Vin Diesel takes to social media to remember Paul Walker, 12 years removed from the Fast & Furious star’s passing. Walker died in a car accident on November 30th, 2013, in the midst of production on Furious 7, and Diesel has made a habit of honoring the Brian O’Conner actor on this date each year.
Diesel‘s Instagram post this year continues that tradition. Accompanying a behind-the-scenes image of him and Walker together on the set of a Fast & Furious film, Diesel makes clear that Walker’s influence lives on in multiple facets of his life.
In his caption, Diesel explains that he named his daughter Pauline in honor of his late costar, and the post goes on to name Walker’s daughter, Meadow, as a continued source of positivity for his family. The Dom Toretto star calls Walker his “other half” and celebrates the unique bond they shared, writing that he feels “blessed.” Check out Diesel’s post and caption below:
Twelve Years
Pablo,
I named her Pauline… Never got to meet her Uncle Pablo, but when I call her name, I know you’re near.
Dark days, walking through life with a broken heart, hiding it from the world.
Some saw through… Kobe was one of them, like he somehow knew the weight or how easy it would have been to give up. Michael was another… known him for years. He predicted Pauline would be born on his
birthday… and he was right.
These angels found me exactly when I needed them. I believe in my heart that they were sent by you.
Pauline, your namesake, plays basketball now. Wears 24 and got MVP this season.
Bet you and Kobe are smiling… together.
Lil V, that little boy whose second birthday you came to in London… he’s fifteen now. Taller than me. Growing into a man you’d be so proud of. Like when you met my oldest and said he looked like you…
I hold onto the smallest memories. You on set with the Alpha Angel on your lap. SpongeBob on your brand new iPhone. That grin. You knew it would irritate me, haha…
I’d give anything to be irritated by you one more time.
Meadow has been such a gift to my children. A true cousin. Filming the first Fast, you talked about her with such wonder in your voice.
You showed how sacred fatherhood would be.
When your mom saw me this summer, she looked right through me… Like she was searching for you. Like somehow, through my eyes, she could still find her son.
She was right, you know. You were always my other half. I couldn’t have made it without your family’s love.
I sat at Thanksgiving this year, surrounded by family, and found myself wishing some of them knew me the way you did. The way we could sit in silence or communicate without words. Few get that in a life, but we had it from the start.
Twelve years.
Not sorrowful, brother.
Blessed.
The universe keeps placing angels in my path. I know you are a part of it… a brotherhood eternal.
Love you forever…
V
Walker debuted as Brian in 2001’s The Fast and the Furious, a modestly budgeted heist action flick that spawned a franchise that has now grossed over $7 billion worldwide. Alongside Diesel’s Dom and Michelle Rodriguez’s Letty, Brian became a core figure in the franchise, appearing in five subsequent sequels.
Fast Five Paul Walker Vin Diesel header
Walker’s sudden death occurred about halfway through production on director James Wan’s Furious 7. After a pause in filming out of respect and to figure out how to move forward, it was decided that Brian would live on, and that Walker’s two brothers would be used to help digitally recreate the actor.
Following Furious 7’s digital recreation of Walker, Brian has not appeared on-screen in any subsequent installments, though the character remains alive and well. With the franchise now gearing up for its grand finale, though, Brian is poised to return one last time.
Fast X (2023) has been billed as the penultimate adventure in Dom’s story. The film was met with mixed reviews and was a soft performer at the box office given its massive budget. Fast X: Part 2 is in the works, but its date has been pushed back several times. It’s now expected to arrive in April 2027.
The Fast X ending sets the stage for what’s to come in the follow-up, but Diesel also recently confirmed that Brian will return in Part 2. It’s not clear how large a role Brian will play in the story or if it will be more of a cameo, but Diesel has long been clear that the franchise needs to end with one more nod to his late costar.
Fast X: Part 2 is reportedly facing trouble behind the scenes regarding its budget. Cast is apparently a major reason for this, and digitally recreating Walker certainly won’t be inexpensive. While many questions remain about how the saga will end, it’s clear that Diesel has not forgotten just how much of an impact Walker had on Fast & Furious and on his own life.
Movie(s)
The Fast And The Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious, Fast Five, Fast & Furious 6, Furious 7, The Fate of the Furious, Hobbs and Shaw, F9: The Fast Saga, Fast X, Hobbs and Shaw 2, Fast X: Part 2
Cast
Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Eva Mendes, Lucas Black, Sung Kang, Bow Wow, Jordana Brewster, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, John Cena
Video Game(s)
The Fast and the Furious (2004), The Fast and the Furious (2006), Fast & Furious: SuperCars, Fast & Furious: Showdown, Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious, Fast & Furious Crossroads
Character(s)
Dominic Toretto, Brian O’Conner, Letty Ortiz, Roman Pearce, Monica Fuentes, Sean Boswell, Han Lue, Twinkie, Mia Toretto, Luke Hobbs, Deckard Shaw, Cipher, Brixton Lore, Jakob Toretto
Comic Release Date
213284