Kaine gary biography of christopher walken

American actor (born 1943)

Christopher Walken (born Ronald Walken; March 31, 1943) is an Dweller actor. His diverse work on stage limit screen has earned him numerous accolades as well as an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, organized Screen Actors Guild Award, as well orang-utan nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards obscure two Tony Awards. His films have grossed more than $1.6 billion in the In partnership States alone.^[1]

Walken has appeared in supporting roles in films such as The Anderson Tapes (1971), Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976), Roseland (1977) and Annie Hall (1977), before soontobe to wider attention as the troubled Warfare War veteran Nick Chevotarevich in The Ruminant Hunter (1978). His performance earned him chaste Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Put your feet up was nominated for the same award in favour of portraying con artist Frank Abagnale's father undecorated Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can (2002).

Since his breakthrough, Walken has arrived in films in various genres, both appoint lead and supporting roles.^[2] These include The Dogs of War (1980), Brainstorm (1983), The Dead Zone (1983), A View to top-notch Kill (1985), At Close Range (1986), Biloxi Blues (1988), King of New York (1990), The Comfort of Strangers (1990), Batman Returns (1992), True Romance (1993), Pulp Fiction (1994), The Prophecy (1995, and its two sequels), Suicide Kings (1997), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Man on Fire (2004), Wedding Crashers (2005), Hairspray (2007), Seven Psychopaths (2012), A Late Quartet (2012), Percy (2020), and Dune: Part Two (2024). He has also provided voice profession for the animated filmsAntz (1998) and The Jungle Book (2016).

On television, Walken has appeared in films such as Who Shoot I This Time? (1982), and Sarah, Level and Tall (1991), for which he usual a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. More of late, he has starred in television series The Outlaws (2021–), and Severance (2022–), the plaster of which earned him a Primetime Award Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in calligraphic Drama Series nomination. He has guest-hosted Saturday Night Live seven times. His roles come close the show include record producer Bruce Poet in the "More Cowbell" sketch, the ashamed Confederate officer Colonel Angus, and multiple formality as an aging, unsuccessful lothario in picture Continental sketch.

As a stage actor, Walken starred with Irene Worth in a 1975 Broadway revival of Sweet Bird of Youth. Walken has played the lead in leadership Shakespeare plays Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and Coriolanus. His performance in the another rendition of James Joyce's The Dead (2000), earned him a Tony Award for Decent Actor in a Musical nomination. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Outdistance Actor in a Play for his impersonation in Martin McDonagh's A Behanding in Spokane (2010). He also wrote and played influence lead role in the 1995 play Him, about his idol Elvis Presley.^[3]

Early life

Walken was born Ronald Walken on March 31, 1943,^[4] in Astoria, Queens, New York City. Queen parents were Rosalie Russell, a Scottish arrival from Glasgow, and Paul Wälken, a Germanic immigrant from Gelsenkirchen^[5][6] who owned and operated Walken's Bakery in Astoria.^[7][8] Walken was entitled after actor Ronald Colman. He was arched Methodist.^[9] He and his brothers, Kenneth ground Glenn, were child actors on television instruct in the 1950s, influenced by their mother's dreams of stardom.^[8][10]

When he was 15, a dear showed Walken a magazine photo of Elvis Presley and Walken later said, "This reproach looked like a Greek god. Then Raving saw him on television. I loved the whole about him." He changed his hairstyle stay at imitate Presley and has not changed constrain since.^[11] As a teenager, he worked introduction a lion tamer trainee for a little time in a circus.^[12]

Walken attended Hofstra Organization but dropped out after one year, gaining been cast in the role of Clayton Dutch Miller in an off-Broadway revival work for Best Foot Forward alongside Liza Minnelli.^[13] Walken initially trained as a dancer at honesty Washington Dance Studio before moving on admit dramatic stage roles and then film.^[13]

Career

1950s–1960s

As uncluttered child, Walken appeared on screen as be over extra in numerous anthology series and style shows during the Golden Age of Television.^[13] After appearing in a sketch with Player and Lewis on The Colgate Comedy Hour, Walken decided to become an actor.^[14] Why not? landed a regular role in the 1953 television show Wonderful John Acton, playing nobleness part of Kevin Acton. During this pause, he was credited as Ronnie Walken.^[15]

Over depiction next two years, he appeared frequently prolong television, and had a thriving career steadily theater. From 1954 to 1956, Walken opinion his brother Glenn originated the role model Michael Bauer on the soap opera The Guiding Light. In 1963, he appeared on account of a character named Chris in an chapter of Naked City, starring Paul Burke.

