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    Paul Walker's Best Performance

    Before tragic death, Paul Walker showcased talents in New Orleans movie

    Joe Leydon
    Dec 1, 2013 | 8:01 am

    Chalk it up as a tragic irony of an untimely demise: At the time he was killed Saturday in a Los Angeles auto mishap at the ridiculously young age of 40, Paul Walker was less than two weeks away from seeing how movie audiences and VOD viewers would respond to what arguably was the finest performance of his career up to that point, as a desperate father who triumphs over death.

     

    In Hours, writer-director Eric Heisserer’s suspenseful indie drama, Walker plays Nolan Hayes, a loving husband who rushes his pregnant wife to a New Orleans hospital just before sunrise on Aug. 29, 2005 – just as Hurricane Katrina begins its brutal assault on the Crescent City. Unfortunately, Nolan’s wife dies during childbirth. Even more unfortunately, his prematurely born daughter must remain inside a ventilator for at least 48 hours.

     

    The New Orleans levees break, the city streets are flooded, the hospital is evacuated – but Nolan must remain behind, alone with his infant offspring, because the ventilator cannot be moved. And when the power goes out, the increasingly anxious father must maintain constant vigilance – because the hand-cranked back-up battery for the ventilator works for, at best, three minutes between crankings.

     
     

      In Hours, I saw Walker doing things — and expressing emotions – that indicated he also was fully capable of more challenging roles in more complex movies. 

     
     

    As I wrote in Variety after the drama’s SXSW Film Festival premiere last March: “Hours is practically a one-man show, with Walker alone on camera for lengthy stretches as Nolan passes time talking to his baby, or himself, and dashing hither and yon between battery-cranks while on beat-the-clock explorations and supply runs.” Walker “capably and compellingly rises to the demands of the role,” and “gracefully balances the drama on his shoulders.”
     
    Please don’t misunderstand: I’m not one of those snobs who dismiss the guilty-pleasure appeal of Walker’s full-throttle action-heroics in the Fast & Furious franchise. (Although I must admit: I enjoyed his work just as much, if not more, in a genre movie of a scarier kind, John Dahl’s Joy Ride.) It’s just that, in Hours, I saw him doing things — and expressing emotions – that indicated he also was fully capable of more challenging roles in more complex movies.

     

    And when I spoke to him at SXSW, I got the distinct impression that he, too, knew he’d taken full advantage of a showcase for his heretofore underutilized talents.

     

    You can judge for yourself when Hours is available in limited theatrical runs and as VOD fare starting Dec. 13. In the meantime, here is some of what Paul Walker had to say about the movie – and his work in it – during our conversation.
     
     Joe Leydon: How much responsibility did you feel toward the people of New Orleans – the people who had endured the devastation of Hurricane Katrina – while making Hours in their city?

     

     Paul Walker: Prior to getting to New Orleans, [Eric Heisserer] told me that our ace in the hole was the fact that a lot of the people on the crew, because we were filming in New Orleans, had a very personal connection to this. So we had built-in accountability – like, the accountability police. There had been some other Katrina projects that had come up. But this one, when they read it, the locals felt a real connection. And when I got there, I saw this consistently. Everybody was there because they really wanted to be there. They felt like they had a connection to the story.

     

     JL: Were you at all intimidated by the challenge of doing a movie in which, for long periods, you’re the only person the audience sees or hears?

     

    PW: Well, I read [the script], and it felt very truthful, very pure to me. And I liked the idea of just telling the truth. But it was intimidating, because I knew that it was completely on me. Because the story itself, it was there. And now it’s my responsibility to show up and deliver every moment of it. I mean, I felt it when I read it. But does that mean that I can actually do it? I’d never really taken on a challenge like that before.

     

     JL: So how did Eric Heisserer convince you that you could trust him – and trust yourself – if you accepted that challenge?

     

    PW: Part of it was – and you’re not going to hear this from Eric – his due diligence. We had our first pow-wow, and then I found out, “OK, cool, he actually wants me to do the film with him.” And I was excited. And then we had meetings at his house once a week, for about four or five weeks there, just to rap and have a better sense about what’s going on. He really wanted to establish a shorthand, seeing as we were up against [an 18-day shooting schedule]. He wanted to know what triggers would work.

