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Vin Diesel Chokes Up As He Remembers Paul Walker At CinemaCon

Vin Diesel Chokes Up As He Remembers Paul Walker At CinemaCon

He named his daughter after his former co-star who tragically died in 2013.

James Dawson

James Dawson

Vin Diesel paid tribute to the late Paul Walker at CinemaCon on Wednesday and appeared to choke up as he reminisced about his former co-star.

Explaining why he decided to continue with The Fast and the Furious franchise, he said it was to honour a promise Walker made that there would be an eighth chapter in the long-running series.

The franchises next instalment, The Fate of the Furious, opens next month. Fans at CinemaCon, an annual industry trade show currently taking place in Las Vegas, were treated to a full preview of the movie.

"It was Paul Walker who promised eight," Diesel said. "It played over and over again in my brain."

Credit: PA Images

Walker tragically passed away in a 2013 car crash at just 40-years-old. But Diesel, who has called Walker his best friend, said the actor continues to live on through his films.

"Part of Paul's legacy lives through every frame that we shoot," Diesel continued. "You are reminded of this angel that was so integral to this concept of brotherhood for our millennium.

"There's something beautiful about that. There's something celebratory about that."

"I always feel like he's looking down on us so we didn't want to let him down," he added as he struggled to contain his tears.

In an interview with The Today Show back in 2015, Diesel confirmed that he had named his daughter after Walker and called her Pauline.

Credit: PA Images

Co-star Tyrese Gibson also paid tribute to Walker, saying: "We move and operate in the memory of [him]."

The Fate of the Furious'will kick off a new trilogy in the franchise, which Diesel has been a part of since original movie 'The Fast and the Furious'.

How It All Began For The Fast Duo

One of the most intense and action packed series to hit Hollywood, the first movie came out in 2001 and saw the beginning of one of the best on and off screen bromances in all of cinema.

Dom Toretto and Brian O'Conner - played by Vin Diesel and Paul Walker - began as enemies, with O'Conner on a mission to arrest Toretto.

Credit: Universal Pictures

At the end of the movie they race each other in an amazing street race, narrowly avoiding an approaching train in true Fast style.

Toretto went on to total his car in a crash, providing O'Conner with a chance to arrest him. However, he found he couldn't do it due to his new found respect for the man.

Instead he gave him his own keys and let him make his escape.

Vin's Career Highlights

Despite having one of the coolest names in showbiz, sadly it is not his real name, his birth name was Mark Sinclair Vincent - but that doesn't stop him being one of the baddest, baldest motherfuckers in Hollywood.

Born on July 18, 1967, in New York City, he made his stage debut at the young age seven when he appeared in the children's play Dinosaur Door, written by Barbara Garson.

Credit: PA Images

But it wasn't long before he sacked off that kiddie shit. At the age of 17, he was working as a bouncer at a nightclub in New York called the Tunnel, where he got his badass name.

The name 'Vin' is simply a shortened version of 'Vincent'. He received the nickname 'Diesel' from his friends, who said he ran off diesel fuel, referring to his non-stop energy.

Diesel's first film role was a brief uncredited appearance in the film Awakenings way back in 1990. From there his star grew and he has since become known for leading roles in The Chronicles of Riddick, xXx and The Fast and the Furious series.

And in August 2013, Diesel received an honorary star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

What a fucking legend. I salute you Vin - a true LAD.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Vin Diesel, Fast and Furious, Paul Walker