Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson fondly remembered Paul Walker and the way the two of them bonded over family.
Johnson said that the biggest thing the pair had in common was “the importance of family time and being a great father to our daughters.”
“We bonded over that,” he told Entertainment Weekly.
“We would talk about silly guy things, his fast cars and my pickup trucks, or we would talk about the beautiful energy of Hawaii — but it always ultimately came back to family,” Johnson said. “And very specifically the beautiful and important bond between a father and his daughter, and how we both realized that over the years.”
Walker died in a car crash on November 30. Johnson said that when he first heard the news, his first thought was “He has a daughter.”
“It’s very sad,” Johnson said. “We can’t help but to hope that their final time together was beautiful and strong and an amazing memory.”
Johnson starred with Walker in several of the “Fast & Furious” films. The cast of the films describe themselves as a tight-knit family.
Johnson said that Walker put his all into his role, including spending a lot of time with police officers and learning how to handle weapons to bring authenticity.
He also said that Walker was a very welcoming and very calming presence on the set of the films.
Johnson expressed his grief further on Instagram, accompanying a photo of himself and Walker.
“Losing a loved one jolts our hearts to the core... It also has a very special way of helping us move forward to live & love as greatly as possible,” he said. “Hug our loved ones a little tighter. Pray a little stronger. Work a little harder. Smile a little bigger. Life goes on and memories are forever cherished.”
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