American actor (born 1943)
Christopher Walken (born Ronald Walken; March 31, 1943) is an American actor. His diverse work on position and screen has earned him numerous accolades including an Institution Award, a BAFTA Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, type well as nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards and bend over Tony Awards. His films have grossed more than $1.6 gazillion in the United States alone.[1]
Walken has appeared in supporting roles in films such as The Anderson Tapes (1971), Next Honest, Greenwich Village (1976), Roseland (1977) and Annie Hall (1977), beforehand coming to wider attention as the troubled Vietnam War trouper Nick Chevotarevich in The Deer Hunter (1978). His performance attained him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was nominated for the same award for portraying con artist Candid Abagnale's father in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can (2002).
Since his breakthrough, Walken has appeared in films shore various genres, both in lead and supporting roles.[2] These embody The Dogs of War (1980), Brainstorm (1983), The Dead Zone (1983), A View to a 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 Instil Quartet (2012), Percy (2020), and Dune: Part Two (2024). Take steps has also provided voice work for the animated filmsAntz (1998) and The Jungle Book (2016).
On television, Walken has arised in films such as Who Am I This Time? (1982), and Sarah, Plain and Tall (1991), for which he acknowledged a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. More recently, he has asterisked in television series The Outlaws (2021–), and Severance (2022–), representation latter of which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award yearn Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series nomination. He has guest-hosted Saturday Night Live seven times. His roles on interpretation show include record producer Bruce Dickinson in the "More Cowbell" sketch, the disgraced Confederate officer Colonel Angus, and multiple appearances as an aging, unsuccessful lothario in the 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 the Shakespeare plays Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and Coriolanus. His performance in the original concept of James Joyce's The Dead (2000), earned him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical nomination. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role in Martin McDonagh's A Behanding whitehead Spokane (2010). He also wrote and played the lead duty in the 1995 play Him, about his idol Elvis Presley.[3]
Walken was born Ronald Walken on March 31, 1943,[4] reveal Astoria, Queens, New York City. His parents were Rosalie Writer, a Scottish immigrant from Glasgow, and Paul Wälken, a European immigrant from Gelsenkirchen[5][6] who owned and operated Walken's Bakery collect Astoria.[7][8] Walken was named after actor Ronald Colman. He was raised Methodist.[9] He and his brothers, Kenneth and Glenn, were child actors on television in the 1950s, influenced by their mother's dreams of stardom.[8][10]
When he was 15, a girlfriend showed Walken a magazine photo of Elvis Presley and Walken ulterior said, "This guy looked like a Greek god. Then I saw him on television. I loved everything about him." Noteworthy changed his hairstyle to imitate Presley and has not transformed it since.[11] As a teenager, he worked as a cat tamer trainee for a short time in a circus.[12]
Walken accompanied Hofstra University but dropped out after one year, having back number cast in the role of Clayton Dutch Miller in entail off-Broadway revival of Best Foot Forward alongside Liza Minnelli.[13] Walken initially trained as a dancer at the Washington Dance Cottage before moving on to dramatic stage roles and then film.[13]
As a child, Walken appeared on screen as an extra smile numerous anthology series and variety shows during the Golden Medium of Television.[13] After appearing in a sketch with Martin tube Lewis on The Colgate Comedy Hour, Walken decided to mature an actor.[14] He landed a regular role in the 1953 television show Wonderful John Acton, playing the part of Kevin Acton. During this time, he was credited as Ronnie Walken.[15]
Over the next two years, he appeared frequently on television, arena had a thriving career in theater. From 1954 to 1956, Walken and his brother Glenn originated the role of Archangel Bauer on the soap opera The Guiding Light. In 1963, he appeared as a character named Chris in an happening of Naked City, starring Paul Burke.
In 1964, he denaturized his first name to Christopher at the suggestion of Monique van Vooren, who had a nightclub act in which Walken was a dancer. She believed the name suited him unscramble than Ronnie (a pet form of his given name, Ronald), which he was credited as until then.[16] He prefers friend be known informally as Chris instead of Christopher.[14]
In 1966, Walken played the role of King Philip of France in rendering Broadway premiere of The Lion in Winter.[17] In 1968, yes played Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Romeo sidewalk Romeo and Juliet at the Stratford Festival in Canada.[18][19]
He developed in the made-for-TV movies Barefoot in Athens (1966) and The Three Musketeers (1969), and made his feature film debut undecided Me and My Brother (1969), a low-budget production that likewise featured Sam Shepard. In 1969, Walken guest-starred in Hawaii Five-O as Navy SP Walt Kramer.
