How Fast & Furious 7 Actually Handled Paul Walker's Character

This weekend, we said goodbye to Paul Walker for the second time. The beloved actor filmed the majority of his Furious 7 scenes before he was taken from us too soon, and his brothers, Cody and Caleb, stepped in to help complete the remainder. It’s a sensitive task. How do you give fans a thrilling installment and a complete sequel, while honoring Brian O’Conner and the man who made him what he is? 

While those involved declined to comment on the matter, other than to say Universal used previous footage of Walker to layer over his brothers' performances, The Hollywood Reporter recently revealed that Peter Jackson's CGI production company Weta Digital was involved in the task. Walker was a major part of the Fast and Furious family, and there was some worry from fans over how the final installment would choose to handle the film. Fortunately, Furious 7's final moments proved to be a touching tribute to Walker and his legacy as an actor, husband and friend. 

[Warning: We will discuss major spoilers from Furious 7. If you haven’t seen the film or just hate spoilers, turn back now.]

After the crew has come out victorious in their dealings with Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), we find them enjoying the sun on a beach in the Dominican Republic. Dom (Vin Diesel), Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Roman (Tyrese), Tej (Ludacris) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) are watching Brian and Mia (Jordana Brewster) playing with their son by the water. This is "how it should be," they remark, realizing that Brian’s place is now raising a family instead of on the road with them. 

Overcome with emotion, Dom stands up to leave. He tells Letty that he doesn’t need to say goodbye because it’s "never goodbye." We see him driving away down a road, as he recollects on Brian, family and brotherhood. Wiz Khalifa’s "See You Again," which was written for Furious 7, is playing the background. As Dom pulls up to a four-way stop, we see Brian pull up in a car beside him, teasing him for leaving without a goodbye. In their last moment together, they start racing as Dom continues to reminisce in voiceover. The road eventually comes to a fork, with Brian veering off as Dom continues on. Closing out the film is an in memoriam montage of some of Walker’s moments as Brian, taking us through his first appearance in The Fast and the Furious all the way to Furious 7. 

All throughout the film, there’s been a question of whether Brian can adjust to a normal life of driving his kid to school and being a good husband to Mia. We hear him say how much he misses "the bullets," and his wife tells Dom that she fears he’ll grow bored with his life with her. As an added anxiety, she’s having another baby, but doesn’t want to tell Brian. She knows that doing so will force him to stay behind with his family instead of joining Dom in the fight against Shaw. However, just before the final showdown in Los Angeles, Mia tells Brian the good news over the phone and tells him to come home to her. If movie cliches count for anything, it seemed like Brian might not be walking away from this "last ride," especially after he started telling Mia how much he loves her in the event he didn’t make it home. For his sake, and the fans, he did. 

I can’t speak for the entire audience in attendance, but there were plenty people tearing up around me over this final sendoff. Diesel is all about family and sees Walker as a brother. We’ve heard him give a number of emotional speeches in addressing fans and press prior to the premiere of Furious 7, and his character’s voiceover in the final scene echoed his sentiments. Looking back on this moment from a filmmaking standpoint, it seemed a bit forced. There were prior scenes in the film where the camera lingered a little longer on Walker, but otherwise the progression was very much focused on Dom’s beef with Shaw, which made the last 10 minutes or so slightly ill-fitting. Before I am completely torn to shreds for saying that, no qualms could be found while I was swept up in the moment.

Furious 7 is already surpassing milestones at the box office. This means a Fast and Furious 8 is all but guaranteed. It's still unsettling to think that Paul Walker won't be involved in the future of the franchise, but the final scene of Furious 7 at least leaves us with fond memories of the man who's been there since the beginning. Rest in peace.  

Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt voted Bollywood's cutest jodi

Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt, who started seeing each other recently, who have managed to grab the top spot as the cutest couple. They have managed to beatAashiqui 2 jodi Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor and Anushka Sharmaand Virat Kohli where cuteness quotient is concerned. In a poll conducted by BollywoodLife.com, fans declared Sidharth-Alia as the cutest love birds with 47 per cent votes.

