Action star Vin Diesel held back tears at the "Furious 7" screening in Los Angeles on Monday after talking about his lost friend and fellow actor, Paul Walker.
A select audience watched the film ahead of its April 3 release date, and Diesel was on hand to describe how much the movie meant to the cast and crew.
"This was a very, very personal and important film for us," he told the audience. "This was a labour of love. It was in some ways the hardest movie I ever had to do."
Walker was tragically killed when the car he was riding in careened off a road in Valencia, California on November 30, 2013. The Porsche Carrera GT hit a light pole and two trees while travelling at approximately 100 mph before bursting into flames. The driver of the vehicle, Roger Rodas, also died.
"The relationships that you see on film are so real," Diesel insisted, choking back tears. "When the tragedy happened, I lost my best friend. I lost my brother."
"Furious 7" was still being filmed at the time of Walker's death, and the actor's brothers, Cody and Caleb, stepped in to help finish the film because of their striking resemblance to Paul. Producers also used Cody and Caleb's voice for some of Paul's lines.
The first trailer for the upcoming movie was released during Super Bowl Sunday. The high-energy clip is full of death-defying stunts, explosions, and action sequences that rival the other six "Fast & Furious" films.
Walker's character, Brian O'Conner, was supposed to be killed in "Furious 7," but the filmmakers decided to have O'Conner retire instead. The film also stars Dwayne Johnson, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Statham, Jordana Brewster, Ronda Rousey, and Kurt Russell.
