Scott Eastwood, who was recently cast in 2017’s Fast & Furious 8, has written a moving tribute to Paul Walker, the star of the action series who died in a car crash in 2013.
On Instagram, Eastwood–the son of legendary actor/director Clint Eastwood–said Walker was “an older brother to me.” He went on to say he hopes to make the late actor proud with his role in the upcoming film.
“Paul was a close friend of mine,” Eastwood said. “We surfed together, traveled together, and he was a huge role model and influencing figure in my life when I was younger. He still is. He was an older brother to me. For me to be able to add to the F&F story, Paul’s story, and the FAST family is like a dream come true.”
“Paul, I am going to make you proud.”
Also in his post, Eastwood talked more generally about landing the part in the movie. He also teased that his unannounced character will be something of a protege to Kurt Russell’s Mr. Nobody supporting character from Furious 7.
“It’s hard to put into words how excited I am for the next Fast & Furious,” he said. “To me, the series is so much more than just a franchise. It’s a legacy. These great actors who have been in it together for so long have become a family. I absolutely can’t wait to join it.
“Now I can’t say too much, but I get to play a new character who operates under Kurt Russell in the movie, which is incredible, because Kurt was a total childhood hero of mine growing up. Very much looking forward to learning a thing or two from such an original and cool guy.”
Furious 8 is just the latest high-profile project for Eastwood, as he’ll also be seen in this summer’s Suicide Squad and Oliver Stone’s Snowden in September. Eastwood also has a role in Ben Affleck’s 2017 crime movie Live By Night.
In other Furious 8 casting news, Mad Max: Fury Road‘s Charlize Theron will play the movie’s main villain.
Earlier this year, it was confirmed that there would be at least two more films in the Furious franchise, with parts 9 and 10 due in 2019 and 2021.
Star and producer Vin Diesel’s plan for more movies was revealed last year, when he stated: “I promised the studio I would deliver one last trilogy to end the saga.” The actor has also hinted that additional spinoff movies could be made, focusing on some of the individual characters from the action series.
Fast & Furious 8 opens on April 14, 2017. It will be the first entry in the series without Walker.