of how creative we got at the end of the film. People will be crying, 100 percent. This entire movie is like an emotional roller coaster."
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