OUT OF THE BLUE

Strangely Alia was linked to her 2 States co-star Arjun Kapoor and Varun Dhawan with whom she shared screen space in Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania. While everyone were ready for a link-up between her and the currently single and ready to mingle Shahid Kapoor, out of the blue came the buzz about her seeing Sidharth with whom she made herBollywood debut. She and Sidharth were spotted together at various bashes including the Christmas bash at Ranbir Kapoor's house. The two also celebrated New Year's Eve together and were spotted at the airport together when they returned. Interestingly, they are not doing any movies together.

SOME HICCUPS HERE

Aditya and Shraddha, who according to rumor mills, have had some hiccups in their relationship in the past one year. Shraddha was linked to her Haider co-star Shahid Kapoor and Aditya to his Dawaat-e-Ishq co-star Parineeti Chopra. The two were said to be the verge of a break-up, but they decided to give their relationship another shot. While even their Aashiqui 2 director Mohit Suri spoke about Aditya-Shraddha's romance, the two still refuse to acknowledge their relationship. In a recent interview, Shraddha said, "Aditya is a friend...at present I am only romancing the camera and no one else."

ON AND OFF THE FIELD

Anushka and Virat refused to speak about their relationship for the longest time. However, they were often spotted at the airport together. Anushka also flew to meet her beau whenever he was playing abroad. Later, she attended his cricket matches, where the cricketer even blew a kiss in her direction on scoring his ton. In an interview she said that, "I feel the minute we start talking about our private lives, all focus just shifts there. Then I'll also have to answer questions like Valentine's Day pe kya karne wale hain? Apne birthday pe kya gift diya? I can't do that. Like I said, it's all in the open. Whether I go for a dinner or to watch a match, everybody can see it. But if people still need a verbal confirmation, I am not giving it. But really, how louder can I get?"

Poll results
Sidharth Malhotra-Alia Bhatt 47%
Aditya Roy Kapur-Shraddha Kapoor 37%
Anushka Sharma-Virat Kohli 16%

Revealed: 7 lesser known facts about Arjun Kapoor’s style mantra!

The Tevar actor spills the beans on the fashion trends he likes to follow. Want to know more about his list of do’s, dont’s and must haves? Read on!

He shows up in our office channeling the urban cowboy vibe – his trademark stubble, a plaid shirt and an unbuttoned waistcoat. Easy going, laid-back and super comfy – these phrases sort of sum up his personal style. However, he knows his Burberry suits from his Dolce & Gabbana t-shirts and has a penchant for Rajesh Pratap’s easy chic pieces. Over to the lumberjack, who clearly knows what works for him and what doesn’t…

How do you interpret style?

Style to me means comfort. If you are not comfortable, you cannot be stylish.

How do you interpret your personal style?

Somebody wrote this about me long ago, which I really liked: either a vagabond or James Bond. I am like that – either completely laid-back in t-shirt, track pants and chappals or I’ll be very chic, when I am stepping out for public events. I love wearing suits however, I can’t tie the tie knot. I am still struggling with that.

Do you follow fashion?

I am not really into but I am aware of certain fits which go well with me. I know about certain brands which you find in Mumbai. But I don’t keep track of fashion. If you ask me what’s the in thing, I’d have no idea.

Rhea’s been styling you. How much is her input and how the two of you brainstorm?

The other day, I was telling her I’ll come 20 per cent and you come 80 per cent and we’ll meet in-between. She insists that I button up my shirts and I am like – ‘this is not me so she understood’. As a personality, I am a certain way so she blends her clothes into my personality. She’s done all my ads and she’s done a very good job of all of them. She’s done a couple of covers with me too and now she’s doing Tevar so I trust her. She has a keen eye. Of course, she has an emotional agenda also so that I look presentable. But we do have our battles. She likes me to be sober and chic and I like to be normal and chilled out.

She keeps doing fittings and brings clothes and discovers what works for me. I only try out certain clothes and know what works for me. I told her, ‘Give me some colour. It’s a young, energetic film. I want to be dancing around and don’t want to look subdued’. So now she’s got into that thought and called for new stuff. The other day, I tried a beautiful kurta from Rajesh Pratap Singh and she told me, ‘now I know what to do with it’. I trust her blindly but I have my sensibility that I’ll never let go of. I’ll never completely submit. She knows that also.

