Fast and the Furious star, Paul Walker, a California Guy to the End

By Megan Bianco

When actor Paul Walker was killed in a car accident November 30 while driving with a friend in Santa Clarita, he left behind a legacy that included a south Orange County connection.

The name ‘Paul Walker’ wasn’t really a household name across all generations during the actor’s entire three decade stint. But for kids of the 1990s, Walker was a popular fixture in teen movies featuring surfing at the beach or fast cars on the road. And he had a smile that was hard to forget, especially for those who knew him during his south Orange County years.

Paul and Nicole 2

Paul Walker is shown here backstage at the San Clemente High School air guitar show in 1999 with Nicole Michaelian. Photo courtesy of Irene Hung.

His famous sandy blonde Californian looks weren’t just a coincidence. Walker was born and raised in suburban communities of Los Angeles County. After making small appearances on sitcoms like “Who’s the Boss?” and “Charles in Charge,” Walker’s first feature film, Tammy & the T-Rex (1994), flopped hard. Walker migrated south to Orange County in embarrassment, leaving the acting world behind.

At 21, Walker moved into a friend’s garage in San Clemente, began working at the Chart House in Dana Point and studied marine biology at several community colleges.

Walker gave acting a second go in 1996 after a former talent agent saw a television cameo and tracked him down in San Clemente.

Two years later, Walker had his big break in the dramedy Pleasantville as Reese Witherspoon’s love interest. Popular films including She’s All That and Varsity Blues followed in 1999. Even with newfound fame and success, Walker didn’t abandon his south county days and made a special appearance at San Clemente High School’s air guitar show that year. 2001 would bring Paul the beginning of a franchise to last the rest of his career: The Fast and the Furious.

The series’ seventh movie was in the midst of production when Walker died.

Walker is survived by his daughter, family and friends, loving co-stars and a number of movies for fans to remember him by. When walking his first big red carpet premiere for Pleasantville 15 years ago, Walker was asked if he had his own “Pleasantville.”

His response: “Just hanging out with my buddies, heading down to San Clemente for the weekend and surfing. That’s what I love to do.”