Legendary film star Christopher Walken has left fans in hysterics after sharing his favourite film actor.
The Severance star went on the record with the actors who have influenced him most, but an out-there choice has given fans a new perspective on his works.
In a recent interview, Walken, 82, confirmed a bizarre acting hero was the influence behind many of his on-screen performances.
But many have suggested the rather surprising comment on who his favourite actor is actually shines a light on why some performances are so bizarre.
The Hollywood star, who appeared in James Bond film A View to A Kill as well as Pulp Fiction and Seven Psychopaths, confirmed his acting influence in a strange new interview.
Speaking to Ben Stiller on the Severence Podcast show, Walken confirmed the animated character Bugs Bunny was a huge influence on him still.
The Looney Tunes character, originally voiced by Mel Blanc, appears to have left an impact on Walken. He said the animated bunny rabbit was “one of his favorite actors ever”.
Stiller recalled being told of Walken’s favourite actor, which he shared with the Night at the Museum star after recording had ended on a previous episode. Stiller recalled: “One thing I’ll tell you that he told me, and we didn’t get this on tape in the interview.
“It was like right after we put the microphones away, we were talking still about acting and how, sometimes, nobody knows what you’re thinking as an actor, but they just see you thinking. And that thought is what reads, and the audience kind of fills it in. It makes it feel real because they’re actually thinking about something.
“(Walken) said that Bugs Bunny is one of his favorite actors ever. And he was saying this kind of with a twinkle in his eye, but not really. And he said, ‘A lot of times I’ve played roles as if I was Bugs Bunny, but nobody knew.’ Now, which character, which movie, we don’t know.”
Despite the wild admission, some fans are not at all surprised that Walken has drawn inspiration from Bugs Bunny for his performances.
Fans of the veteran actor have called his animated performances similar to that of the animated character. One wrote: “No, we knew.” Another added: “I believe him.” A third added: “Oh, it all makes sense now.”
Some have pointed to Walken’s performance in A View to a Kill as an example of his Bugs Bunny-like influence. Another user suggested his supporting role in Seven Psychopaths certainly has an element of Looney Tunes about it.
Another user joked: “My favourite Hollywood tradition is everyone pretending that Looney Tunes characters are real actors and celebrities. Same with the Muppets.”