Who are your fav designers in India and internationally?

Raghavendra Rathore. I like Kunal Rawal, who’s a very good friend of mine and done Tevar. I also like Rajesh Pratap Singh. There’s a new guy Antar Agni, he’s sending me stuff for promotion.

Burberry suits fits me really well. I also like Paul Smith. If you ask me if I had an hour to shop anywhere, I’d go to Dolce & Gabbana – they are very consistent be it shirts, shoes or suits. You can’t go wrong with them. Something or the other with them you’ll like. I like high street brands like All Saints, G-Star. Only certain brands fit me because I have a broad structure. But I am not a fussy guy as far as brands are concerned.

Any penchant for accessories?

I can’t afford too many watches but when I can I will. I have a tremendous affinity for watches – I like big dials. I have a fetish for sunglasses. I end up buying sunglasses on every trip. Recently I was bored at Delhi airport and I ended up buying two pairs. I like boots and leather jackets which guys like me like – the lumberjacks (laughs). Leather jackets keep lying around. I don’t even know how many I have.

What’s in your vanity kit?

We have a make-up staff when we are shooting otherwise I never forget to carry a trimmer.

What’s your grooming regime like?

I don’t have any regime. Since I am an actor and I shoot for months in the sun, I have to go to a dermatologist for a basic clean-up. I get a pedicure because I am flat footed.

Where do you shop from?

Online. Recently I was in Istanbul, I shopped there. In Mumbai when you do photoshoots even if a few things aren’t used, you end up buying them. You can’t get out here to shop. I’d love to shop at Palladium but I have to be careful because I get spotted.

What maketh a men – shoes or watch?

Since I don’t wear shoes all the time so in my case my watch defines me. I like Hublot and AP.

Who are your style icons?

David Beckham is effortless. He is a very good looking man which always helps. The way he carries himself, there’s a nonchalance. Saif Ali Khan in India is naturally very stylish. He can carry off a bandhgala as well as t-shirt and jeans.

Amitabh Bachchan, Anushka Sharma, Shahrukh Khan wish fans Happy New Year

Here’s what the Bollywood stars tweeted- Read to know more

With the hope that 2015 will be prosperous and peaceful, several Bollywood stars including megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar and Anushka Sharma wished their fans a very happy new year.

“May the light of the new sunrise, brighten us all for the entire year of 2015.. harmony and happiness,” Bachchan posted. Akshay tweeted, “Happy new year everyone! Hope you are ready to challenge this new year with new goals. Wishing you a year full of love, peace and prosperity.”

PK actress Anushka Sharma, wished her fans saying, “Happy new year everyone!! Thank you for being part of an amazing year! Have the best year. Stay happy. Be nice. Smile more.”

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan ushered in the new year with his three kids. “48 hours of uninterrupted, unadulterated, unconditional love with my trimurti. No place I would rather be than holding you three. Aryan, Suhana, AbRam,” he posted.

Actor Arjun Rampal said, “Happy New Year……2015 is gonna be a super year for all. This is my prediction. Love and Luck to all.”

Actor Manoj Bajpayee, who is awaiting the release of Tevar, tweeted, “Happy and tevarific new year to all of you! You all are in prayers.”

Have a year full of love, peace & happiness… A very very Happy New Year to all,” Arshad Warsi posted.

Vivek Oberoi wished tweeting, “Happy New Year everyone! Wishing you and your families love, happiness and success in 2015!”

“Wishing all a very happy, prosperous and joyful new year 2015,” Annu Kapoor said.

Playback singer Shreya Ghoshal posted, “Happy new year 2015!!!

