Paul Walker
Actor Paul Walker, best known for his roles in the
"Fast and the Furious" action movies, died on Saturday in a car crash
in Southern California, his publicist said.
Walker, 40, who was in five of the six films about illegal
street racing and heists, was a passenger in a friend's car and was attending a
charity event, according to a message linked to his Twitter account.
"Sadly, I must confirm that Paul did pass away this
afternoon in a car accident," Ame Van Iden, Walker's publicist, said in an
email.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a
statement that two people were killed in a car accident in Valencia, a
community in the city of Santa Clarita, at about 5:30 p.m. CT.
Deputies arriving at the scene found the vehicle engulfed in
flames. The victims were pronounced dead at the scene, the statement said. The
office did not provide the identities of the dead, and said the cause was under
investigation.
In the "Fast and Furious" pictures, the
blond-haired, blue-eyed actor played Brian O'Conner, a law enforcement
official.
The first movie in the series, which stars Vin Diesel, was
released in 2001, and a seventh was in development at the time of his death,
Universal, the studio behind the franchise, said in a statement. The most
recent film, released in May, was one of this year's biggest box office hits.
"Brother I will miss you very much," Diesel said
in a post on Instagram, adding "I am absolutely speechless. Heaven has
gained a new Angel. Rest in Peace."
According to the IMDb.com movie website, Paul William Walker
IV was born in Glendale, California, in 1973 and began acting at a very young
age, appearing in many commercials.
He played Professor Bennet in the 1987 movie "Monster
in the Closet" and starred in the television series "Throb,"
IMDb said.
Walker also made guest appearances on television shows,
including "Charles in Charge" and "Who's the Boss?" and had
a role in the soap opera, "The Young and the Restless."
Other film appearances include "Timeline,"
"Into the Blue," "The Lazarus Project" and
"Hours," which is slated for release in December.
According to IMDb, Walker has a daughter named Meadow.
Universal conveyed its condolences to Walker's family,
saying, "All of us at Universal are heartbroken.
"Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected
members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us,
to everyone involved with the Fast and Furious films, and to countless
fans."
More tributes flowed on social media websites such as
Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
"So sad. He gave a lot of joy," wrote James
Franco, while model/actor Tyson Beckford posted "Tyson Beckford: RIP Paul
Walker, loved working with you on "Into the Blue."
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