- The Fast & Furious family reunited at the Cannes Film Festival.
- The cast came together for a screening to celebrate the franchise’s 25th anniversary.
- Meadow Walker joined the cast for the tribute even
The Fast & Furious family reunited in an emotional moment at the Cannes Film Festival and it was impossible to ignore the memory of Paul Walker. During a special midnight screening to celebrate the franchise's 25th anniversary on Wednesday, Vin Diesel got emotional while speaking about Paul Walker's daughter, Meadow Walker, who joined the cast for the tribute event in Cannes.
Diesel appeared onstage alongside co-stars Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster before the screening of the original 2001 film. For him, it was Meadow's presence that clearly hit the hardest, reported Page Six.
“The person who was not going to let me come alone here to represent that brotherhood was Meadow Walker,” Diesel told the crowd as the audience erupted into applause. The actor then paused and emotionally added, “I'm gonna go and shed a tear real quick.”
The event celebrated 25 years of the Fast & Furious franchise, which first brought Diesel and Paul Walker together onscreen in 2001. Paul starred in the first seven films before his death in a car crash in 2013 at the age of 40. At the time, Furious 7 was still in production.
Ahead of the screening, Diesel thanked fans for continuing to support the franchise for over two decades. Adding to the intrigue, he confirmed that the series finale, Fast Forever, is scheduled for release in 2028.
“The only reason why we're making the finale for Fast for 2028… It's because of each and every one of you that has given us your hearts and your loyalty,” Diesel said.
He added, “Each and every one of you that has felt like you are a part of our family. You make us have to continue.”
After the screening, Meadow Walker also addressed the audience with Diesel standing beside her. Diesel later shared that Meadow had described the franchise's cast as a “source of strength.” The actor then became emotional again and told her that Paul Walker would be “so proud” of her. The two shared a hug as the audience applauded.