Paul Walker, who passed away at the age of 40, is widely remembered as the blond, thrill-seeking and confident Brian O’Conner from the hugely successful Fast & Furious film series. However, many people are unaware that beyond his Hollywood fame, Walker was a devoted Christian who was raised in the Mormon faith.
Born on September 12, 1973, in Glendale, California, Walker grew up in a family that belonged to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Later, he completed his education at Village Christian School in Sun Valley, California.
“I’m a Christian now. The things that drove me crazy growing up was how everyone works at fault-finding with different religions. The people I don’t understand are atheists. I go surfing and snow boarding and I’m always around nature. I look at everything and think, ‘Who couldn’t believe there’s a God? Is all this a mistake?’ It just blows me away,” Walker was quoted as saying by IMDb.
The late actor identified as a non-denominational Christian and once shared in an interview with GQ UK how his Christian upbringing and Mormon background shaped his views on family life.
In an August 2013 interview, Walker explained that his daughter was now living with him full time. He had originally planned to continue working until he turned 40 and then reevaluate his life, possibly even changing careers. However, his plans shifted.
“At this stage in my life, I thought I would need to stay home with her,” he said, referring to his 16-year-old daughter, Meadow Rain Walker. “But she wants me to keep acting so she can travel the world with me. And honestly, would that be so bad?”
Walker also reflected on how his education and upbringing influenced his mindset. He attended a born-again Christian high school and was raised in a traditional Mormon household where parenting emphasized structure, discipline, and sacrifice. While stepping outside of those long-held beliefs about family was challenging, he admitted it was also liberating.
During the same interview, he was asked what he hoped to accomplish in his lifetime. Walker spoke passionately about his experience working on the National Geographic Channel series Expedition Great White, where he joined a team tagging great white sharks off the coast of Mexico. Having studied marine biology in college, he had a deep love for the ocean and enjoyed surfing.
“To go on an expedition with National Geographic — are you kidding me? Where are we headed?” he said enthusiastically. “It was one of those chances I just couldn’t pass up.”
Walker tragically lost his life in a car accident in Santa Clarita, California, at approximately 3:30 p.m. PT while riding as a passenger in a friend’s Porsche. The driver also died in the crash. Authorities reported that when deputies arrived, the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and discovered two victims inside, both pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
According to a statement shared on Walker’s official Twitter account, he had been attending a charity event that afternoon for his nonprofit organization, Reach Out Worldwide, which was raising funds to support victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.
Universal Pictures, the studio behind the Fast & Furious franchise, expressed deep sorrow over his passing. In a public statement, the company described Walker as one of the most loved and respected members of their studio family for 14 years and extended heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and fans.
Walker was set to appear in the seventh installment of the Fast & Furious series, scheduled for release in July 2014. Following his untimely death, questions arose about how the franchise would continue without one of its central stars, who had appeared in six of the seven films.
