MXG (April 2000) We got Paul up at the crack of dawn so we could snap some photos and ask a few questions. You know, just the basics. Mr. Varsity tackled life, love, 18-foot waves, and banana nut pancakes-all before breakfast (MXG): Sorry to get you up so early (PW): It's okay. I'm usually up by 8 a.m. anyway. (MXG):For what? (PW): Well, I go to breakfast by myself at IHOP, order their cheese, avovado, and bacon omelet, and substitute the regular buttermilk pancakes for the banana nut ones. They're really good (MXG): Do you ever cook? (PW): No, we don't have a refrigerator. We had one once, but then someone moved out and we said "You know what, we never used it.. why get another one?" So it's IHOP for breakfast, El Pollo Loco for lunch, and Chili's for dinner. (MXG):Do you even have dishes? (PW): No, we have 2 cups...I'm being serious! Basically, our place looks like a board shop. WE have snowboards and surfboards stacked up, and beanbags and hammocks downstairs, but no real furniture. (MXG):Well, you travel nonstop, so you're probably not home much anyway. What was your best trip? (PW): Probably Fiji. We went to surf, and it was breaking 6 to 9 meters which is like 18 to 24 ft., and the waters real warm and clean. Plus the snorkeling was really good there. (MXG):Okay, so tell us about your new movie, called Skulls. (PW): I play Caleb Mandrake. I'm a little JFK, really smooth, the campus stud. And we go to like an Ivy League school where there's a secret society called Skulls.

PW): Yeah, Squelch is about a cross-country road trip. It's summer break and my charactor gets a call from this childhood friend he's always had a crush on. She goes to Colorado University, and I'm at Berkeley. She talks about how groovy it would be if we could drive back to New Jersy together, so I pick her up and we end up detouring to pick up my brother who's been arrested for like the hundreth time. We start pulling all these prank calls over the CB radio, and we set this truck driver up. He thinks he's gonna meet this girl who wants to get romantic. instead we set him up with this other guy, and that makes him really mad. He finds out who we are and, well, without giving it away, it's really scary. (MXG): Do you think your good looks ever hinder you when you're up for a role? (PW): YEah. I used to hate thinking that, but now I don't care anymore. Brad Pitt, for instance he started working why? Because he was good-looking. Then it took him awhile to establish some clout. (MXG): Maybe you should break out in some edgy role. (PW): The next movie, I'm gonna do, Racer X, is more like that. The backdrop is modern day racing, which is cool because I'm a total gearhead. (MXG):As Paul Walker, the movie star, do you feel the need to be aware of how you act in public? (PW): I don't feel like I need to watch what i say or do, but it's weird just having people stare at you. Like, I wish they'd just come up and say something sometimes, but then again I'm glad they don't. The most bizzarre thing, though is when people don't go, "Oh are you that guy in Varsity Blues?", but they ask you straight up, "Are you Paul Walker?". That's when you're like, "Whoa wait a second." (MXG): That's gotta be a bizarre feeling (PW): You'd think that you'd become more secure, more confident, but it makes me far more insecure, especially with girls. Now, I head trip myself and I'm like, "Wait, is she checking me out because she thinks I'm cute or because she reconizes me?" I'd rather just be anonymous. (MXG): So what do you look for in a girl?

(pw) Someone who's adventurous about whatever, whenever, a free-spirit who wants to live life to the fullest. I come up with some pretty zany ideas, and I'm usually over a girl when she objects. I'm not gonna hold anyone back, and I don't want to feel like anyone's holding me back. (MXG): Have you been in love a lot? (PW): No. I get to a point then I get scared. (MXG): What sign are you? (PW): Virgo...I'm a mess though. I am the most confused, twisted person I know. It's gotten to the point now where I can basically have everything I want and it's not enough. It's like, this is life? Is this everything? It's too simple. It's boring. There's got to be more. For the last several years, all I've been doing is searching. I'm just beginning to see through the haze. Think this guy's only about good looks? How wrong you are! Paul Walker's a dude with depth. And he's been doing some serious soul searching about relationships, love, his future in Hollywood, and the meaning of life. This smart, sexy, free spirit shares some of this wisdom with us. MXG: OK, so tell us about your new movie, Skulls with Joshua Jackson. PW: I play Caleb Mandrake. I Am like a little JFK, really smooth, the campus stud. And we go to like an Ivy League school where there's a secret society called Skulls. MXG: Are you a bad guy? PW: I don't think he's really bad. He's just . . . he's conflicted. He's just screwed up 'cause his dad isn't a very good guy. He's a really powerful senator who wants to become Mr. Joe President or whatever. MXG: That's coming out this spring and then you follow that up with Squelch?

PW: Yeah, Squelch is about two brothers who're making a road trip across the country. It's summer break and my character, Lewis gets a call from this childhood friend he's always had a crush on (played by Leelee Sobieski). She goes to Colorado University and I'm at Berkeley. She talks about how groovy it would be if we could drive back to New Jersey together, so I pick her up and we end up detouring to pick up my brother (played by Steve Zahn), who's been arrested for, like the hundredth time and he gets us in a whole bunch of trouble. We start pulling all these prank calls over the CB radio and we set this truck driver up. He thinks he's gonna meet this girl who wants to get romantic or whatever. Instead we set him up with this other guy and that really makes him mad. He finds out who we are and well, without giving it away, it's really scary. MXG: Did you have a CB name? PW: Yeah, Mama's Boy. But when we were prank calling, I put on this girl's voice and then my handle was Candy Cane. That was the worst! I was supposed to talk all sultry, like was a girl. MXG: In both movies, you play a college-aged character. Are you consciously trying to get away from the teen flicks? PW: Yeah, but at the same time I didn't want to fight it because I knew it was getting me work. Now I want to play a little bit older, I mean I'm . . .(pauses to think) 26, yeah 26. I don't wanna play 17 or 18 anymore. MXG: Do you ever think about where you want your career to go? PW:: No, I used to, but it just drives me crazy. It's gonna take me where I'm supposed to go, I guess. I just do what I like and if people don't like it, I don't care.

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