Paul Walker told HuffPostUK last year that he felt fortunate to have "lived five lives" and do whatever he wanted, because of his success with the 'Fast and Furious' franchise.
The actor, who died in a car accident at the weekend, was speaking on the set of the sixth film, which went on to become the biggest of all the hit films, co-starring Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez.
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Paul Walker felt fortunate, but lazy, with his 'Fast and Furious' success
He told HuffPostUK: "It's allowed me a lot of freedom. I've been able to do virtually whatever I want, and live like five lives. It's been a blessing and a curse in a sense, though, where it's allowed me to be lazy in this area.
"I think that's also a good thing, because it allowed me the time to go and figure out who I was, and what I was about, as opposed to my head just always spinning. I was chasing the carrot, and trying to live up to whatever it was. So it's cool."
Walker, who played rogue cop Brian O'Conner in the series, remembered the surprise of success of the first film, which he'd accepted before there was even a script, because of his own interest in street racing, on which the films are based.
"They offered me a million bucks and my representatives were freaking out. They were like, 'You can't do this, there isn’t even a screenplay! I was like, the f*ck I can't!
"The best thing is that, today, obviously, if I was offered that same type of deal, I would say no. I wouldn’t even think about it. But I was like this young kid who was excited and was just not overthinknig it and just going with what felt right, and look what happened.
"I remember at one point I got a phone call the opening night, Neil Mouritz and Rob Cohen are running around LA, and they're going to the different screenings and everything was selling out.
"And I actually saved Neil's and Robs voice messages, I have them on a hard drive. Neil, I remember, was like ‘Holy f*ck! It’s a a cultural phenomenon man! F*cking it’s the 12 o'clock showing and they're f*cking lined up around!’"
Paul Walker's success in the franchise enabled him to create his own charity foundation, Reach Out Worldwide, but he continued his lifelong association with cars, running his own garage, and still held a dealer's licence. But he sounded ambivalent about continuing with the business when he spoke last year...
"It’s kind of a, 'been there, done that' kind of thing. It supported the hobby for a while but it turned into a real business, you know.
"Friends are working for me so I'm just going to keep it going but it doesn’t mean as much to me as it once did, that’s for sure.
"I think, you know, I've got a 13-, almost 14-year-old daughter. Priorities are in different places, but it’ll always be a big part of who I am, that’s for sure."
Walker, 40, was the passenger in a Porsche sports car driven by a friend - who also died - when it crashed north of Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon. He had just finished hosting a charity event at the time.
Fans and friends of the actor have been leaving flowers and tributes at the scene.
We remember his red carpet moments in pictures below...
The actor, who died in a car accident at the weekend, was speaking on the set of the sixth film, which went on to become the biggest of all the hit films, co-starring Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez.
He told HuffPostUK: "It's allowed me a lot of freedom. I've been able to do virtually whatever I want, and live like five lives. It's been a blessing and a curse in a sense, though, where it's allowed me to be lazy in this area.
"I think that's also a good thing, because it allowed me the time to go and figure out who I was, and what I was about, as opposed to my head just always spinning. I was chasing the carrot, and trying to live up to whatever it was. So it's cool."
Walker, who played rogue cop Brian O'Conner in the series, remembered the surprise of success of the first film, which he'd accepted before there was even a script, because of his own interest in street racing, on which the films are based.
"They offered me a million bucks and my representatives were freaking out. They were like, 'You can't do this, there isn’t even a screenplay! I was like, the f*ck I can't!
"The best thing is that, today, obviously, if I was offered that same type of deal, I would say no. I wouldn’t even think about it. But I was like this young kid who was excited and was just not overthinknig it and just going with what felt right, and look what happened.
"I remember at one point I got a phone call the opening night, Neil Mouritz and Rob Cohen are running around LA, and they're going to the different screenings and everything was selling out.
"And I actually saved Neil's and Robs voice messages, I have them on a hard drive. Neil, I remember, was like ‘Holy f*ck! It’s a a cultural phenomenon man! F*cking it’s the 12 o'clock showing and they're f*cking lined up around!’"
Paul Walker's success in the franchise enabled him to create his own charity foundation, Reach Out Worldwide, but he continued his lifelong association with cars, running his own garage, and still held a dealer's licence. But he sounded ambivalent about continuing with the business when he spoke last year...
"It’s kind of a, 'been there, done that' kind of thing. It supported the hobby for a while but it turned into a real business, you know.
"Friends are working for me so I'm just going to keep it going but it doesn’t mean as much to me as it once did, that’s for sure.
"I think, you know, I've got a 13-, almost 14-year-old daughter. Priorities are in different places, but it’ll always be a big part of who I am, that’s for sure."
Walker, 40, was the passenger in a Porsche sports car driven by a friend - who also died - when it crashed north of Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon. He had just finished hosting a charity event at the time.
Fans and friends of the actor have been leaving flowers and tributes at the scene.
We remember his red carpet moments in pictures below...