     

    And what I realized is that his preparedness… [Laughs] If it’s possible for someone to be over-prepared, Eric was over-prepared on this one. I was like, “Holy shit! Has this guy done his homework, or what?”

     

    But I’ve got to tell you: Going into it, I felt like I had that in my pocket. I was like, “The guy that’s captaining this ship has done his homework. He’s really done his homework.” And that allows you to just step in and say, “OK, I’ve just got to worry about what I do.”

     

     JL: In a way, you caught a break by being able to shoot in an actual New Orleans hospital that had been closed since it was damaged during the Katrina flooding. Not to sound crass, but it’s almost like you got an extra $1 million for your production budget.

     

     PW: Yeah, but we probably had to spend something like a million and a half on the clean-up of the rust and the funk and the mold. On the ground floors, where basically the water sat and stagnated for periods of time – we had crews that had to go in and remove sheetrock, drywall, wood. There was a lot of work, just to make it sanitary. But it definitely played into what we were doing because – I don’t know, it just felt like death there. It really did.

     

     JL: How much did you draw upon your real-life relationship with your own daughter while playing Nolan Hayes? Because speaking as a father myself, I have to say: The plot of this movie is every parent’s worst nightmare.

     

     PW: Well, I grew up in a military background, everyone in my family. My dad’s a solider to the max. And my grandfathers before him, on both sides. So for me, while I was growing up, we were always posing these hypothetical situations. Something like, OK, you’re at an ATM machine late at night, and someone puts a gun to the back of your head. What do you do? Or there’s an earthquake, and you’re trapped inside. That was just the way I grew up.

     

    So it’s fun to go through it hypothetically and process it. You want to believe that you’re man enough, and you’re going to be able to realize whatever needs to be realized in order to save yourself and save the others around you that are near and dear to you.

     

    But the fact that I have a daughter now — I wouldn’t say that I was pulling from that consciously. But that’s just who I am now. That’s just my reality. It’s there.

     

     JL: And you think that allowed you go deeper inside yourself than maybe you might have before?

     

     PW: I think I’ve always had the capacity to go there. I don’t want to say that I’m a sensitive person. But maybe that’s what it is. And I think here it was amplified by the fact that, yeah, I do have a little girl.

     

    But what I really liked about it, and what I didn’t realize until the end of this movie, what I learned about myself, is that in living every bit of it and being truthful the whole time – in the end, Nolan’s victory was my victory. There’s no separation. That’s what was incredible. When the baby was put in my arms, that’s real emotion I’m showing. It’s like I’ve been through this whole rollercoaster ride. And you know what? I kicked its ass. And I didn’t know it could be like that, to be honest throughout.

     

     JL: Were there ever days when you dreaded going to work? Days when you looked at the call sheet and thought, “Gee, can’t they get a stunt person to do that ?”

     

     PW: Oh, whenever I saw that, I was like, “Oh, cool!” Because the physical challenge is always fun for me. I know I don’t fail there. But what was so intimidating for me, what I was so possessed by, was, like I say, having to tell the truth every day. I was so preoccupied, and thinking: “Oh my God! Just live it! Live it!”

     

    But the thing was, once we got rolling, it was good. It wasn’t until I got home at night, and looking at the next day’s work, what was in store for me, that self-doubt would creep in. But once you get there, and you get into it, it was like, “I’m there. This is OK.” Being away from it was tougher than being in it.

     

    ---------

     

     This interview originally appeared in MovingPictureBlog.

    Walker shot to stardom in the Fast & Furious movies.

    Fast & Furious 6
      
    Courtesy photo
    Walker shot to stardom in the Fast & Furious movies.
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    Here are the 15 best things to do in Houston this 4th of July weekend

    Craig D. Lindsey
    Jul 2, 2025 | 6:30 pm
    Shell Freedom Over Texas
    Courtesy of Shell Freedom Over Texas
    The city has revealed the performers for its July 4 celebration.

    The 4th of July lands on a Friday this year, which means things will get especially patriotic this weekend.