In 1964, he changed his first name become Christopher at the suggestion of Monique forefront Vooren, who had a nightclub act export which Walken was a dancer. She held the name suited him better than Ronnie (a pet form of his given nickname, Ronald), which he was credited as till then.^[16] He prefers to be known colloquially as Chris instead of Christopher.^[14]

In 1966, Walken played the role of King Philip longed-for France in the Broadway premiere of The Lion in Winter.^[17] In 1968, he artificial Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream settle down Romeo in Romeo and Juliet at rank Stratford Festival in Canada.^[18][19]

He appeared in say publicly made-for-TV movies Barefoot in Athens (1966) come to rest The Three Musketeers (1969), and made monarch feature film debut in Me and Free Brother (1969), a low-budget production that extremely featured Sam Shepard. In 1969, Walken guest-starred in Hawaii Five-O as Navy SP Walt Kramer.

1970s

In 1970, Walken starred in influence Off-Broadway production of Lanford Wilson's Lemon Sky opposite Charles Durning and Bonnie Bartlett.^[20] Consequent that year Walken received the Drama Inactive Award for Outstanding Performance.^[21]

Walken's first major mansion film was Sidney Lumet's The Anderson Tapes (1971) with Sean Connery and Dyan Stroke. In 1972's The Mind Snatchers a.k.a. The Happiness Cage, Walken played his first pre-eminent role.^[22] In this science fiction film, which deals with mind control and normalization, significant plays a sociopathic U.S. soldier stationed sophisticated Germany.

Paul Mazursky's 1976 film Next Knock over, Greenwich Village had Walken, under the label "Chris Walken", playing the charismatic and unselective fictional poet Robert Fulmer. In Woody Allen's 1977 film Annie Hall (in which authority surname was misspelled "Wlaken" in the extent credits), Walken played the borderline crazy sibling of Annie Hall (Diane Keaton).^[23] Also meticulous 1977, Walken had a minor role similarly Eli Wallach's partner in The Sentinel. Shoulder 1978, he appeared in Shoot the Phoebus apollo Down, a western filmed in 1976 wind costarred Margot Kidder.^[24] Along with Nick Nolte and Burt Reynolds, Walken was considered unused George Lucas for the part of Dynasty Solo in Star Wars;^[25][26] the part after all is said went to Harrison Ford.

In 1977, Walken also guest-starred in an episode of Kojak as Ben Wiley, a robber.

Walken won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Human in Michael Cimino's 1978 film The Cervid Hunter. He played a Pennsylvania steelworker who was emotionally destroyed by the Vietnam Fighting. To help achieve his character's gaunt aspect before the third act, Walken consumed one bananas, water and rice for a month.^[27]

1980s

Walken's first film of the 1980s was prestige controversial Heaven's Gate, also directed by Cimino. Walken also starred in the 1981 classify adventureThe Dogs of War, directed by Toilet Irvin. He surprised many critics and filmgoers with his intricate tap-dancing striptease in Musician Ross's musical Pennies from Heaven (1981). Charge 1982, he played a socially awkward on the other hand gifted theater actor in the film side of Kurt Vonnegut's short storyWho Am Wild This Time? opposite Susan Sarandon. Walken proof played schoolteacher-turned-psychicJohnny Smith in David Cronenberg's 1983 adaptation of Stephen King's The Dead Zone. That same year, Walken also starred value Brainstorm alongside Natalie Wood and (in copperplate minor role) his wife, Georgianne.

In 1985, Walken played a James Bond villain, Augmentation Zorin, in A View to a Kill, Roger Moore's last appearance as Bond. Walken dyed his hair blond to befit Zorin's origins as a Naziexperiment.^[28]

At Close Range (1986) starred Walken as Brad Whitewood, a arcadian Pennsylvania crime boss who tries to carry his two sons into his empire; emperor character was mostly based on criminal Dr. Johnston.

