Vin Diesel is keeping Paul Walker‘s memory alive a quarter mile at a time.
Not only has he continued to pay tribute to his late Fast and Furious co-star over the years, he also welcomed a new co-star for franchise’s latest installment: Paul’s daughter Meadow Walker. And as Vin revealed, it was quite a moving experience having her on the Fast X set.
“I am proud of the fact that she so beautifully wants to honor her father,” Vin shared with E! News’ Chief Correspondent Keltie Knight on the Fast X red carpet in Rome May 12. “As a father we hope that our children will want to honor us in that way.”
As for what Paul would think of Meadow’s performance? “I think he’s smiling,” the Marvel star continued. “I think he’s smiling at her performance. I think he’s smiling at not only her performance, but at the fact that what him and I dreamed of—which was taking a saga to a 10th chapter—and to feel this love, the cherry on top is the fact that is daughter is a cameo.”
Paul, who starred alongside Vin for the first several Fast and Furious movies, died in a car crash in 2013 at age 40.
And Vin wasn’t the only Fast X cast member thrilled to have Meadow join the cast.
“I think if it was me to be honored through your children representing you, I can’t think of anything better,” Charlize Theron told E! News on the red carpet. “I think it’s so full circle, it’s so beautiful.”
Jordan Brewster, who played Paul’s onscreen love interest in the films, echoed Charlize’s sentiments noting to E!, “Meadow has so much grace and she carries on her father’s legacy in such a beautiful way so I love the fact that she’s in the film.”
She added, “Hopefully she’ll continue to be in them. She’s a big part of us.”
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Meadow herself also shared what it felt like to follow in her dad’s footsteps and join her Fast family in the film.
“For me, honestly, this brings out the happiness,” she said of the premiere. “This is super exciting and he would be amazed that this is happening.”
Fast X hits theaters on May 19. Keep reading to see all of the film’s stars on the red carpet in Rome…
