Veteran star Christopher Walken will be seen in Denis Villeneuve’s epic sci-fi film Dune: Part Two, where he will be playing the role of Emperor Shaddam IV. The actor stars along with an ensemble cast of Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Josh Brolin, Rebecca Ferguson, and Javier Bardem among others.
Pugh stars as Princess Irulan, the Emperor’s daughter in the film and mentioned that she shared almost all of her scenes with the veteran actor. She said that despite his serious demeanor on-screen with the intense characters he plays, they would spend their days talking about their favorite doughnuts while filming the scenes.
Florence Pugh Said That Christopher Walken Used To Make Doughnuts
Actor Christopher Walken began his career as a child actor after being influenced by his mother’s dreams of becoming a star. He was reportedly influenced by Elvis Presley. The actor became known for his role in the Robert De Niro starring war film The Deer Hunter, for which he earned an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Walken played everything from supporting to leading roles in his career. He starred in films such as The Dead Zone, Heaven’s Gate, and At Close Range. He also had supporting roles in films such as Pulp Fiction, A View To A Kill, and True Romance. Christopher Walken became known for his signature speaking style which had a strong New York accent.
Despite his reputation for playing serious characters, Christopher Walken was reportedly not that serious while filming Dune: Part Two. Florence Pugh, who played his daughter Princess Irulan in the upcoming film, mentioned on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that they would spend their time during breaks talking about doughnuts. She said,
“All of our stuff was pretty intense and I used to spend my time in a room with him for hours…He’s surprisingly silly. In between takes, he would be talking about his favorite kind of doughnuts. There would be this huge stand-off [scene] between everyone and then he would turn to me and be like, ‘What’s your favorite kind of doughnut?’ I’d be like ‘Jam-filled, obviously.’”
Pugh mentioned that she remembered him talking about making doughnuts as well. Christopher Walken’s parents reportedly used to own and operate the Walken Bakery in Astoria, New York.
Christopher Walken Encouraged Austin Butler To Host Saturday Night Live
Despite his intense persona, Christopher Walken was said to be calm and fun on set by the cast of Dune: Part Two. Austin Butler, who played Feyd-Rutha, mentioned that he was offered the chance to host Saturday Night Live! while he was filming for Dune: Part Two. He mentioned that he was nervous about the deal and asked his co-star Timothée Chalamet for advice.
Butler also revealed that he asked Christopher Walken for advice and the veteran actor reportedly had the best advice to handle the show. He said,
“I know he has done it so many times and he was one of the best hosts. I asked him, ‘Christ, what do you think I should do?’. He said, ‘You gotta do it. Just read the cue cards.’”
Butler went on to host SNL in December 2022 when he received an Oscar nomination for his role as Elvis Presley in Elvis. Christopher Walken was known for his sketches on SNL where he hosted as a guest star. One of the show’s most famous catchphrases and skits was the ‘More Cowbell’ skit, where Walken uttered the iconic phrase.