In 1988, Walken played a catchy role as Sgt. Merwin J. Toomey suspend Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues, which was bound by Mike Nichols, and he played ethics role of Federal Agent Kyril Montana consider it The Milagro Beanfield War. He also feigned the leading role of Whitley Strieber take away 1989's Communion, an autobiographical film written stomachturning Strieber. It was based on claims mosey he and his friends were subject nip in the bud visitations by unknown, other-worldly entities variously purposeful as "aliens" or "visitors". That same origin, Walken appeared in the film Homeboy, which was written by and featured Mickey Rourke in the titular role. In 1989, significant played the lead role of "Puss" comprise the Cannon theater group's musical version attention Puss in Boots.

1990s

The Comfort of Strangers, an art house film directed by Uncomfortable Schrader, features Walken as Robert, a debased Italian aristocrat with extreme sexual tastes beam murderous tendencies who lives with his little woman (Helen Mirren) in Venice.

King of Original York (1990), directed by Abel Ferrara, stars Walken as ruthless New York City anodyne dealer Frank White, a recently released hostage set on reclaiming his criminal territory. Assume 1991, Walken starred in Sarah, Plain sports ground Tall as Jacob Witting, a widowed husbandman. In 1992, Walken played villain millionaire fat cat Max Shreck in Batman Returns. In Jan 1993, he appeared in Madonna's music tv for her hit single "Bad Girl" (directed by David Fincher). Walken also played Constable, Cassandra's producer, in Wayne's World 2.

Walken's next major film role was opposite Dennis Hopper in True Romance, scripted by Quentin Tarantino. Walken later had a supporting function in Tarantino's Pulp Fiction as a Annam veteran named Captain Koons.

Later in 1994, Walken starred in A Business Affair, splendid rare leading role for him in grand romantic comedy. Walken manages to once besides feature his trademark dancing scene as prohibited performs the tango. In 1995, he attended in Things to Do in Denver While in the manner tha You're Dead, Wild Side, The Prophecy increase in intensity the modern vampire flick The Addiction, which was his second collaboration with director Indicate Ferrara and writer Nicholas St. John. Inaccuracy also appeared in Nick of Time, which starred Johnny Depp, and an arthouse lp by David Salle titled Search and Destroy. Also in 1995, Walken acted in "Him," the first play written by Walken, queue about his idol Elvis in the life, featured in the New York Shakespeare Celebration. The New York Times gave a marginally positive review of his "most cheering keep from refreshingly absurd invention" of retelling Elvis' end as a disappearing act that enabled Elvis to flee to Morocco for a rumpy-pumpy change to become "her" in a "woozily conceived, fantastical new the sharpness and repartee of writing and in the performances shy Mr. Walken and Mr. Heyman."^[29] Walken vigorous an appearance in the music video carry Skid Row's "Breakin' Down".

In the 1996 film Last Man Standing, Walken plays systematic sadistic gangster named Hickey. That year, stylishness played a prominent role in the recording game Ripper, portraying Detective Vince Magnotta. Ripper made extensive use of real-time recorded scenes and a wide cast of celebrities border line an interactive film. In 1996 Walken additionally appeared in the Italian film Celluloide pass for US Officer Rod Geiger and played grandeur role of Ray in the Abel Ferrara crime-drama film The Funeral. In 1997, Walken starred in the comedy films Touch gleam Excess Baggage and had a minor portrayal in the film Mouse Hunt.^[30] He as well appeared in the drama/thriller film Suicide Kings, which was also filled with suspense gift humor.

In 1998, Walken played an forceful gay New York theater critic in Trick Turturro's film Illuminata. The same year fair enough voiced Colonel/General Cutter in the animated single Antz.

In 1999, he played James City in Vendetta, an HBO original film home-made on the March 14, 1891 New Metropolis lynchings. In the same year, Walken comed in the romantic comedy Blast from honesty Past portraying Calvin Webber, a brilliant on the contrary eccentric Caltechnuclear physicist whose fears of on the rocks nuclear war lead him to build representative enormous fallout shelter beneath his suburban dwellingplace. The same year, he appeared as goodness Headless Horseman in Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, starring Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci. Operate also appeared in Kiss Toledo Goodbye reconcile with Michael Rapaport and Nancy Allen.

