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28 March 2024

‘Fast and Furious’ star Paul Walker dies in car crash; was to film in Abu Dhabi next month

Paul Walker (REUTERS)

Published
By Bindu Suresh Rai

For young hopefuls such as Abdul Rehman, his dream to film alongside his favourite star, Paul Walker, will forever remain unrealised.

A budding actor himself, Abu Dhabi-based Rehman had dreamed of bagging a role in the popular film franchise, ‘Fast and Furious’, possibly even share that moment of glory alongside stars Walker and Vin Diesel in a gripping car chase that is synonymous with the $2 billion grossing series.

Walker and Diesel were scheduled to jet into the capital early January to commence filming.

Walker’s tragic death changes all that.

In an ironic twist that is not lost on anyone, the 40-year-old actor died earlier today in a fiery car crash in Los Angeles, when the Porsche he was travelling in crashed swerved and crashed into a tree.

Celebrity news site TMZ posted a statement from Walker’s rep that read: “He was a passenger in a friend’s car, in which both lost their lives.”

The rep added that Paul was “attending a charity event for his organisation Reach Out Worldwide.”

A few weeks ago, Abu Dhabi got its taste of Hollywood glamour when the ‘Fast and Furious’ film crew commenced filming some scenes of the seventh instalment of the action thriller, before the arrival of its lead star.

While helicopters were seen buzzing above Etihad Towers, residents reported some of the windows had been removed from the buildings, possibly to film some of the action sequences.

There were also unconfirmed sightings of Diesel at Emirates Palace; while co-star Ludacris was in the capital during the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix, where the rapper performed live at the ‘Beats on the Beach’.

Earlier in July, fans across the UAE were abuzz when it was confirmed that Walker, Diesel and Jason Statham were headed here.

The Los Angeles casting call for the film had confirmed the detail, with the announcement stating: ‘FF7 Productions in association with One Race Films and Original Film are now in pre-production on the action crime thriller feature film ‘Fast and Furious 7’, and casting calls will be going out in Los Angeles for starring, co-starring, and supporting roles.

‘Shooting will also take place in Tokyo and Dubai’.

Albeit the Dubai was shifted to neighbouring Abu Dhabi.

The seventh film was expected to bring back street racer and fugitive Dominic Toretto (Diesel, who is also co-producing this time), along with former FBI agent turned criminal Brian O’Conner (Walker) and Diplomatic Security Service agent, played by Dwayne Johnson.

Walker’s untimely death will possibly stall the next film’s release scheduled for next year.

The actor’s untimely death has also sent shockwaves across Hollywood.

Celebrities took to Twitter giving their condolences, with Sarah Michelle Gellar tweeting: “May he be in peace. To his family you are in our thoughts and prayers.”

Goldie Hawn wrote: “Our family mourns the loss of Paul. A very special human being.  Our prayers go his beloved family.”

Carson Daly said: “Sick about the tragic loss of Paul Walker. I enjoyed our time together very much. Such a really nice guy. Prayers to his family and friends.”