7 Reasons Paul Walker Will Always Be Missed
Paul Walker is the kind of actor that only comes around once a generation. Known for his role in the Fast and Furious franchise as well as teen movie favorites such as She’s All That and Varsity Blues, Paul managed to pair his leading-man good looks with the kind of boy-next-door naiveté that always won us over, even when he was playing the bad boy.
Today would have been Paul Walker’s 43rd birthday, as he was tragically killed in a car crash on Nov. 30, 2013. It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost three full years since Paul’s death; it seems like just yesterday that we were watching him on the big screen for the first time. In the years since his passing, Paul’s daughter Meadow has started a charity in his name, and his legacy has lived on through his films. It’s clear that he remains missed by his family, fellow actors, and fans alike. Here are 7 reasons why he will always live on in our memories.
1/7Paul officially started stealing hearts in 1999.
Regardless of whether you saw Varsity Blues in the movie theaters as a kid, or if you watched it on TV years later, it was hard not to fall a little bit in love with Paul Walker’s character, Lance Harbor. Lance was the quarterback of the Coyotes, who eventually was sidelined after a bad knee injury. Even if you were more into James Van Der Beek (hey, it was peak Dawson’s Creek era), you definitely emerged from that movie with a crush on Paul.
2/7We even loved him in She’s All That.
Paul Walker is one of the only actors who could play a total jerk and still be kind of adorable. Paul’s character in She’s All That was definitely not the kind of guy we’d want to hang out with, but there was something that made us love him anyway. Real talk though: what high school boy cares that much about the prom queen?
3/7He made us really excited for college in The Skulls.
Okay, most colleges don’t have secret societies like in The Skulls, but we didn’t know that at the time. In our middle-school brains, all colleges and universities definitely had top-secret clubs that you couldn’t join unless you knew about them. This movie was super dark but also featured Paul Walker as a boxer, which we could watch for hours.
4/7Paul helped make the Fast and Furious franchise successful.
Even those who wouldn’t ordinarily jump to watch movies about fast cars might be inclined to do so, thanks to Paul Walker. Seven films later (with Fast 8 coming out in 2017), it’s one of the most well-known movie series, and is Universal Studios’ biggest franchise of all time. Also, can we talk abut Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa's tribute to Paul? "See You Again" will make anyone weep.
5/7Paul had a soft spot for sharks.
Paul attended community college in southern California where he majored in marine biology. After his acting career took off, he joined the board of directors at The Billfish Foundation, which is dedicated to improving the habitat of sharks and other marine wildlife. Paul starred in the 2010 National Geographic film called Shark Men, and also worked with the crew to help catch and tag great white sharks off the coast of Mexico.
6/7And about “See You Again"...
The track appears on the Furious 7 soundtrack, which was released two years after Paul’s death. The song has won several awards, including a Critics Choice Award for Best Song and a Teen Choice Award for Choice R&B/Hip Hop Song. It was nominated for three Grammys and a Golden Globe as well — and is now the second most-watched music video on YouTube ever.
7/7Paul’s legacy continues to live on through charity work.
Paul’s daughter, Meadow, started The Paul Walker Foundation in order to support the causes that were near and dear to her father’s heart. The foundation provides scholarships to students and researchers who are working toward advancements in the marine biology field. “Reflecting on my father, I found myself reflecting on his passions,” Meadow explains. “His passion for the ocean...rescuing animals...helping people...and spontaneous goodwill. I wanted to start this foundation because I want to share that piece of him with the world.” We think Paul would be proud.