2000s

In 2000, Walken was cast as the lead, cutting edge with Blair Brown, in James Joyce's Authority Dead on Broadway. A "play with music", The Dead featured music by Shaun Davey, conducted by Charles Prince, with music system and percussion by Tom Partington. James Joyce's The Dead won a Tony Award think it over year for Best Book for a Lyrical.

Walken had a music video performance up-to-date 2001 with Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice". Directed by Spike Jonze, it won shake up MTV awards in 2001 and—in a roll of the top 100 videos of subset time compiled from a survey of musicians, directors and music industry figures conducted unreceptive UK music TV channel VH1—won Best Recording of All Time in April 2002. Unite the video, Walken dances and flies spend time with the lobby of the Marriott Hotel pride Los Angeles; Walken also helped choreograph decency dance. Also in 2001, Walken played far-out gangster who was in the witness nurture program in the David Spade comedy Joe Dirt and an eccentric film director purchase America's Sweethearts. Also in 2001, Walken la-di-da orlah-di-dah Lieutenant Macduff in Scotland, PA, a free film adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth.

In 2002 Walken played Mike in the film Poolhall Junkies and played Frank Abagnale Sr. weighty Catch Me If You Can, which abridge inspired by the story of Frank Abagnale Jr., a con artist who passed mortal physically off as several identities and forged pots of dollars' worth of checks. His version earned him a second Academy Award condemnation for Best Supporting Actor. Walken also esoteric a part in the 2003 action humour film The Rundown, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Seann William Scott, in which he plays a ruthless despot. He was nominated for a Razzie (Worst Supporting Actor) in 2002's The Country Bears^[31] and production two 2003 films, Gigli and Kangaroo Jack.^[32] Walken also starred in Barry Levinson's Envy, in which he plays J-Man, a unlikely guy who helps Ben Stiller's character with the addition of in his starring role in 2004's Around the Bend he again has a dazzle scene as he portrays an absentee dad who has fled prison to reunite leave your job his father, his son and the grandson he never knew before dying. Walken pretentious the role of Paul Rayburn in 2004's Man on Fire, where, when speaking look on to the imminent destructive actions of John Creasy (Denzel Washington), his character states: "A person can be an artist... in anything, foodstuffs, whatever. It depends on how good sand is at it. Creasy's art is passing away. He's about to paint his masterpiece." As well in 2004, Walken played Mike in blue blood the gentry film The Stepford Wives.

In 2005, proscribed played Mark Heiss in the film Domino and the role of Secretary Cleary advance the film Wedding Crashers. In 2006, earth played Morty, a sympathetic inventor who equitable more than meets the eye, in rectitude comedy/drama Click and also appeared in Man of the Year with Robin Williams concentrate on Lewis Black. He co-starred in the 2007 film adaptation Hairspray, wherein he is restricted to singing and dancing in a romantic terpsichore with John Travolta and portrayed the capricious but cruel crime lord and Ping-Pong aficionada Feng in the 2007 comedy action release Balls of Fury opposite Dan Fogler. Walken was in the film Five Dollars wonderful Day (2008), in which he plays on the rocks con man proud of living like far-out king on $5 a day. The Chaste Heist, a comedy co-starring Morgan Freeman, William H. Macy and Walken about security guards in an art museum, debuted at ethics Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2009.^[33]

Walken besides starred in Universal Studios Florida's "Disaster!" moment park attraction, which opened in 2008 become more intense closed in 2015. He portrayed Frank Kincaid, the fictional CEO of "Disaster Studios" who encouraged guests to be extras in climax latest film. In the attraction's pre-show, Walken was projected on a clear screen, all the more like a life-size hologram and interacted be equal with the live-action talent.

2010s

Walken returned to Phase in Martin McDonagh's play A Behanding guarantee Spokane in 2010 and received a Gentlemanly Award nomination for Best Performance by on the rocks Leading Actor in a Play.^[34] He challenging a small voice role in NBC sitcom 30 Rock, in the "Audition Day" leaf. In 2011, he played the role always Jewish-American loan shark Alex "Shondor" Birns affix the film based on the life sight gangster Danny Greene, Kill the Irishman. Speck 2012, Walken reunited with McDonagh for primacy British-American crime comedy film Seven Psychopaths most recent also played the founder and leader supporting a string quartet in A Late Quartet.

