Paul Walker's tragic and sudden death in 2013 devastated his friends, family, fans, and colleagues, who all revered him as vibrant, talented, caring, and irreplaceable. Those who were closest to Walker, such as his good friend and Fast & Furious costar Vin Diesel, have been vocal about their grief since the awful car accident, but even those who worked with him years ago were also impacted by his loss.
On Tuesday, Freddie Prinze Jr. grew emotional talking to Us Weekly about the man he worked with nearly two decades ago on She's All That on what would have been his 44th birthday.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
"When Paul came in to audition, I didn't have cast approval, but I had what they called consultation," he said. "I knew Paul was the right guy, and when he finished the audition, I asked if I could excuse myself to go to the bathroom. I ran outside to where his car was parked. I said, 'Hey man, you're gonna get this job.' They didn't pay us anything. It was a small movie. [I said], 'They're gonna offer you $25,000, they have $75 in the budget. Don't say no.'"
Prinze Jr. revealed to Us Weekly that he only learned how much that gesture impacted Walker until after his death.
"I heard, years later, after he passed away, that he had told his brother and his mom that story," he said. "To hear that, that meant a lot to him to share that. I loved that there was still that connection there."
The actor added that, at the time, he felt compelled to help Walker out because the industry can be difficult and there's no reason for "guys to suffer if they don't have to."
"He was a good dude," Prinze Jr. added.
Watch the full interview below: