Punch Drunk Paul Walker

Childhood friends of Paul Walker (The Fast and the Furious) enjoy some nifty fringe benefits. On the Montreal set of Timeline, several lucky pals had the chance to work alongside him.

"[My friends] are in between jobs and that kind of thing, and everyone wants to see what it is like to be on a movie set," Walker tells TV Guide Online. "So I just kind of have this neverending circle of people coming in. They work as an assistant for a couple of months, and then they go off and do their own thing."

Walker admits that employing his buddies isn't a completely selfless act. "I have a hard time being away," the 30-year-old hottie sighs. "I was born and raised in Southern California, and my family is there. Everyone I care about is pretty much there. When I am away on location, I have a tendency to get real homesick. So at least I've got my friends [with me]. I like it that way."

Hanging out with Walker can be a real pain, though. While making Timeline, Walker befriended co-star Gerard Butler (Tomb Raider 2), whom he would often playfully beat up. "Gerry and I were arm wrestling all the time, and he felt really good to sock," he laughs. "We used to give each other dead arms, especially on days where Gerry had to swing his sword quite a bit. I'd make sure to, like, double or triple up on his right arm, so it would hurt really good."

Apparently, this sadistic "dead arm" technique — hitting a dude's arm to make it totally numb — is just something that helps Walker relax. "It is just guy stuff," he says. "You try to keep it light and loose on set. Especially when people start taking things too seriously or you start overanalyzing a scene and things aren't clicking. Just to give someone a good punch sometimes helps you snap out of it. And I like punching people!"