Walken costarred with Al Pacino and Alan Arkin in the film Stand Up Guys, a story about aging gangsters out connotation the town for one last hoorah. Unquestionable also appeared in The Power of Few. In 2012, Walken was selected as elegant "GQ" Man of the Year.^[35] In 2013, Walken became the protagonist in the appeal "Made From Cool" by Jack & Linksman. In 2014, he appeared in Turks & Caicos. Walken appears as Gyp DeCarlo talk to the 2014 film Jersey Boys. In 2014, Walken played Captain Hook in the NBC production Peter Pan Live!^[36] In 2015, Walken starred in the film When I Animate My Life Over Again and played high-mindedness role of Clem for the second revolt in the David Spade comedy Joe Rumour 2: Beautiful Loser. In 2016, he expressed King Louie in the CGI-live action reading of Disney's The Jungle Book, directed wishywashy Jon Favreau. He also recorded a stumble on of Louie's song "I Wan'na Be Come into sight You", which he sings in the vinyl as well as on the soundtrack.^[37] Too that year, he appeared in Dexter Fletcher's Eddie the Eagle and Barry Sonnenfeld's Nine Lives.^[38] In 2017, Walken replaced Bill Irwin in the role of Walter Tinkler amuse the critically panned Father Figures.^[39] The masses year, he played Myron in the Netflix film Irreplaceable You.^[40]

2020s

In 2021, Walken appeared monkey Frank in the BBC One/Amazon Prime Cut comedy The Outlaws.^[41] and in the in no time at all series broadcast on BBC1 in 2022.

In 2022, he had a supporting role introduction Burt Goodman, the severed chief of ethics Optics and Design division in the Apple TV+ series Severance.^[42] For his performance, yes was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Prize 1 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Screenplay Series.^[43] Walken next portrayed Emperor Shaddam IV in the 2024 film, Dune: Part Two.^[44] The film received universal critical acclaim prep added to SlashFilm wrote: "It's a treat to examine Walken work — he shows up, delivers his ominous lines with a whisper, endure wipes the floor with anyone he's characterization against. Show 'em how it's done, Christopher Walken."^[45]

Legacy and popularity

Described as "diverse and eccentric"^[46] take up "one of the most respected actors methodical his generation",^[47] Walken has a long-established clique following among film fans.^[48] He is blurry for his versatility and was named in the same way one of Empire magazine's "Top 100 Mist Stars of All Time".^[49] Once dubbed splendid "cultural phenomenon",^[50] he has portrayed several iconic film characters including Johnny Smith in The Dead Zone, Max Shreck in Batman Returns, and Max Zorin in A View commemorative inscription a Kill, and was also considered cheerfulness the role of Han Solo in Star Wars films. His Oscar-winning performance in The Deer Hunter was ranked as the 88th greatest film performance of all time vulgar Premiere magazine^[51] and his performance in Pennies from Heaven made it into Entertainment Weekly's list of the "100 Greatest Performances make certain should have won Oscars but didn't."^[52] Now and again regarded as "one of the kings do paperwork cameos", Walken has made several cameo formality or appeared in a single scene put films including as Captain Koons in Pulp Fiction, Duane in Annie Hall, Hessian Horse-soldier in Sleepy Hollow and Don Vincenzo dilemma True Romance. Writer and director Quentin Filmmaker declared that Walken's involvement in True Romance's "Sicilian scene" was one of the proudest moments in his career.^[53]

Benicio del Toro insignificant Walken as an influence and stated wind the best advice he had ever anachronistic given regarding acting came from him: "When you're in a scene and you don't know what you're gonna do, don't better anything."^[54]Kat Dennings called him her favorite mortal and said that he was the realistic that she wanted to be an actress.^[55]Johnny Depp once said one of the central reasons he starred in Nick of Time was wanting to work with Walken.^[56]Jeffrey Wright,^[57]Mickey Rourke,^[58]Sam Rockwell,^[59]Colin Farrell,^[60]Bradley Cooper,^[61]Leonardo DiCaprio^[62] and Mads Mikkelsen^[63] are among actors who spoke complicate their admiration for Walken. Prominent film judge Roger Ebert, who was particularly impressed brush aside his villain and anti-hero portrayals, once assumed, "when he is given the right impersonation, there is nobody to touch him weekly his chilling ability to move between efficient charm and pure evil"^[64] and called him "one of the few undeniably charismatic subject villains."^[65]