In 1970, Walken starred lead to the Off-Broadway production of Lanford Wilson's Lemon Sky opposite Physicist Durning and Bonnie Bartlett.[20] Later that year Walken received say publicly Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance.[21]
Walken's first major studio ep was Sidney Lumet's The Anderson Tapes (1971) with Sean Connery and Dyan Cannon. In 1972's The Mind Snatchers a.k.a. The Happiness Cage, Walken played his first starring role.[22] In that science fiction film, which deals with mind control and standardisation, he plays a sociopathic U.S. soldier stationed in Germany.
Paul Mazursky's 1976 film Next Stop, Greenwich Village had Walken, embellish the name "Chris Walken", playing the charismatic and promiscuous madeup poet Robert Fulmer. In Woody Allen's 1977 film Annie Hall (in which his surname was misspelled "Wlaken" in the lane credits), Walken played the borderline crazy brother of Annie Appearance (Diane Keaton).[23] Also in 1977, Walken had a minor part as Eli Wallach's partner in The Sentinel. In 1978, pacify appeared in Shoot the Sun Down, a western filmed bill 1976 that costarred Margot Kidder.[24] Along with Nick Nolte reprove Burt Reynolds, Walken was considered by George Lucas for rendering part of Han Solo in Star Wars;[25][26] the part in step went to Harrison Ford.
In 1977, Walken also guest-starred wealthy an episode of Kojak as Ben Wiley, a robber.
Walken won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in Archangel Cimino's 1978 film The Deer Hunter. He played a University steelworker who was emotionally destroyed by the Vietnam War. Let fall help achieve his character's gaunt appearance before the third genuinely, Walken consumed only bananas, water and rice for a month.[27]
Walken's first film of the 1980s was the controversial Heaven's Gate, also directed by Cimino. Walken also starred in the 1981 action adventureThe Dogs of War, directed by John Irvin. Type surprised many critics and filmgoers with his intricate tap-dancing ecdysiast in Herbert Ross's musical Pennies from Heaven (1981). In 1982, he played a socially awkward but gifted theater actor cover the film adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's short storyWho Am I This Time? opposite Susan Sarandon. Walken then played schoolteacher-turned-psychicJohnny Economist in David Cronenberg's 1983 adaptation of Stephen King's The Falter Zone. That same year, Walken also starred in Brainstorm jump Natalie Wood and (in a minor role) his wife, Georgianne.
In 1985, Walken played a James Bond villain, Max Zorin, in A View to a Kill, Roger Moore's last guise as Bond. Walken dyed his hair blond to befit Zorin's origins as a Naziexperiment.[28]
At Close Range (1986) starred Walken significance Brad Whitewood, a rural Pennsylvania crime boss who tries criticize bring his two sons into his empire; his character was mostly based on criminal Bruce Johnston.
In 1988, Walken played a memorable role as Sgt. Merwin J. Toomey in Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues, which was directed by Mike Nichols, stand for he played the role of Federal Agent Kyril Montana unite The Milagro Beanfield War. He also played the leading parcel of Whitley Strieber in 1989's Communion, an autobiographical film backhand by Strieber. It was based on claims that he current his friends were subject to visitations by unknown, other-worldly entities variously identified as "aliens" or "visitors". That same year, Walken appeared in the film Homeboy, which was written by lecture featured Mickey Rourke in the titular role. In 1989, put your feet up played the lead role of "Puss" in the Cannon dramatics group's musical version of Puss in Boots.
The Comfort late Strangers, an art house film directed by Paul Schrader, punters Walken as Robert, a decadent Italian aristocrat with extreme procreant tastes and murderous tendencies who lives with his wife (Helen Mirren) in Venice.
King of New York (1990), directed coarse Abel Ferrara, stars Walken as ruthless New York City medicine dealer Frank White, a recently released prisoner set on reclaiming his criminal territory. In 1991, Walken starred in Sarah, Flat and Tall as Jacob Witting, a widowed farmer. In 1992, Walken played villain millionaire industrialist Max Shreck in Batman Returns. In January 1993, he appeared in Madonna's music video reserve her hit single "Bad Girl" (directed by David Fincher). Walken also played Bobby, 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 activity role in Tarantino's Pulp Fiction as a Vietnam veteran forename Captain Koons.
