>> i think everyone really started paying attention to him when he was in "varsity blues." >> he was a supporting character that you really remembered. in "varsity blues" he played a football quarterback who's side lined by a knee injury. it was a role that actually had a lot of heart in a kind of goofy movie. >> reporter: but walker krafd a media role. he auditioned for the thriller "the skulls." >> paul came in and at first he was like a surfer dude. >> reporter: rob cohen was directing. >> the first reading, it was more like he was, hey, man, i got tubed and it was gnarly. right? and then, i said, look. just say the lines, finish the endings on the words and just do it like a guy with an education. because this kid would have gone to prep school and all that stuff. so paul did it again and he nailed it. i mean he was like really could