Christopher Walken facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christopher Walken
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Walken in 2018
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| Born |
Ronald Walken
March 31, 1943 New York City, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Hofstra University |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1952–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
Georgianne Thon
(m. 1969) |
| Awards | Full list |
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Christopher Walken (born Ronald Walken; March 31, 1943) is a famous American actor. He has worked in many different types of movies and plays. He has won several big awards, like an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He has also been nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards and Tony Awards. His movies have earned a lot of money, showing how popular he is.
Walken first became widely known for his role as Nick Chevotarevich in the movie The Deer Hunter (1978). For this role, he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was also nominated for the same award for playing Frank Abagnale's father in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can (2002).
He has acted in many different kinds of films, playing both main and supporting characters. He also lent his voice to animated movies like Antz (1998) and The Jungle Book (2016). On TV, he has appeared in shows like The Outlaws (2021–) and Severance (2022–). He has also hosted Saturday Night Live seven times, creating many memorable characters.
As a stage actor, Walken has performed in famous Shakespeare plays like Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his work in the musical James Joyce's The Dead (2000). He also wrote and starred in a play called Him (1995), which was about his idol, Elvis Presley.
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Early Life and Career Start
Christopher Walken was born Ronald Walken on March 31, 1943, in Astoria, Queens, New York. His mother, Rosalie Russell, was from Scotland. His father, Paul Wälken, was from Germany and owned a bakery.
Christopher and his two brothers, Kenneth and Glenn, were child actors in the 1950s. Their mother encouraged them to perform. When he was 15, Walken was inspired by Elvis Presley and copied his hairstyle. He even worked as a lion tamer in a circus as a teenager!
He went to Hofstra University for a year but left to act in a play. Walken first trained as a dancer before becoming a dramatic actor in plays and movies. In 1964, he changed his first name to Christopher.
Acting Career Highlights
Early TV and Stage Roles (1950s–1960s)
As a child, Walken appeared as an extra in many TV shows. After a sketch with Martin and Lewis, he decided to become an actor. He got a regular role in the 1953 TV show Wonderful John Acton.
He also had a busy career in theater. In 1966, he played King Philip of France in the Broadway play The Lion in Winter. He also performed in Shakespeare plays like A Midsummer Night's Dream and Romeo and Juliet.
Breaking into Film (1970s)
Walken made his first movie appearance in The Anderson Tapes (1971). His first main role was in the science fiction film The Happiness Cage (1972).
He gained more attention in films like Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976) and Woody Allen's Annie Hall (1977). In 1978, he starred in The Deer Hunter, playing a soldier affected by the Vietnam War. His powerful performance earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Diverse Roles (1980s)
In the 1980s, Walken took on many different roles. He starred in the action film The Dogs of War (1981). He also played a psychic named Johnny Smith in The Dead Zone (1983), based on a Stephen King novel.
A famous role was playing the villain Max Zorin in the James Bond film A View to a Kill (1985). He even dyed his hair blond for the part. In At Close Range (1986), he played a crime boss. He also played the lead in Communion (1989), a film about strange encounters.
Memorable Characters (1990s)
The 1990s brought many iconic roles for Walken. He starred as a crime boss in King of New York (1990). In 1992, he played the villain Max Shreck in Batman Returns. He also appeared in Madonna's "Bad Girl" music video.
He had memorable scenes in True Romance (1993) and Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction (1994). In Pulp Fiction, he played Captain Koons, who delivers a special watch. He also showed his dancing skills in A Business Affair (1994).
Walken continued to appear in many films like The Prophecy (1995) and Nick of Time (1995). He voiced Colonel Cutter in the animated film Antz (1998). Towards the end of the decade, he played the Headless Horseman in Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow (1999).
Continued Success (2000s)
In 2000, Walken starred in the musical James Joyce's The Dead on Broadway. He also had a famous dance performance in Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice" music video in 2001. He even helped choreograph the dance!
He appeared in comedies like Joe Dirt (2001) and America's Sweethearts (2001). In 2003, he was in the action comedy The Rundown with Dwayne Johnson. He also played a father reuniting with his family in Around the Bend (2004).
Walken continued to appear in popular films like Wedding Crashers (2005) and Click (2006). In 2008, he starred in Five Dollars a Day, playing a con man.
Recent Work (2010s–Present)
Walken returned to Broadway in 2010 for the play A Behanding in Spokane, earning another Tony Award nomination. He appeared in the crime comedy Seven Psychopaths (2012) and A Late Quartet (2012).
In 2014, he played Gyp DeCarlo in the film Jersey Boys. He also played Captain Hook in NBC's live production of Peter Pan Live!.
In 2016, he voiced King Louie in Disney's live-action The Jungle Book. He sang the song "I Wan'na Be like You" in the film. More recently, he has starred in the TV series The Outlaws (2021) and Severance (2022), for which he received an Emmy nomination. In 2024, he played Emperor Shaddam IV in Dune: Part Two.
Popularity and Unique Style
Christopher Walken is known for his unique acting style and voice. He has a strong fan base and is considered one of the most respected actors of his time. Empire magazine even named him one of the "Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time."
He is famous for his memorable characters, like Johnny Smith in The Dead Zone and Max Shreck in Batman Returns. He is also known for his great cameo appearances, like Captain Koons in Pulp Fiction.
Many actors, including Benicio del Toro, Johnny Depp, and Leonardo DiCaprio, admire Walken's work. Film critic Roger Ebert praised his ability to play both charming and villainous roles.
Walken rarely turns down movie roles. He sees every role as a chance to learn something new. He believes his unique way of speaking comes from growing up in a neighborhood with many immigrants who spoke English in different ways.
Appearances on Saturday Night Live
Walken has hosted the comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL) seven times. He has created many famous sketches on the show.
One of his most famous SNL performances was a spoof of Behind the Music. He played a record producer named Bruce Dickinson who was obsessed with getting "More Cowbell" into a song. This phrase became very popular.
He also parodied his role from The Dead Zone in a sketch called "Ed Glosser: Trivial Psychic". In this sketch, his character could predict small, unimportant future events with great intensity.
Walken also had a recurring sketch called "The Continental". In this sketch, he played a smooth ladies' man who always failed to impress a woman.
In 2004, SNL released a DVD called The Best of Christopher Walken, showing his most popular sketches.
Personal Life
In 1963, Christopher Walken met Georgianne Thon while they were on tour for West Side Story. They got married in January 1969. The couple does not have children. Walken has said that not having children allowed him to have such a busy acting career.
On November 29, 1981, Walken was with actress Natalie Wood and her husband Robert Wagner on a yacht. Wood went missing and was later found to have drowned. Authorities did not consider Walken a suspect. The case was re-opened in 2011, and Walken fully cooperated with the investigation.
Filmography
Awards and Nominations
Images for kids
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Walken in 2012
See also
In Spanish: Christopher Walken para niños