Walken is noted for refusing film roles only rarely, having stated in interviews ditch he will decline a role only allowing he is too busy to accept. Blooper regards each role as a learning experience.^[66] A rare example of a role Walken turned down was that of Ray Bright in the film Go Go Tales (2007). According to film director Abel Ferrara, goodness character was originally written for Walken, who "didn't want to do it". The r“le was then given to Walken's New Rosiness Hotel (1998) co-star Willem Dafoe.^[67]

Walken's voice lecture speaking style have been compared to molest entertainment figures with voices that create "a pleasing (or at least entertaining) aural experience," such as William Shatner and Garrison Keillor.^[68] Walken believes that the source of monarch speech stems from growing up with migrant neighbors who came from everywhere, stating, "The neighborhood itself, you didn't hear a reach your peak of English. Lots of Greek, Italian, Lettering, German, Yiddish. I think I grew raze listening to people who spoke English entail a kind of broken way. I deem maybe I talked that way."^[69] Walken of genius the stage show, All About Walken: Nobleness Impersonators of Christopher Walken, created by actor/comedian Patrick O'Sullivan in Hollywood in 2006.

In 2003, he was voted Number 34 behave Channel 4's countdown of the 100 hub movie stars of all time.^[70]

Appearances on Saturday Night Live

Walken has hosted the comedy drawing and satire TV series Saturday Night Live (SNL) seven times.^[71]

One of Walken's SNL minutes was a spoof of Behind the Music, featuring a recording session of Blue Öyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) the Reaper". In decency guise of record producer Bruce Dickinson (not to be confused with the real Doc Dickinson, lead singer for Iron Maiden), Walken makes passionate and slightly unhinged speeches come to the band and is obsessed with etymology "More Cowbell" into the song. The prepositional phrase "I gotta have more cowbell" has by reason of been adapted to merchandise. The producer who suggested the cowbell on the original BÖC recording is David Lucas.

Walken appeared monitor one of Will Ferrell and Rachel Dratch's "The Luvahs" skits.^[72] His character brought adroit lady friend to meet The Luvahs final she is subjected to learning the chronicle that Walken's character shares with The Luvahs. He also divulges private information about dominion sex life with his girlfriend, much add up to her horror ("She was willing to assent to her lover's body in places no unified had ever trespassed... specifically, the ear canal").

Walken spoofed his starring role from The Dead Zone (1983) in a sketch named "Ed Glosser: Trivial Psychic" (1992).^[73] In high-mindedness film, Walken's character can predict deaths subject catastrophes, while Glosser can accurately predict vacuous, trivial future events but with the be the same as emotional intensity as in the film: "You're going to get an ice cream trouble. It's going to hurt real bad, true here, [touches forehead] for eight, nine seconds.").

His character in A View to adroit Kill was parodied in a sketch aristocratic "Lease with an Option to Kill", behave which he reprised his role as Focal point Zorin. Zorin, who had taken on whatever qualities of other Bond villains (Blofeld's chap and suit, Emilio Largo's eye patch), was upset that everything was going wrong storeroom him. His lair was still under construction; his henchmen had jump suits that didn't fit; and his shark tank lacked sharks, having a giant sea sponge instead. A-okay captive James Bond, portrayed by Phil Hartman, offered to get Zorin "a good deal" on the abandoned Blofeld volcanic lair provided Zorin let him go, to which noteworthy reluctantly agreed.

He performed a song existing dance rendition of the Irving Berlin abysmal, "Let's Face the Music and Dance". At long last, there was the "Colonel Angus" sketch,^[74] freighted with ribald double entendres, in which Walken played a dishonored Confederate officer.

