Jordana Brewster Says Her Grief Over Fast & Furious Costar Paul Walker's Death 'Comes in Waves'

Victor Chavez/WireImage Paul Walker and Jordana Brewster

Jordana Brewster's connection to Paul Walker is forever.

The Fast and Furious star, 41, opened up to PEOPLE about how she grieves her late co-star during a Universal Pictures Home Entertainment event in celebration of the F9 director's cut currently available digitally. It arrives on 4K UHD, BLU-RAY and DVD Sept. 21.

"I think when someone passes away that has a huge impact on your life and has had a huge impact, frankly, on so many people's lives," Brewster tells PEOPLE of Walker, her onscreen husband in the action movie franchise who would have recently turned 48.

Her grief "goes in waves where it's super visceral at times, and it's like it's unimaginable that that person's not with us anymore," she shared.

Carlos Alvarez/Getty Paul Walker and Jordana Brewster

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"It just gets very intense and then sometimes it's less intense," the 41-year-old continues. "But it just comes in waves, regardless of whether it's that person's birthday or not."

Walker died on November 30, 2013, in a car crash. He was 40. As he was in the middle of filming Fast 7 at the time, Paul's brothers Caleb and Cody were hired to stand in for him for the remainder of production, before his face was digitally superimposed onto their bodies.

Several of his co-stars honored him on Sept. 12 for what would have been his 48th birthday.

Brewster tells PEOPLE, "Every year, I have a way of honoring him on his birthday and remembering him and celebrating him. And I think that's also part of what's nice about when the cast is together is that we do honor and celebrate him as well."

"It's a hard thing to talk about," she admits, explaining that sometimes she feels when she's quoted about his death that "it sort of trivializes what he meant."

"Sometimes it's still unbelievable that he's not with us," the actress says.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Jordana Brewster

RELATED: Paul Walker's Daughter Meadow Shares Sweet Childhood Throwback for Late Dad's 48th Birthday

Several other Fast and Furious stars honored Walker on his special day.

Vin Diesel shared a photo on Instagram of a moment between him and the late actor while shooting one of their movies.

"So much to tell you... normally I would say you wouldn't believe how I spent your birthday... but by the safe outcome, I know you were there with me in spirit," Diesel, 54, wrote, adding: "Miss you. Always."

Michelle Rodriguez posted a group photo on Instagram of her at a red carpet event with Walker and Diesel.

"Hmmm what an angel Paul will always be. ✨Always Remembered that way✨🌬," she said.

RELATED: Vin Diesel Remembers Paul Walker After What Would Have Been His 48th Birthday: 'Miss You. Always'

Tyrese Gibson posted a video montage of his moments with Walker, revealing that his daughter Shayla sent him the clip after seeing it on TikTok.

"Happy birthday P-Dubber love you always bro….." he wrote alongside the video.

Ludacris shared a photo of Walker with a wide grin, captioned, "We All Know Your Still Smiling Down On Us. Happy Birthday My Brother 🙏🏾 ."

Walker's daughter Meadow, 22, also remembered her late dad with a sweet throwback picture of the two. Meadow was 15 when her dad died.

"Happy birthday daddy, I love you," Meadow wrote in the caption.

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Meadow — who attended the premiere of F9 in June — continues to have a special connection to the cast.

Diesel has said he feels "very protective" of his goddaughter Meadow, who's remained close with his family over the years. "She's the first person on Father's Day to wish me Happy Father's Day," he told Extra in June.

"To see her with my children is one of the most beautiful things," Diesel added. "There are moments when I see her playing with [his 6-year-old daughter] Pauline and it hits me so deep 'cause I can only imagine what my brother sees when he sees that."

He also shares daughter Similce, 13, and son Vincent, 11, with partner Paloma Jiménez, 38, and they named Pauline in honor of Paul.