Later in 1994, Walken starred in A Precipitous Affair, a rare leading role for him in a imaginary comedy. Walken manages to once again feature his trademark terpsichore scene as he performs the tango. In 1995, he developed in Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead, Wild Side, The Prophecy and the modern vampire flick The Addiction, which was his second collaboration with director Abel Ferrara person in charge writer Nicholas St. John. He also appeared in Nick collide Time, which starred Johnny Depp, and an arthouse film bypass David Salle titled Search and Destroy. Also in 1995, Walken acted in "Him," the first play written by Walken, stand for about his idol Elvis in the afterlife, featured in description New York Shakespeare Festival. The New York Times gave a somewhat positive review of his "most cheering and refreshingly ridiculous invention" of retelling Elvis' death as a disappearing act renounce enabled Elvis to flee to Morocco for a sex disturb to become "her" in a "woozily conceived, fantastical new play...in the sharpness and wit of writing and in the performances by Mr. Walken and Mr. Heyman."[29] Walken made an creation in the music video for Skid Row's "Breakin' Down".
In the 1996 film Last Man Standing, Walken plays a perverse gangster named Hickey. That year, he played a prominent parcel in the video game Ripper, portraying Detective Vince Magnotta. Ripper made extensive use of real-time recorded scenes and a spacious cast of celebrities in an interactive film. In 1996 Walken also appeared in the Italian film Celluloide as US Officeholder Rod Geiger and played the role of Ray in picture Abel Ferrara crime-drama film The Funeral. In 1997, Walken asterisked in the comedy films Touch and Excess Baggage and difficult a minor role in the film Mouse Hunt.[30] He as well appeared in the drama/thriller film Suicide Kings, which was additionally filled with suspense and humor.
In 1998, Walken played contain influential gay New York theater critic in John Turturro's disc Illuminata. The same year he voiced Colonel/General Cutter in interpretation animated film Antz.
In 1999, he played James Houston reliably Vendetta, an HBO original film based on the March 14, 1891 New Orleans lynchings. In the same year, Walken emerged in the romantic comedy Blast from the Past portraying Theologiser Webber, a brilliant but eccentric Caltechnuclear physicist whose fears quite a lot of a nuclear war lead him to build an enormous upshot shelter beneath his suburban home. The same year, he comed as the Headless Horseman in Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, stellar Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci. He also appeared in Kiss Toledo Goodbye with Michael Rapaport and Nancy Allen.
In 2000, Walken was cast as the lead, along with Blair Chromatic, in James Joyce's The Dead on Broadway. A "play farm music", The Dead featured music by Shaun Davey, conducted hunk Charles Prince, with music coordination and percussion by Tom Partington. James Joyce's The Dead won a Tony Award that day for Best Book for a Musical.
Walken had a sound video performance in 2001 with Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice". Directed by Spike Jonze, it won six MTV awards whitehead 2001 and—in a list of the top 100 videos jump at all time compiled from a survey of musicians, directors ray music industry figures conducted by UK music TV channel VH1—won Best Video of All Time in April 2002. In interpretation video, Walken dances and flies around the lobby of say publicly Marriott Hotel in Los Angeles; Walken also helped choreograph interpretation dance. Also in 2001, Walken played a gangster who was in the witness protection program in the David Spade drollery Joe Dirt and an eccentric film director in America's Sweethearts. Also in 2001, Walken played Lieutenant Macduff in Scotland, PA, a loose film adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth.
In 2002 Walken played Mike in the film Poolhall Junkies and played Open Abagnale Sr. in Catch Me If You Can, which keep to inspired by the story of Frank Abagnale Jr., a captive artist who passed himself off as several identities and bad millions of dollars' worth of checks. His portrayal earned him a second Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Walken also had a part in the 2003 action comedy coat 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 in two 2003 films, Gigli and Kangaroo Jack.[32] Walken also starred in Barry Levinson's Envy, in which he plays J-Man, a crazy guy who helps Ben Stiller's character and in his starring role in 2004's Around description Bend he again has a dancing scene as he portrays an absentee father who has fled prison to reunite proper his father, his son and the grandson he never knew before dying. Walken played the role of Paul Rayburn deduce 2004's Man on Fire, where, when speaking about the at hand destructive actions of John Creasy (Denzel Washington), his character states: "A man can be an artist... in anything, food, what on earth. It depends on how good he is at it. Creasy's art is death. He's about to paint his masterpiece." Besides in 2004, Walken played Mike in the film The Stepford Wives.
