Christopher Walken Biography (3)

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Christopher Walken won the 1978 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his astonishing performance in Michael Cimino's The Deer Hunter, a role that also earned him the New York Film Critic's Circle Award, and a Golden Globe nomination. He also received a 2002 Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can. In the film, based on a true story, Walken plays the father of a young con artist who successfully impersonated an airline pilot, doctor, assistant attorney general and history professor, cashing more than $2.5 million in fraudulent checks in 26 countries.

Walken's film career skyrocketed after his unforgettable role as Duane Hall, brother to Diane Keaton's title character in Woody Allen's Oscar-winning Best Picture Annie Hall. Since then, Walken has appeared in more than 50 feature films including Herbert Ross' Oscar nominated Pennies from Heaven, David Cronenberg's adaptation of Stephen King's The Dead Zone, James Foley's At Close Range opposite Sean Penn, Mike Nichols' Biloxi Blues based on the Neil Simon play, Abel Ferrara's gritty crime-drama King of New York and Joe Roth's comedy America's Sweethearts co-starring Julia Roberts, Billy Crystal and John Cusack.

Walken has succeeded in creating some of the most memorable characters in film history, appearing in supporting and cameo roles such as: Vincent Coccotti in Tony Scott's True Romance, Captain Koons in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, Carlo Bartolucci in Suicide Kings, The Headless Horseman in Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, and crooked businessman Max Shreck in Burton's Batman Returns.

Walken began acting and dancing at the age of ten. He trained to be a dancer at the Professional Children's School in Manhattan, and eventually went on to appear in numerous stage plays and musicals. He received the Clarence Derwent Award for his performance in the Broadway production of The Lion in Winter, an Obie Award for his role in The Seagull, a Theatre World Award for The Rose Tattoo and the 1997 Susan Stein Shiva Award for his work with Joseph Papp's Public Theatre. In the fall of 1999, he co-starred in the stage adaptation of James Joyce's The Dead. In the summer of 2001, Christopher again appeared in a revival of Chekhov's The Seagull for the New York Shakespeare Festival. The production was directed by Mike Nichols and co-starred Meryl Streep.

On television, Walken has hilariously and memorably hosted Saturday Night Live a total of 6 times since 1990, contributed a mesmerizing dance performance to the Spike Jonze-directed music video for Fat Boy Slim's Weapon of Choice, and wrote and directed the short film Popcorn Shrimp, which premiered on Showtime in 2001.

Upcoming for Walken is Barry Levinson's Envy with Ben Stiller and Jack Black and Helldorado for director Peter Berg. He recently completed Man on Fire opposite Denzel Washington for director Tony Scott.

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