    We’ve already listed all the fireworks celebrations and restaurant specials that’ll be popping off on Friday. (Don’t forget about the screenings of Independence Day at River Oaks Theatre, Rooftop Cinema Club and Marriott Marquis Houston.) But there are also other must-see events happening this weekend, including a LEGO convention, the second anniversary of a Third Ward eatery, the return of a Stanley Kubrick classic, and an outlaw music festival featuring Willie Freakin’ Nelson and Bob Freakin’ Dylan!

    Thursday, July 3

    Brick Rodeo
    Brick Rodeo is a family-friendly event that features hundreds of custom models and displays made from LEGO bricks. Creators from Texas and around the country will be available to talk about their creations. Fans who want to display their own creations, attend workshops, and participate in all the activities should purchase an All Access Pass. Families and individuals who want to spend a day viewing incredible custom creations, talking with builders, and shopping with vendors should purchase a public exhibition ticket. 9 am (8:30 am Friday-Sunday).

    City Place presents Young Audiences of Houston: Painting with Watercolor Pencils Art Workshop
    This free art workshop, hosted by Young Audiences of Houston teaching artist Judy Malone Stein, transforms City Place’s central waterfront plaza into a classical art studio with easels and other essential supplies. Participants are introduced to the medium of watercolor pencils and will learn basic color theory which includes the color wheel and primary and secondary colors, along with complimentary colors. They will also focus on creating compositions, using traditional visions (portraits, landscapes, still life) as their subject matter. 9:30 am.

    Improv Houston presents Dustin Ross
    Dustin Ross is a NAACP Image Award-winning host, writer, and producer. Fans of The Read podcast may know him as a longtime guest/friend to the show. These days, you can hear him on two pods: The Friend Zone, with co-hosts Hey Fran Hey and Assante; and Holding Court, with Eboni K. Williams. He has also hosted seasons of Bet on Black, REVOLT TV’s competition series, Bet On Black. As an on-air contributor, Ross has appeared on multiple platforms, including MTV, BET, Bravo TV, HBO, FUSE TV, GLAAD, Fox Soul, and more. 7:30 pm.

    Friday, July 4

    Freedom Over Texas
    With an average of 50,000 people in attendance, Freedom Over Texas has become Houston’s annual, signature July 4th celebration. The live, televised event will feature local, regional, and national entertainment, headlined by Ashley McBryde and Lee Brice, and will be capped off with a musically choreographed, “Texas-sized” fireworks finale. It also features a unique non-profit component, as the event will donate a percentage of food and beverage sales to the Houston Food Bank. 4 pm.

    Ensemble Theatre presents The Tap Dance Kid
    Over at The Ensemble Theatre, The Tap Dance Kid is about a 10-year-old African-American kid named Willie who doesn’t want to be a lawyer like his well-to-do strict father, and dreams of becoming a dancer like his talented Uncle Dipsey, an aspiring Broadway choreographer. The final production in the theater’s 2024-25 season, this musical is filled with imaginations of stardom that keep us tapping along. Through Sunday, July 27. 7:30 pm (2 and 7:30 pm Saturday; 3 pm Sunday).

    Dan Electro’s presents The Broken Spokes & Oliver Penn 4th of July Party
    Freedom, music, and a 4th of July Party will be going down at Dan Electros. The show will feature a performance from traditional Texas country band The Broken Spokes, a well-seasoned outfit that’s put in the time honing their craft in honky tonks across Texas,. Also performing will be Rhode Island-born, Houston-based country singer Oliver Penn, who has shared the stage with Charley Crockett, Shakey Graves, Randall King, The California Honeydrops, and Shinyribs. 9 pm.

    Alamo Drafthouse LaCenterra presents Graveyard Shift: Attack the Block
    Guy Fawkes Night in London is a time for fireworks, fooling around, and an occasional surprise or two. But when vicious extraterrestrials decide to crash the hellraisers’ holiday, a time for making merry quickly turns scary. Writer-director Joe Cornish also ensures it’s frequently humorous as well. This frisky, vigorous 2011 spoof — propelled by an insistent electronic score by Steven Price & Basement Jaxx and a star-making lead turn from John Boyega — shows a similar sensibility in its breezy blending of goofiness and gruesomeness. 10 pm.

