Most people recognize Christopher Walken for his brilliant acting in movies such as Pulp Fiction, The Deer Hunter, or Catch Me if You Can. However, few may be familiar with the fact that he’s actually a gifted dancer too!
Even the most devoted admirers of Christopher Walken may not know that he started his career as a dancer, rather than an actor. He began dance lessons at just three years old – surprising for someone who would later become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars!
“It was very typical for people—and I mean working-class people—to send their kids to dancing school,” he said in an interview. “You’d learn ballet, tap, acrobatics, usually you’d even learn to sing a song,” he later explained.
What’s more, he was adept at a range of dance styles. He learned everything from tap dancing to musicals and beyond. At the beginning of his career, he even had the opportunity to perform with young Liza Minelli—and she had plenty of nice things to say about it!
“I’d been around dancers my whole life, having watched my parents make musicals at MGM, and Chris reminded me of so many of the dancers I knew growing up,” Minelli stated. “He’s talented in every way.”
Craig Zadan, the Executive Producer of “Peter Pan Live!”, is in complete agreement and believes that Walken should have had a more significant part in musicals. “I think that if he had been around in the heyday of MGM, he would have been a big star of musicals on film,” Zaden stated.
Christopher Walken may not be renowned for musicals, but he sure has showcased his dance moves in many of his films. His first on-screen foray into dancing was featured in the 2001 Fatboy Slim’s Weapon of Choice music video. In this iconic performance, Walken was already well into his late 50s and had come to terms with the fact that soon enough he would be “too decrepit to dance,” as Entertainment Weekly reported him saying.
It’s obvious that Christopher Walken is definitely not too old to dance. To prove it, a HuffPo Entertainment team member even created an almost five-minute compilation of all his iconic dancing scenes from 50 movies!
Each video showcases his remarkable dance skills, effortlessly transitioning from one move to the next. His artistry and talent are what our world needs right now more than ever.
Come witness the awesomeness that is Christopher Walken’s dance moves with this incredible compilation of clips. Check out the video below for an awesome tribute to his passion and artistry on the floor!
Are you a passionate follower of Christopher Walken? Did you realize that dancing was his first career path before he moved on to acting? His gifted moves are truly remarkable, don’t you think?
