Fast And Furious 8 News and Updates: Michelle Rodriguez Not Happy With the Addition of Scott Eastwood in Cast
Paul Walker is simply irreplaceable. Period. For Michelle Rodriguez, it's quite upsetting to see dear friend suddenly gets a replacement by a newcomer. Apparently, the 37-year-old 'Fast and Furious' star is referring to one of the franchise's most recent additions, Scott Eastwood.
Rumors have begun circulating after Rodriguez bumped into TMZ media staff while at the Los Angeles International Airport. When asked over Eastwood's purported replacement of the now deceased Paul Walker (Brian O'Connor), she reacted strongly that no one could just simply fill in Paul Walker's beloved role in the movie.
"I don't know about that. Nobody will ever, as long as I live, fill that role," said the actress as quoted by Hall of Fame Magazine.
Her statement clearly reflected her displeasure over rumors of Clint Eastwood's son taking on what Walker contributed to the movie. If the reports prove accurate, Eastwood could be playing the role of O'Conner's long lost brother in the next franchise installment- the first of the trilogy that ends with the 10th installment, also the franchise's last.
Rodriguez later clarified that her statement on Paul Walker being irreplaceable does not mean that she's not cool with Eastwood. She simply meant that there could be no other Walker to fill the role the way he did.
The actress, who played Letty in the movie, forged a strong friendship with Walker when he was still alive. Following Walker's death, she sank into depression and experimented with psychedelic substance known as Ayahuasca. Rodriguez even felt 'jealous' at Walker during that time for not dying first.
"I did everything I could possibly do to hide from myself and I'll tell you that my Ayahuasca trip made me sad that he left me here. It wasn't a sadness that he's gone, it's more like a jealousy that he's there first," Rodriguez was quoted saying by Stuff NZ.
Meanwhile, Eastwood seems to have understood Rodriguez's drift as he recently stated that his new role in the blockbuster franchise has nothing to do with replacing Walker.
"It's hard to put into words how excited I am for the next Fast & Furious. 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," said Eastwood as quoted by Cinema Blend.
"Paul was a close friend of mine. 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."
