Just two weeks before Paul Walker lost his life in a horrific car crash, Entertainment Affair was fortunate enough to sit down with him to talk about his new film “Hours.” 

In “Hours” Walker plays Nolan, a man who arrives at a New Orleans hospital with his pregnant wife (Genesis Rodriguez), who has gone into early labor, when the birth goes tragically wrong and Hurricane Katrina ravages the city, forcing an evacuation. A series of circumstances soon finds him alone in the hospital with his newborn daughter. She needs a respirator. When the power goes out, he’ll have to use all his resources to keep them both alive. Shot in New Orleans in just 18 days, “Hours” was also executive-produced by Walker and directed by Eric Heisserer.

Why did you decide to take on this role for this movie?
“I read the story and I liked the story and I sit down with Eric and I was told beforehand that he is really particular. He’s turned down a lot of people. We sat down and at the end of it he goes, ‘you’re the guy.’ It was such a compliment. To earn it is so much better.”    

Walker’s real life daughter, Meadow, recently had moved from Hawaii to California to live with him. His relationship with her had inspired his work in the film.

Did you learn something about parenting?
“No, but there was parallel. I didn’t plan on being a father. I wasn’t married. It takes a while to find your step. When he first looks at that baby, when he says to her ‘I don’t know you,’ I don’t know that I was ever there. I think me it was like ‘I wanna know you but I don’t know myself,’ but I can draw the parallel.” 

Walker is the only character onscreen for much of the film. The circumstances in “Hours” push the character of Nolan and Walker himself to their mental and physical limits.

How physically taxing was this role?
“It was therapeutic for me cause I was living in a box for so long and I wasn’t being honest with myself and it forced me out. It forced me to go places that I was afraid to go to. It was like 18 days of therapy. At the end of the day it was funny because as fatiguing as it was emotionally and sometimes even physically I went home reinvigorated and I was really excited to go to work the next day.”

The beautiful and up-and-coming actress Genesis Rodriguez makes a strong impression with limited screen time in flashbacks playing his pregnant wife, Abigail.

How was it working with Genesis?
“She is amazing, she is really warm, really cool girl. I can’t fake affinity or appreciation for somebody. If it’s a diva it’s not going to work. It had to be somebody that was coming from a pure place in order for me to feel that I could connect with her. She’s an easy girl to fall in love with. Let’s just put it that way (laughs).” 

Paul Walker is remembered for his role in the Fast & Furious franchise; however, before his death Walker was beginning to have interests moving him away from the raw action of the Fast & Furious films.

What do you like more action or drama movies?
“As I am getting older I like things that are more truthful. When I have the opportunity to connect I like it. I always like the action stuff but I supposed if I’ve been doing a lot of drama I’d probably just like to do action but now that I’ve been doing a lot of action the majority of my career I think I’m more drawn towards the drama. What’s honest, pure.”  

Before he left the room a reporter was able to ask Walker one quick last question, “What does life mean to you after all of this?” to what he replied an answer that I’m sure most of us will remind him by, “Just enjoy it.”

HOURS will be playing in select theaters and On-Demand December 13th!