Between the years of 1999 and 2001, Paul Walker was the coolest dude in the world. Like a young Sean Connery with blonde hair and less acting ability, he was somehow able to set up camp in that tiny space at the center of the Venn Diagram where male and female approval overlap. He had it all. Lots of women loved him because he was devastatingly handsome in a very non-threatening way, and lots of dudes loved him because he came across like a football-playing, shot-pounding, car-racing every man who just so happened to look like a model. His appeal was pretty much all across the board.
Because of those good looks and his appeal to the younger demographic, it was easy for many to write off Walker during the last decade or so of his life. It was easy to say he was just a pretty face that won the genetic lottery, but the truth is Southern California is filled with beautiful people. Damn near every host or hostess within a thirty mile radius of Beverly Hills probably would have been the hottest person you went to high school with. Walker rose to the top of that crowd because he had charisma behind his eyes and his perfectly symmetrical face. When he walked into a room, everyone turned because he radiated confidence and poise. Besides, why the hell should someone ever have to apologize for being too handsome? Every guy should be so lucky to have to offer up I'm-sorrys about that.
Thanks to the actor's tragic death, there are hundreds of obituaries on the Internet praising his talent and his ability to carry an action franchise. Those are obviously notable traits, but for the purpose of this article, we're going to instead celebrate what we'll all actually remember about Walker: his devastating good looks and the cooler-than-this-shit vibe that often wafted off his person.
So, in honor of that charming smile and shit-eating-grin, here are 5 great moments in Paul Walker handsomeness….
Knocked A Can Off A Dude's Head In Varsity Blues
I don't know Paul's parents. Therefore, I'm going to assume he was the byproduct of a one night stand between a teenage Christie Brinkley and then Oakland Raiders quarterback Kenny Stabler. That would explain why he throws such a tight spiral and still manages to look like he's in the middle of a Calvin Kline commercial while doing it. Bonus point to Walker for going through Varsity Blues as the rival quarterback to our hero and still somehow coming off as decent and likable.
Jumped His Car Over Another Car Mid-Air In 2 Fast 2 Furious
With a tricked out car full of dangerous options and an unshakeable will, Walker's character Brian O'Conner easily could have bordered on the wrong side of douche. If there's one curse attractive white dudes are often born with, it's a predisposition toward douche face. Just ask Jay Cutler, but in Paul's steady hands, his character always looked cool behind the wheel, as you can see in the above scene when he jumps a car while they're both flying through the air. I have no idea if physics would actually allow that, but since it happens in rare occasions on Mario Kart, I'm going to assume the science here is valid.
Outshined Freddie Prinze In She's All That
Look. Freddie Prinze Jr obviously has some raw sexual power to him or something because no one without superhuman strength could possibly land Buffy. That being said, poor Mr. Prinze would not be the most popular dude at the high school he goes to in She's All That. There's just no way. Paul Walker comes off as more attractive and more swaggy every single time they're on screen together, which is all the more impressive since he was obviously trying to tone down his Walker-ness for the camera in order to not dominate the entire film. Mission fail. A leopard can't hide his spots, and Walker couldn't cover up his rugged good looks and brash and confident demeanor.
Learned Jiu-Jitsu In Real Life
Walker wasn't ready for the UFC when he passed away this week, but he was more than capable of defending himself, particularly in any altercation that found its way to the ground. He was able to achieve a brown belt during his life training with some of the top jiu jitsu teachers in the world. As such, all of the muggers in California should be celebrating the unfortunate accident because if they were ever unlucky enough to choose him or his woman as a victim, he would have surely put an unholy asswhooping on the poor bastard. Men too prone to throwing down might not be the epitome of attractive for most, but I'm not sure there's anyone in the world who dislikes it when a man acquires the skills to defend what's his.
Looked Even Better In Black And White
If you think Walker is a good looking dude and you've never seen Pleasantville before, get ready to be in for the shock of your life. Black and white somehow suited the actor's features even better. With a single smile and a few kind words, he was able to convince Reese Witherspoon to happily stay inside the television show, which sounds absurd until you hear him speak and realize the same act probably would have worked on more women than not. In another life, he will make a great pitchman.