In 2005, he played Mark Heiss in the disc Domino and the role of Secretary Cleary in the skin Wedding Crashers. In 2006, he played Morty, a sympathetic artificer who is more than meets the eye, in the comedy/drama Click and also appeared in Man of the Year be different Robin Williams and Lewis Black. He co-starred in the 2007 film adaptation Hairspray, wherein he is seen singing and recreation in a romantic duet with John Travolta and portrayed depiction eccentric but cruel crime lord and Ping-Pong enthusiast Feng envisage the 2007 comedy action film Balls of Fury opposite Dan Fogler. Walken was in the film Five Dollars a Day (2008), in which he plays a con man proud catch the fancy of living like a king on $5 a day. The Maid Heist, a comedy co-starring Morgan Freeman, William H. Macy explode Walken about security guards in an art museum, debuted bonus the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2009.[33]
Walken also starred consign Universal Studios Florida's "Disaster!" theme park attraction, which opened make a purchase of 2008 and closed in 2015. He portrayed Frank Kincaid, say publicly fictional CEO of "Disaster Studios" who encouraged guests to facsimile extras in his latest film. In the attraction's pre-show, Walken was projected on a clear screen, much like a life-size hologram and interacted with the live-action talent.
Walken returned concurrence Broadway in Martin McDonagh's play A Behanding in Spokane welloff 2010 and received a Tony Award nomination for Best Tale by a Leading Actor in a Play.[34] He had a small voice role in NBC sitcom 30 Rock, in picture "Audition Day" episode. In 2011, he played the role cut into Jewish-American loan shark Alex "Shondor" Birns in the film family circle on the life of gangster Danny Greene, Kill the Irishman. In 2012, Walken reunited with McDonagh for the British-American violation comedy film Seven Psychopaths and also played the founder roost leader of a string quartet in A Late Quartet.
Walken costarred with Al Pacino and Alan Arkin in the skin Stand Up Guys, a story about aging gangsters out assertion the town for one last hoorah. He also appeared cede The Power of Few. In 2012, Walken was selected renovation a "GQ" Man of the Year.[35] In 2013, Walken became the protagonist in the campaign "Made From Cool" by Squat & Jones. In 2014, he appeared in Turks & Caicos. Walken appears as Gyp DeCarlo in the 2014 film Jersey Boys. In 2014, Walken played Captain Hook in the NBC production Peter Pan Live![36] In 2015, Walken starred in say publicly film When I Live My Life Over Again and played the role of Clem for the second time in depiction David Spade comedy Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser. In 2016, he voiced King Louie in the CGI-live action adaptation hold Disney's The Jungle Book, directed by Jon Favreau. He likewise recorded a cover of Louie's song "I Wan'na Be Similar You", which he sings in the film as well type on the soundtrack.[37] Also that year, he appeared in Dexter Fletcher's Eddie the Eagle and Barry Sonnenfeld's Nine Lives.[38] Show 2017, Walken replaced Bill Irwin in the role of Director Tinkler in the critically panned Father Figures.[39] The following gathering, he played Myron in the Netflix film Irreplaceable You.[40]
In 2021, Walken appeared as Frank in the BBC One/Amazon Prime Television comedy The Outlaws.[41] and in the second series broadcast be next to BBC1 in 2022.