MS Dhoni's retirement and other things we learned from 3rd Test

The third Test between India and Australia has ended in a draw with the visitors' hopes of salvaging some pride also coming to an end. Steven Smith-led Australia have ensured the Border-Gavaskar Trophy remains Down Under following their unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match Test series. Dhoni's Achievements | Twitter Tributes 

The Melbourne Test, probably not as exciting as the Adelaide nail-biter, has surely been one of the most entertaining matches in the series so far. With lots of verbal volleys being exchanged between the two sides and tensions soaring high, the Boxing Day Test clearly brought the two teams out of their comfort zone.

And, the sudden retirement of Indian captain MS Dhoni from Test cricket only added to what has been a tense encounter between the two cricketing giants.

With Dhoni's retirement sending shockwaves across the world of cricket and hogging the limelight, there were more than a few other important aspects that clearly made a mark in the third Test.

Here's a look at what we learned from the third Test between India and Australia at Melbourne:

Dhoni's retirement is not as surprising as it may seem

With 27 wins in 60 Test matches as skipper, MS Dhoni is clearly the most successful captain in the history of Indian Test cricket. But, India's Captain Cool has been at the receiving end alongside his team when it comes to the overseas tours. Out of the 12 Tests played abroad since 2013, Dhoni-led India have managed to register just a single win alongside four draws. Dhoni has not been able to get the best out of the team in the longer version of the game for quite sometime now. He is often accused of deploying defensive tactics when the going gets tough and it has often allowed the opposition to break free from India's clutches. Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly had recently said that Dhoni is a competitive captain in the ODIs but the Ranchi cricketer has fallen away a bit when it comes to Test cricket. It seems like Dhoni had finally realized his incompetence, even if some blame the poor bowling attack for his downfall, in the longer version of the game as the Indian skipper. But the only question is why Dhoni would retire from Tests altogether rather than just passing the reigns to Virat Kohli. And though we can only speculate, but it could very well be the Indian dressing room chatter that has come to light lately.

Indian players won't step down from a fight

The tensions between the two teams were at an all-time high during the third Test and there was a glimpse of a relatively-new approach being used by the Indian players. Virat Kohli was at the epicenter of the drama during the third Test as his verbal volleys with Mitchell Johnson and the rest of the Australian players continued over the course of five days. It was clearly the first time when an Indian player has taken the fight to his Australian counterparts both on and off the field. The Delhi lad smashed a brilliant 169 in the 1st innings and followed it up with a crucial half-century in the second. But Kohli also didn't shy away from slamming his opponents, namely Mitchell Johnson, during the post-match press conference. While a few criticized Kohli for being childish, others lauded his aggressive approach. But, Dean Jones statement: "Virat Kohli looks more Australian than an Indian player," says it all. The change in mentality and aggressiveness in the game is new, but it's only going to help the team become more competitive. And, if the players can back all that chatter with their performances, there's nothing like it. The era of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid who believed in replying back to the opposition with their bat seems to have evolved for good.

Pujara's dismal form continues for India

One of the mainstays of Indian batting, Cheteshwar Pujara has failed to shine for his country of late. The right-hander, who made a spectacular debut against Australia in 2010, has struggled to score runs in the recent series. Touted as the next Rahul Dravid, Pujara has scored 201 runs with just one half-century in the ongoing four-match Test series against Australia. His last Test hundred came against South Africa that dates back to December, 2013. During the five Tests against England earlier this year, Pujara amassed 222 runs with a single half-century. Team India has paid dearly for the dismal form of Pujara and if it wasn't for Kohli and Dhoni, the hosts would have suffered third straight defeat in the Test series against Australia.

KL Rahul's forgetful debut

The Indian selectors surprised everyone after Bengaluru batsman KL Rahul was selected in the starting XI ahead of Suresh Raina who was tipped to replace struggling Rohit Sharma in the third Test. The selection looked different but still promising, considering India's struggle in the middle-order. But, what actually unfolded at the Melbourne Cricket Ground sent Indian selectors running for cover. The 22-year-old cricketer marked his debut with a mere four runs to his name. It wasn't the amount of runs, but the shots he played to get dismissed will surely make you throw a kitchen sink. He was out caught while playing the expansive sweep against Lyon in the first innings and got dismissed by Johnson while trying to pull in the second innings. There was no need to play the sweep against Lyon on a fuller ball that was way outside off and his attempt to pull Johnson from outside off was even stranger. For a batsman who's not known for being aggressive or flashy, Rahul's poor debut only added to Team India's woes.

