[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/fast-furious-actor-paul-walker-dies-in-car-crash\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/fast-furious-actor-paul-walker-dies-in-car-crash\/","headline":"Fast & Furious Actor Paul Walker Dies in Car Crash","name":"Fast & Furious Actor Paul Walker Dies in Car Crash","description":"This weekend was awash with bad news as usual, but for car lovers the one piece of news that stuck out was the sad death of 40 year old Californian actor Paul Walker, best known for his role as agent Brian O\u2019Conner in The Fast and the Furious film franchise. In an ironic twist of fate, Walker died in a car crash as the Porsche being driven by a friend crashed in Los Angles and was engulfed in flames. Both […]","datePublished":"2013-12-02","dateModified":"2013-12-02","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/paul-walker-actor.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/paul-walker-actor.jpg","height":400,"width":400},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/fast-furious-actor-paul-walker-dies-in-car-crash\/","about":["LATEST CAR NEWS"],"wordCount":554,"keywords":["2 fast 2 furious","brian o'conner","fast & furious","hours","hurricane katrina","joy ride","movie","paul walker","porsche","roadkill","the fast and the furious","tokyo drift","universal studios","Vin Diesel"],"articleBody":"This weekend was awash with bad news as usual, but for car lovers the one piece of news that stuck out was the sad death of 40 year old Californian actor Paul Walker, best known for his role as agent Brian O\u2019Conner in The Fast and the Furious film franchise.In an ironic twist of fate, Walker died in a car crash as the Porsche being driven by a friend crashed in Los Angles and was engulfed in flames. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.Universal Studios echoed what many already thought; that Walker was a nice guy, saying in a statement \u201cPaul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family..\u201dThe first Fast & Furious (as the franchise became known) film was released in 2001 and was inspired by an articled entitled Racer X about illegal street racing in Japan. Walker play O\u2019Conner, an undercover policeman who is set the task of finding out who is stealing high end electronic equipment.In that first film, it was essentially a vehicle for Vin Diesel, but for the second film, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Walker\u2019s role was elevated due to Vin Diesel\u2019s absence (Diesel reappeared in the franchise for the third movie, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift).Walker\u2019s career path started at a far more sedate pace as a child actor in a Pampers TV commercial followed by a modelling career that started at the tender age of 2. The Fast and the Furious was his big breakthrough though, and that same year, without straying too far from the car theme, he starred in the thriller\/horror, Joy Ride (or Roadkill depending where you are in the world).It would be fair to say that The Fast & Furious franchise has polarised opinion in some quarters. Ahead of the release of Fast & Furious 6, the Toronto police issued a statement warning fans of the films to be aware of their driving, suggesting that the franchise might be influential in encouraging young drivers to try to replicate the driving style from the films saying: \u201cThis movie continues to maintain a following of individuals who believe that the operation of vehicles similar to the way the vehicles are operated in the movie is acceptable and without consequences.\u201dIt\u2019s not a new argument of course, and not just related to films about cars. My own opinion is that some people are more likely to have the disposition to copy their heroes, while the majority just appreciate films for what they are – entertainment.Walker is also the star of a new movie called Hours, a drama about Hurricane Katrina, which is due for release on 13th December. But he will always be know for his role as Brian O\u2019Conner in the incredibly successful Fast & Furious films which have so far earned around \u00a31.5 billion at the box office.In one of his last interviews on the set of Fast & Furious 7, Walker talked about the blurring of fiction and reality among fans: \u201cI’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.”"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Fast & Furious Actor Paul Walker Dies in Car Crash","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/fast-furious-actor-paul-walker-dies-in-car-crash\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]