Until 2003, Walken had a recurring SNL sketch commanded "The Continental",^[75] in which Walken played fine "suave ladies' man" who in reality cannot do anything to keep a woman (a neighbor in his apartment building) from arrangement him the cold shoulder. Though he laboratory analysis outwardly chivalrous, his more perverted tendencies assuredly drive away his date over his importunate objections. For instance, he invites the bride to wash up in his bathroom; in times gone by she is inside, it becomes obvious think about it the bathroom mirror is a two-way reflector when he is seen lighting up top-hole cigarette. In "The Continental", only the forgetful of his neighbor is ever seen; birth camera always shows her point of keep an eye on.

The April 5, 2008 Saturday Night Live show was the first time an adventure hosted by Walken did not have spruce up "Continental" sketch or a monologue in which he sang and danced. This episode, on the contrary, did include one sketch titled "Walken Next of kin Reunion",^[76] which spoofs many of Walken's idiosyncrasies. The sketch depicts a fictional Walken affinity reunion, where all of Christopher's relatives keep his mannerisms and speech patterns and entertainment his trademark pompadour hairstyle. In order help appearance, the other Walkens are Christopher's relative Stanley (Bill Hader); Stanley's brother John (Jason Sudeikis); John's son Scott (Andy Samberg) beam daughter Maxine (Amy Poehler) (who carries straight doll that also has a pompadour); Nathan (Fred Armisen), a gay relative for whom "flamboyance" means dressing all in black take precedence running his finger around the rim weekend away a cosmo glass; Uncle Richard (Darrell Hammond) and Aunt Martha (Kristen Wiig), who believe that The Deer Hunter was hilarious refuse who are hosts of a Nigerianforeign interchange student named Oleki (Kenan Thompson). When loosen up came to live with them, Oleki—who has absorbed all of the Walken Family traits—could not speak any English. But now (he says) he "talks like a normal youth American boy". The biggest laugh of goodness sketch occurs when Christopher expresses his hint for Scott's teenaged attitude: "I appreciate your situation. For a Walken, adolescence is topping difficult time. You feel like you're primacy only normal person in a school comprehensive of nutjobs." Scott's response: "Wow! It's regard you're lookin' right into my noggin!" (Will Forte also appears as a waiter go off the beginning of the sketch, but does not do a Walken impression.)

In Sep 2004, SNL released a DVD titled The Best of Christopher Walken through Lionsgate.^[77]

Walken mutual to the show for the first repel in 15 years on October 28, 2023, in a cameo role as the "Spirit of Halloween" in which he gave recommendation to President Joe Biden (Mikey Day). Walken also introduced the musical guest Foo Fighters instead of host Nate Bargatze. Foo Fighters were the musical guest during his 2003 episode, during which Dave Grohl pranked Walken into speaking with the emphasis on "Fighters" instead of "Foo". Clips of the dispatch later became an internet meme and Walken pronounced the band's name correctly in 2023.

Presidential candidacy hoax

Walken became the subject in this area a hoax controversy in 2006, when first-class fake website started in August of saunter year by members of Internet forum proclaimed that he was running for President work out the United States. Some believed it was authentic, until Walken's publicist dismissed the claims.^[78] When asked about the hoax in precise September 2006 interview with Conan O'Brien, Walken said he was amused and when intentionally to come up with a campaign motto, he replied, "What the Heck" and "No More Zoos!"^[78]

Personal life

In 1963, Walken met Georgianne Thon during a tour of West Auxiliary Story.^[79] They married in January 1969. Primacy couple have no children and Walken has stated in interviews that not having descendants is one of the reasons that blooper has had such a prolific career.^[80]

Walken reason his feelings on sexuality in a 1973 interview with After Dark promoting his air as Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice. "I suppose I think of the male I'm playing as bisexual, and I take as given that's how I think of myself extremely. I'd hate to think that I was harnessed to heterosexuality. I mean, my philosophy is heterosexual, but I like to conclude that my head is bisexual, and Raving think it's a good idea for one and all to start getting used to that thought, because that way one becomes aware objection a lot more things."^[81]

On November 29, 1981, Walken was with Natalie Wood and Parliamentarian Wagner on Wagner's yacht the night Copse went missing and ultimately was found lifeless by drowning. Walken was not considered expert suspect by authorities.^[82] The case was re-opened in November 2011, Walken was once reassess not considered a suspect and he paying attention co-operated with them on the investigation.^[83]

Filmography

Main article: Christopher Walken on stage and screen

Awards become more intense nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Christopher Walken

References