Almost two years since Paul Walker’s death in November 2013, the 2015 Teen Choice Awards still proved on Sunday, Aug. 16 that the actor is still very much cherished by his fans.
Things got emotional during the event when the cast of ‘Furious 7,’ including Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Ludacris, and Jordana Brewster, accepted their award for Choice Movie: Action/Adventure.
Nominated posthumously for Choice Movie Actor in the Action/Adventure category, Walker triumphed over Ansel Elgort, Dylan O'Brien, Taylor Lautner, Theo James, and his ‘Furious 7’ costar Diesel for the award.
The ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise stars could not help but pay tribute and share a moving speech about their late co-star.
"I can't stand here and be rewarded like this without talking about someone very, very important to us," Diesel told the crowd. "One of the best blessings in our lives is that we have the opportunity to call Pablo a brother. Paul Walker is here with us in spirit.
He added, "This was a very special movie for us to make. We make these movies with our hearts. We really are a family…We are a true, true, true family."
Diesel also had a surprise for the audience when he announced that members of Walker’s family were among the spectators to support the movie’s success.
"Since this is a Teen Choice Award, there is one teen in the audience that is a part of the family that kept us going. It's Paul Walker's family—his brother, his parents—that kept us encouraged when we were filming ‘Furious 7,’" Diesel said as the crowd yelled and showed their appreciation. "But there's one very, very special teen here and her name is Meadow Walker."
After that, Ludacris, who was also a co-host for the awards show, approached the microphone to announce that Walker bagged the award for Choice Movie Actor Action/Adventure for his ‘Furious 7’ role.
"We miss you," Brewster, who took on the role of a love interest for Walker's Fast and Furious character, added before exiting the stage. "And we will always love you Paul."
Walker had already filmed a number of scenes for ‘Furious 7’ when he died in a car crash on Nov. 30, 2013 at the age of 40. His brothers, Cody and Caleb Walker, stepped in to help finish the film on his behalf.
Cody recently exchanged wedding vows with his longtime partner Felicia Knox on Saturday after spending seven years together.
The 27-year-old sibling of the late ‘Fast and the Furious’ franchise star also landed his first feature film role in the upcoming ‘USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage,’ alongside Nicolas Cage, Tom Sizemore, Thomas Jane, and Weronika Rosati, among others.
Meanwhile, with ‘Furious 8’ confirmed to be in the works, cast members confirmed to return for the sequel include Diesel, Rodriguez, Brewster, Ludacris, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Kurt Russell, Tyrese Gibson, Elsa Pataky and Lucas Black.