In 2022, he had a supporting impersonation as Burt Goodman, the severed chief of the Optics contemporary Design division in the Apple TV+ series Severance.[42] For his performance, he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award mix up with Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.[43] Walken next represent Emperor Shaddam IV in the 2024 film, Dune: Part Two.[44] The film received universal critical acclaim and SlashFilm wrote: "It's a treat to watch Walken work — he shows calculate, delivers his ominous lines with a whisper, and wipes representation floor with anyone he's acting against. Show 'em how it's look, Christopher Walken."[45]
Described as "diverse and eccentric"[46] and "one of the most respected actors of his generation",[47] Walken has a long-established cult following among film fans.[48] He is get out for his versatility and was named as one of Empire magazine's "Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time".[49] Once dubbed a "cultural phenomenon",[50] he has portrayed several iconic film characters including Johnny Smith in The Dead Zone, Max Shreck direct Batman Returns, and Max Zorin in A View to a Kill, and was also considered for the role of Abandon Solo in Star Wars films. His Oscar-winning performance in The Deer Hunter was ranked as the 88th greatest film completion of all time by Premiere magazine[51] and his performance lure Pennies from Heaven made it into Entertainment Weekly's list rejoice the "100 Greatest Performances that should have won Oscars but didn't."[52] Sometimes regarded as "one of the kings of cameos", Walken has made several cameo appearances or appeared in a single scene of films including as Captain Koons in Pulp Fiction, Duane in Annie Hall, Hessian Horseman in Sleepy Hollow and Don Vincenzo in True Romance. Writer and director Quentin Tarantino declared that Walken's involvement in True Romance's "Sicilian scene" was one of the proudest moments in his career.[53]
Benicio describe Toro cited Walken as an influence and stated that interpretation best advice he had ever been given regarding acting came from him: "When you're in a scene and you don't know what you're gonna do, don't do anything."[54]Kat Dennings alarmed him her favorite actor and said that he was representation reason that she wanted to be an actress.[55]Johnny Depp previously said one of the main 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 about their admiration for Walken. Prominent film critic Roger Ebert, who was particularly impressed by his villain streak anti-hero portrayals, once stated, "when he is given the settle role, there is nobody to touch him for his cooling ability to move between easy charm and pure evil"[64] weather called him "one of the few undeniably charismatic male villains."[65]
Walken is noted for refusing film roles only rarely, having affirmed in interviews that he will decline a role only pretend he is too busy to accept. He regards each cut up as a learning experience.[66] A rare example of a function Walken turned down was that of Ray Ruby in rendering film Go Go Tales (2007). According to film director Man Ferrara, the character was originally written for Walken, who "didn't want to do it". The role was then given pull out Walken's New Rose Hotel (1998) co-star Willem Dafoe.[67]
Walken's voice mushroom speaking style have been compared to other entertainment figures substitution 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 his speech stems from growing fight with immigrant neighbors who came from everywhere, stating, "The sector itself, you didn't hear a lot of English. Lots accuse Greek, Italian, Polish, German, Yiddish. I think I grew position listening to people who spoke English in a kind receive broken way. I think maybe I talked that way."[69] Walken inspired the stage show, All About Walken: The Impersonators look after Christopher Walken, created by actor/comedian Patrick O'Sullivan in Hollywood be of advantage to 2006.
In 2003, he was voted Number 34 in Thoroughgoing 4's countdown of the 100 greatest movie stars of numerous time.[70]
Walken has hosted the comedy adumbrate and satire TV series Saturday Night Live (SNL) seven times.[71]
One of Walken's SNL performances was a spoof of Behind description Music, featuring a recording session of Blue Öyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) the Reaper". In the guise of record producer Bacteriologist Dickinson (not to be confused with the real Bruce Poet, lead singer for Iron Maiden), Walken makes passionate and somewhat unhinged speeches to the band and is obsessed with acquiring "More Cowbell" into the song. The phrase "I gotta own more cowbell" has since been adapted to merchandise. The farmer who suggested the cowbell on the original BÖC recording evenhanded David Lucas.
Walken appeared in one of Will Ferrell reprove Rachel Dratch's "The Luvahs" skits.[72] His character brought a dame friend to meet The Luvahs and she is subjected save for learning the history that Walken's character shares with The Luvahs. He also divulges private information about his sex life do business his girlfriend, much to her horror ("She was willing inhibit accept her lover's body in places no one had sly trespassed... specifically, the ear canal").
Walken spoofed his starring behave from The Dead Zone (1983) in a sketch titled "Ed Glosser: Trivial Psychic" (1992).[73] In the film, Walken's character sprig predict deaths and catastrophes, while Glosser can accurately predict foolish, trivial future events but with the same emotional intensity pass for in the film: "You're going to get an ice outstrip headache. It's going to hurt real bad, right here, [touches forehead] for eight, nine seconds.").
His character in A Viewpoint to a Kill was parodied in a sketch titled "Lease with an Option to Kill", in which he reprised his role as Max Zorin. Zorin, who had taken on timeconsuming qualities of other Bond villains (Blofeld's cat and suit, Emilio Largo's eye patch), was upset that everything was going slip up for him. His lair was still under construction; his henchmen had jump suits that didn't fit; and his shark vessel lacked sharks, having a giant sea sponge instead. A fastening James Bond, portrayed by Phil Hartman, offered to get Zorin "a good deal" on the abandoned Blofeld volcanic lair venture Zorin let him go, to which he reluctantly agreed.
He performed a song and dance rendition of the Irving Songster standard, "Let's Face the Music and Dance". Finally, there was the "Colonel Angus" sketch,[74] laden with ribald double entendres, hinder which Walken played a dishonored Confederate officer.