Ishant Sharma is not as bad as we think he is

Ever since James Faulkner's pasting in the 3rd ODI last year, Ishant Sharma has been subjected to a lot of criticism, but nothing unfair. The Indian bowling spearhead has struggled to control his line and his ability to evolve appeared to have diminished over the years. But, the lanky speedster proved his worth in the third Test and silenced the critics for good. Ishant's spell on Day 4 against Australia was a miracle Indian fans have stopped expecting. Hitting the good length area and bowling three maidens on the trot seemed too good to be true. But the pressure he built up led to Shane Watson's wicket after lunch and soon he sent Joe Burns pack in the hut. Though Australia recovered with Shaun Marsh's fifty to end the day on a high, but it was clearly India's best day with the ball and Ishant's discipline and hardwork played a major role. The performance also attracted plaudits from the former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly who was ecstatic to see the struggling Indian bowler hit the right length.

Sean Penn & Charlize Theron Engaged: The History Of Their Love

Sean and Charlize shocked us all by reportedly getting engaged over the holidays, after less than one year of dating! In honor of their huge next step, let’s take a look back at the sweetest and sexiest moments of their relationship!

Sean Penn, 54, reportedly popped the question to girlfriend Charlize Theron, 39, during a recent trip to Paris, France, but that’s just the latest in a series of romantic adventures for the couple! Here’s the amazing story of how they fell in love!

Sean Penn & Charlize Theron’s Relationship: A Look Back At Their Best Love Moments

Third time’s a charm! Sean, who was married twice before (to Madonna and Robin Wright) seems to have finally found the woman of his dreams in Charlize. Though the pair may have seemed like an unlikely couple at first, we now think — based on their interactions and outings over the past year — that these two make a perfect match!

Part of that comes from the fact that Sean and Charlize were friends for 18 years before they reconnected at a holiday party in December 2013, according to People.

It makes sense then, that when the Oscar winners were spotted together during aromantic getaway to Hawaii on Dec. 30, 2013, they seemed totally at ease with each other, even though that it was very early on in their romance. While Sean went surfing, Charlize was content to catch some rays and watch her man brave the waves.

“The couple is very much happening,” a source revealed to HollywoodLife.com exclusively at the time. “They were constantly close to each other and he was very protective of her at all times.”The couple have definitely kept a low profile but when they do step out together, they do it in style! Dressed in chic, coordinating black outfits, Sean and Charlize took the 2014 Oscars by storm on March 2, 2014, cozying up to each other at the show and later at an after party at The Vineyard in Beverly Hills.

So sweet! More recently, the pair attended the premiere of Charlize’s movie A Million Ways to Die in the West on May 15, 2014. They looked adorable together and Charlize was loving every moment of it! “I am very happy. I will say that,” she told Extra at the time. “I’m very happy. I’m not very good at talking about my private life, but we are very happy, yes.”

Aww! We definitely love these two together and we can’t wait to see how their love will continue to grow.

Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez: Jelena’s Most Romantic Pics

Justin’s got a dilemma — his heart is torn in two between longtime lover Selena and hot new flame Hailey! Justin reportedly ‘freaks out’ when he’s not with either of his ladies, a source dishes to HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY.

Justin Bieber, 20, just can’t seem to get a grip on what his heart wants! He’s reportedly battling strong feelings for both Hailey Baldwin, 18, and Selena Gomez, 22. He’s so torn that he is in “a constant circle of doing the same thing over and over again.” HollywoodLife.com can reveal EXCLUSIVE details about Justin’s troubled and torn heart.

Justin Bieber’s Relationships With Selena Gomez & Hailey Baldwin — Can’t Choose

One minute he’s up and the next he’s down! We know that Justin and Selena have one of the most up and down relationships in relationship history. Justin goes through periods when he’s very intense about Selena and then “doesn’t care.” Instead, he seems to be head over heels for Hailey, as it’s a lot less drama.