A fiery car accident in Southern California on Saturday took actor Paul Walker’s life, leaving his fans, friends and fellow actors stunned as they came to grips with Walker’s sudden death.
Walker, 40, was sitting in the passenger seat of Roger Rodus’s 2005 Porsche Carrera GT when the car slammed into a light pole 30 miles north of Hollywood. Rodus’s car immediately burst into flames as emergency personnel rushed to the scene.
While the bodies have not been officially identified, Walker’s agent confirmed that the actor had died in the crash. Walker and Rodus’s families are gathering dental records for a formal identification given both bodies’ condition.
The Fast & Furious franchise star was reportedly on his way back from a toy drive from his charity, Reach Out Worldwide. Speed was ruled as a key factor in the crash.
Walker began acting as a toddler in a TV commercial. He later landed roles in TV shows such as Touched by an Angel before moving on to films. His big break, however, came when he landed the star role in The Fast and the Furious, after which he also appeared in Flags of Our Fathers and Eight Below, to name a few titles.
The actor had also completed filming for Hours, a drama about Hurricane Katrina released earlier this year.
Many of Hollywood’s biggest stars have expressed their shock, sadness and condolences. Thousands are paying tribute to the actor as the movie industry comes to terms with Walker’s death.