There’s not much to say about the sudden and altogether tragic passing of Paul Walker yesterday, as a passenger in a single car accident in Santa Clarita, except that it seems extra shocking and senseless, presumably unattached as it was to any sort of riskier behavior. He was best known for the hugely popular and profitable Fast and Furious franchise, of course, but for me Wayne Kramer’s underrated Running Scared was always one of the best uses of Walker’s talents. I had a chance to interview Walker a couple times, and he had an easygoing charm and candor that stood in contrast to the demeanor of his of peers who’d accomplished a lot less. He was a simple and straightforward guy — he liked to surf, and spend time with his daughter — who had no problem sharing dark family anecdotes to illuminate a point in conversation.