    Saturday, July 5

    Rado Market 2 Year Anniversary Celebration
    Chef Chris Williams’ market and cafe at the historic Eldorado Ballroom will celebrate its two-year anniversary with a celebration that’s free and open to the public. The event will include complimentary champagne during the first hour, food specials from chef Jaden Gaines, and live music from a DJ for the first two hours. Guests can also browse and shop from a curated lineup of local vendors offering various products for sale, including Posh Body, Ambrosia Nectar, 77 Stash, and Juxx. Patrons can also enter two raffles featuring Radiant Aura samples and other giveaways. Noon.


      
     
     
     
     
     
     
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    Winnie’s presents Labubu Face Tattoo Korean Corn Dog Karaoke Party
    Never has an event’s name been a more complete description of what’s happening at the Midtown sandwich shop/cocktail bar on Saturday. Artists from Rodeo Tiger will be tattooing Labubu, the must-have accessory that feels destined to become the Beanie Babies of 2025 ($25 minimum, $50 for both sides, and $100 for full face custom work). While you wait, snack on a Korean corn dog created by chef Jennifer Hoffman. Karaoke starts at 8 pm. 1 pm.

    The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Barry Lyndon
    This weekend, catch the 50th anniversary screening (in glorious 35mm!) of Stanley Kubrick’s lavish, Oscar-winning 1975 adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray’s 18th-century novel. Forced to leave Ireland after killing an English officer in a duel, young Redmond Barry (Ryan O’Neal) seeks his fortune as a soldier in Prussia, as a spy, and then as a gambler living among the elite of Europe. He changes his name and marries an aristocrat (Marisa Berenson) for her wealth, but will he finally gain the acceptance he seeks? 5 pm (2 pm Sunday).

    Kings Harbor Waterfront Village presents “Fireworks on the Pier”
    Looking for a post-4th of July throwdown this weekend? Kings Harbor Waterfront Village in Kingwood will have its annual “Fireworks on the Pier” celebration, a patriotic evening of family fun, live entertainment and a spectacular fireworks display. Festivities include family-friendly games like Connect Four, a balloon artist, face painting and bubble stations for kids. Local restaurants will be serving up a variety of delicious food and drink options throughout the evening. A dazzling fireworks show over the pier will begin around 10 pm. 7 pm.

    Movies at Miller: Wicked
    We know there is a lot of y’all who can’t wait for Wicked: For Good to drop in multiplexes this winter. Before that happens, head over to Miller Outdoor Theatre and revisit the Oscar-winning Broadway musical adaptation that set it all off. In the magical Land of Oz, Wicked covers the first act, following Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the future Wicked Witch of the West, and her friendship with Galinda (Ariana Grande), the future Glinda the Good Witch. The audience is encouraged to come in costume. 8:30 pm.

    Sunday, July 6

    Eldorado Ballroom presents Ball N’ Parlay
    Dubbed “A 1st Sunday Vibeout,” Ball N’ Parlay is a vibrant, Third Ward day party that’s going to be held outside the legendary Eldorado Ballroom. They’re really hyping this one up, calling it “the Sunday you’ve been waiting for, where music, community, and culture meet.” We’re just psyched that some of our favorite DJs will be doing live sets, including DJ Elevated, Maiya Papaya, Alist, and DJ Bloom. 3 pm.

    Outlaw Music Festival
    If you grew up going to Cactus Music and picking up the latest issue of No Depression, looking for the latest in outlaw country releases to scoop up, a fest full of iconic, guitar-strumming banditos will be making a stop at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion this weekend. The 10th anniversary tour of the Outlaw Music Festival will feature an unparalleled lineup of legends and superstars, including Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, The Avett Brothers, The Mavericks, and Tami Neilson. 4:05 pm.

    CONCACAF Gold Cup Final
    As of this writing, we don’t know who will be playing in the final match of the soccer championship known as the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, going down this weekend at NRG Stadium. What we do now is that the winners will be determined on Wednesday night, when the semifinal matchups – the USMNT vs. Guatemala and Mexico vs. Honduras – will take place. This also marks the first time the Gold Cup Final will be held in the state of Texas. 6 pm.

    Freedom Over Texas
      
    Courtesy of Freedom Over Texas
    The Freedom Over Texas celebration takes place on the Fourth of July.
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