Losing Brian O’Conner
Why are so many people saddened by Paul Walker’s death?
As you probably know by now, actor Paul Walker — best known for his portrayal of Brian O’Conner in the Fast & Furious movie series — was killed in a car accident yesterday afternoon. His death was first reported by TMZ in the early evening. Hollywood trade magazine Variety confirmed the report later that night, shortly followed by a statement released on Paul Walker’s official Facebook fan page.
I obviously didn’t know Paul Walker, and aside from Into The Blue, I’ve only seen him in the Fast & Furious movies, but for some reason, his death made me surprisingly sad (by the way, he was the passenger in the completely totalled Porsche — not the driver). Last night, I was trying to figure out why I felt so affected, and I think it’s precisely this: Walker was far from a great actor, but he was really good at playing a character in a big, “dumb,” action franchise that lets you turn your brain off and forget about your problems. As shitty as the world can be, movies like the Fast & Furious franchise are the perfect distraction.
Several people have also pointed out what a genuinely likeable and nice guy Walker was. That’s generally the case after a celebrity has passed, but Twitter user @LexG_III’s sums up Walker’s essence perfectly:
Best thing about WALKER was that EARNEST intensity. No irony. Would roll right up to awesome black dudes w a “What’s up CUZ” and he MEANT IT
Paul Walker was awesome in that Kurt Russell way: Regular seeming dude, effortless, no pretensions, absolute minimum of bullshit.
Most actors sweat, fume and work triple-time to let you know how “edgy” they are: Paul Walker just seemed like he was having a blast
Finally, I’ll leave you with some of Walker’s own words from his last interview:
[To Fast and Furious fans] I’m Brian a lot more than I’m Paul Walker, which is awesome. When I hear, ‘Hey Paul Walker!’ my hair stands up on the back of my neck. It’s uncomfortable. But when I hear ‘It’s Brian!’ it’s cool. I like Brian.
Ride or die.
(Photo credit: Official Vin Diesel Instagram account)