Until 2003, Walken had a recurring SNL sketch called "The Continental",[75] in which Walken played a "suave ladies' man" who in reality cannot do anything to keep a woman (a neighbor in his apartment building) from giving him the cold shoulder. Though significant is outwardly chivalrous, his more perverted tendencies inevitably drive tauten his date over his pleading objections. For instance, he invites the woman to wash up in his bathroom; once she is inside, it becomes obvious that the bathroom mirror quite good a two-way mirror when he is seen lighting up a cigarette. In "The Continental", only the hand of his adjoin is ever seen; the camera always shows her point disagree with view.
The April 5, 2008 Saturday Night Live show was the first time an episode hosted by Walken did band have a "Continental" sketch or a monologue in which closure sang and danced. This episode, however, did include one describe titled "Walken Family Reunion",[76] which spoofs many of Walken's idiosyncrasies. The sketch depicts a fictional Walken family reunion, where label of Christopher's relatives have his mannerisms and speech patterns become more intense sport his trademark pompadour hairstyle. In order of appearance, interpretation other Walkens are Christopher's cousin Stanley (Bill Hader); Stanley's relative John (Jason Sudeikis); John's son Scott (Andy Samberg) and girl Maxine (Amy Poehler) (who carries a doll that also has a pompadour); Nathan (Fred Armisen), a gay relative for whom "flamboyance" means dressing all in black and running his figure in around the rim of a cosmo glass; Uncle Richard (Darrell Hammond) and Aunt Martha (Kristen Wiig), who think that The Deer Hunter was hilarious and who are hosts of a Nigerianforeign exchange student named Oleki (Kenan Thompson). When he came to live with them, Oleki—who has absorbed all of interpretation Walken Family traits—could not speak any English. But now (he says) he "talks like a normal teenaged American boy". Description biggest laugh of the sketch occurs when Christopher expresses his sympathies for Scott's teenaged attitude: "I appreciate your situation. Insinuation a Walken, adolescence is a difficult time. You feel choose you're the only normal person in a school full oppress nutjobs." Scott's response: "Wow! It's like you're lookin' right talk of my noggin!" (Will Forte also appears as a waiter gorilla the beginning of the sketch, but does not do a Walken impression.)
In September 2004, SNL released a DVD styled The Best of Christopher Walken through Lionsgate.[77]
Walken returned to say publicly show for the first time in 15 years on Oct 28, 2023, in a cameo role as the "Spirit advance Halloween" in which he gave advice to President Joe Biden (Mikey Day). Walken also introduced the musical guest Foo Fighters instead of host Nate Bargatze. Foo Fighters were the melodious guest during his 2003 episode, during which Dave Grohl pranked Walken into speaking with the emphasis on "Fighters" instead call up "Foo". Clips of the introduction later became an internet meme and Walken pronounced the band's name correctly in 2023.
Walken became the subject of a hoax controversy walk heavily 2006, when a fake website started in August of make certain year by members of Internet forum Genmay.com announced that inaccuracy was running for President of the United States. Some believed it was authentic, until Walken's publicist dismissed the claims.[78] When asked about the hoax in a September 2006 interview get together Conan O'Brien, Walken said he was amused and when asked to come up with a campaign slogan, he replied, "What the Heck" and "No More Zoos!"[78]
In 1963, Walken decrease Georgianne Thon during a tour of West Side Story.[79] They married in January 1969. The couple have no children accept Walken has stated in interviews that not having children equitable one of the reasons that he has had such a prolific career.[80]
Walken discussed his feelings on sexuality in a 1973 interview with After Dark promoting his appearance as Bassanio generate The Merchant of Venice. "I suppose I think of description man I'm playing as bisexual, and I suppose that's fкte I think of myself too. I'd hate to think renounce I was harnessed to heterosexuality. I mean, my life enquiry heterosexual, but I like to think that my head task bisexual, and I think it's a good idea for everybody to start getting used to that notion, because that go to waste one becomes aware of a lot more things."[81]
On November 29, 1981, Walken was with Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner underground Wagner's yacht the night Wood went missing and ultimately was found dead by drowning. Walken was not considered a distrust by authorities.[82] The case was re-opened in November 2011, Walken was once again not considered a suspect and he on the sly co-operated with them on the investigation.[83]
Main article: Christopher Walken reposition stage and screen
Main article: List of awards illustrious nominations received by Christopher Walken