After 20 years within the cinematic landscape, the Fast and Furious franchise is continuing to reach new heights. Hot on the heels of their most recent box office victory, Vin Diesel and his F9 co-stars are moving right along and likely waiting to start production on the final two installments in the main series. However, the cast and crew, along with the fans, never hesitate to pay tribute to the late franchise star Paul Walker, who tragically died in an automobile accident in 2013. This year would’ve marked the actor’s 48th birthday, and both Diesel and the late star’s daughter, Meadow Walker, celebrated him on the day.
Paul Walker’s birthday is on September 12, a day that’s sure to remain in the hearts and minds of anyone who knew the late star intimately. 22-year-old Meadow Walker annually pays tribute to her father on his birthday, typically marking the occasion with an adorable throwback photo and a sweet caption. This year was no different, as she shared another wonderful father/daughter snapshot on Instagram, which you can see for yourself down below:
As time goes on, it only becomes more evident that Meadow Walker truly was the apple of her father’s eye. The younger Walker is sure to miss her dad dearly, but she seems to have a strong support system, which includes the fearless leader of the Fast and Furious franchise, Vin Diesel. He and Walker were incredibly close, and their families remain so to this day. In his own tribute to his late friend and colleague, Diesel included a sweet still featuring his Dominic Toretto and Walker’s Brian O’Conner:
Meadow Walker is currently establishing the foundations of her own career, but she’s still finding ways to keep her famous papa’s legacy alive in the Fast and Furious movies. Apparently, Meadow and Paul Walker’s brothers have been present on set for the last few Fast films and consult with the producers about how the Brian O’Conner character can be best handled moving forward. It’s too early to say for sure, but one would imagine the character will receive some sort of acknowledgement during the final two installments.
Vin Diesel seems more than excited to be forging ahead with the pair of productions, but Paul Walker’s absence definitely isn’t lost on him. Diesel has spoken candidly about the impact Walker had on the franchise and how the late performer continues to guide his steps. For instance, the Guardians of the Galaxy alum even feels Walker told him to cast John Cena in F9.
Fast 10 and 11 will serve as the culmination of the long-running blockbuster franchise, but they’ll also symbolize a promise that was made years ago. Vin Diesel previously revealed that he once mentioned the idea of doing ten FF movies, something that apparently excited Paul Walker. With two movies coming down the road, he’ll keep that promise and then some.
It honestly still hurts knowing we won’t receive any more art from the great Paul Walker, but we can certainly expect his daughter and co-stars to continue to honor his memory. And given his extensive body of work, I’m sure viewers will be enjoying his work for many years to come.
