Born and raised just outside Hollywood in Glendale, California, blond-haired and blue-eyed Paul Walker possess the classic look of the All-American male. What's more is that so far in his career, he's developed a screen personality to reflect just that. It has helped make him one of the popular young actors in his generation, and one with a very promising career ahead of him.
Though Walker had dabbled in modeling when he was a child (courtesy of his modeling mother), he showed more of an interest in surfing and sports rather than in show business. Still, he found time for occasional guest spots on television and even a notable role on the enormously popular daytime drama The Young and the Restless. But while attending community college and majoring in Marine Biology, the acting bug bit Walker once and for all, and he pursued it wholeheartedly.
First up was a leading role in the Disney film Meet the Deedles, in which Walker also got to utilize his surfing skills. The film came and went without a trace, but Walker quickly gained attention with his next role in the high-profile film Pleasantville. He played Skip, the 1950s television teenager who learns a thing or two about life from '90s teen Reese Witherspoon. The film earned rave reviews and did good business at the box office.
A few months after the release of Pleasantville, Walker appeared in two hugely success teen films released within two weeks of each other, Varsity Blues and She's All That. Both of these films surprised critics and the industry when they opened to strong business in the usually dead month of January, proving once and for all the teen film market was not one that could be easily ignored.
Walker had supporting parts in both films (in Varsity, he played the football player out of commission that gives star James Van Der Beek the chance to prove himself, and in She's All That, he played Freddie Prinze, Jr.'s obnoxious friend that bets him to make over the nerdiest girl in school), but it was enough to gain him legions of young female fans and afforded him the opportunity to add two box office hits to his resume.
Following a bit part alongside Claire Danes in Brokedown Palace, Walker took on a major role in The Skulls, with Joshua Jackson. Centered around an elite college group that boasts many important people as its alumni, The Skulls opened successfully, highlighting the box office potential of its two leads. With his looks, his talent, and his obvious appeal, it's not hard to see why audiences have fallen for Paul Walker, and why he is definitely a young actor with a very promising future.
Born: September 12, 1973 |
