Christopher Walken - Celebrity Biographies – World

Christopher Walken is a renowned American actor with a career spanning more than a hundred films and television shows. He is known in the industry as an actor who consistently works and has not been particularly selective about the roles he takes. His rise to fame came with the 1978 film The Deer Hunter, for which he won the *Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Walken began his career in theater as a teenager, and by the early 1970s, he had transitioned into film. He has taken on a variety of projects, including music videos for popular artists, such as his memorable dance performance in Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice" (2001). He studied acting and dance at Hofstra University and trained at the American National Theatre and Academy (ANTA). He has also gained widespread popularity as a recurring guest host on Saturday Night Live, where his unique speech pattern and delivery have been frequently imitated in spoofs, satires, and impressions. Known for his distinct voice and characteristic dialogue delivery, Walken has played numerous edgy characters and criminals, but he has also received critical acclaim for comedic roles.

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Ronald Walken

Age: 82 Years, 82 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Georgianne Walken (m. 1969)

father: Paul Walken

mother: Rosalie Russell

siblings: Glenn, Kenneth

Born Country: United States

Actors Comedians

Height: 6'0" (183 cm), 6'0" Males

Ancestry: German American

U.S. State: New Yorkers

More Facts

education: Hofstra University

Childhood & Early Life

Christopher Walken was born Ronald Walken on March 31, 1943, in Queens, New York, to Rosalie and Paul Walken. Christopher was the pseudonym that he adopted later on.

He worked as a child actor along with his brothers, as early as the 1950s. His first outing on stage was as a dancer when he was just three years old.

In his teens, Walken worked in a circus as a lion tamer.

After a year at the Hofstra University, he dropped out when he landed the role of Clayton Dutch Miller in a revival of Best Foot Forward.

Career

During 1953–1965, he became a regular in television productions and soap operas like ‘The Wonderful John Acton’, ‘The Guiding Light’, and ‘Naked City’ among others. Meanwhile, his career in theatre flourished.

At the Broadway premiere of ‘The Lion in Winter’, Walken played the role of King Philip of France.

It is around this time, in 1964, that he changed his name from Ronald to Christopher after a friend suggested that it suited him better.

Walken’s feature film debut was a minor role in 1971, opposite Sean Connery in Sidney Lumet’s ‘The Anderson Tapes’.

His breakthrough role came with Woody Allen’s ‘Annie Hall’ in 1977, in which he excelled in the role of Duane, the borderline neurotic and homicidal brother.

Walken delivered a stellar performance in ‘The Deer Hunter’ by Michael Cimino in 1978, one that won him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Walken went through some amount of turmoil in his life during the shooting of ‘Brainstorm’, when his co-star, Natalie Wood, drowned near the Santa Catalina Island during a Thanksgiving boating trip on November 29.

He starred in ‘A View to Kill’, the James Bond film starring Roger Moore as the antagonist Max Zorin in 1985, and by this time, he had become renowned for his ability to play negative roles.

In 1992, he appeared in Madonna’s coffee table book, ‘Sex’, and also starred as a villain in the movie ‘Batman Returns’.

His next major film was ‘True Romance’, scripted by Quentin Tarantino. He also played a supporting role in Tarantino’s ‘Pulp Fiction’.

In 1996, Walken starred as a sadistic gangster in ‘Last Man Standing’, and in the same year, had a prominent role in the video game, ‘Ripper’

He played Frank Abagnale Sr. in ‘Catch Me if You Can’, a role that fetched him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Through and beyond the 1990s, Walken has been a popular guest-host in ‘Saturday Night Live’ multiple times.

Walken played significant roles in comedies like ‘Wedding Crashers’ (2005) and ‘Click’ (2006).

He played roles of criminals in both, ‘Kill the Irishman’ in 2011 and ‘Stand Up Guys’ in 2012.

Major Works

Christopher Walken’s best work in films remains his performance in ‘The Deer Hunter’ (1978). The film won five Academy Awards out of which Walken bagged the award for Best Supporting Actor. For the same, he was also nominated in the BAFTA and Golden Globe Awards. The film grossed $48.9 in the US box office.

In his later years, he arguably delivered one of his best performances in ‘Catch Me if You Can’. In the category of Best Supporting Actor, he was nominated in the Academy Awards, won the BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Awards among many others. The film was the 11th highest grossing film in 2002, with a worldwide total of $352.1 million.

Awards & Achievements

He won the Academy Award and the NYFCC award for Best Supporting Actor for ‘The Deer Hunter’ and had numerous nominations.

For his performance in ‘Catch Me if You Can’ in the same category, he won a BAFTA, a Screen Actors Guild, and an NSFC award, and many nominations.

Walken received his first Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor for his role in ‘Sarah, Plain and Tall’.

He won an American Comedy award for his contribution to the show, Saturday Night Live.

He also won a VH1 award and an MTV Video Music award for his performance in Fatboy Slim’s ‘Weapon of Choice’.

Personal Life & Legacy

Walken is married to Georgianne Thon since 1969, and have no children. They live in Wilton, Connecticut.

He and his wife own a beautiful holiday home in Block Island, off the coast of Rhode Island.

Facts About Christopher Walken

Christopher Walken is known for his unique way of speaking, often pausing in unexpected places during his dialogue delivery, adding a distinctive rhythm to his performances.

Walken is a talented dancer and has showcased his skills in various films, including a memorable dance scene in the music video for Fatboy Slim’s “Weapon of Choice.”

Despite his tough-guy persona on screen, Walken is an animal lover and has been involved in several campaigns advocating for animal rights and welfare.

In addition to his successful acting career, Walken is also a skilled cook and enjoys experimenting with different recipes in his free time.

Walken is an accomplished and award-winning actor, having received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film “The Deer Hunter.”

See more: