Actor Christopher Walken is photographed during TIFF at the Intercontinental Hotel in Toronto, Sept. 7, 2012.Moe Doiron/The Globe and Mail
Nobody can say Christopher Walken isn't a man of the people.
Gawker reports that the quirky actor was trying to hail a cab on New York's Upper West Side a few weeks ago, but having no success. Walken clearly had places to go, but no way to get there.
Fortuitously, Walken was spotted by two men, named Sergio and Ash, who were driving down Columbus Avenue and immediately recognized the Oscar-winning actor. So they pulled over to the curb to investigate.
"He said he was hailing a cab," Sergio told Gothamist. "Wasn't weirded out [by the situation] but did look at us both and got into the car. We were really nice and told him we were fans and would be honoured to give him a lift. [He was] totally cool with it."
According to Sergio, Walken, 70, told them politely, "I don't want you guys to go out of your way. I am going straight downtown and you can leave me anywhere."
So the three men rode together for the next half hour or so, just like regular guys and their conversation was completely in keeping with the route they took from West 83rd Street to the West 40s.
"Since we were in New York he knew the area well," said Sergio, "but couldn't believe how much things had changed …We talked about neighbourhoods in New York and acting – he gave Ash advice on acting."
Eventually the trio got downtown and rather than rush off to his meeting, Walken was reportedly exceedingly civilized to the two strangers who gave him a lift.
"When we stopped at his destination he didn't immediately get out," Sergio said. "Finished the conversation and got out a few minutes after."
All told, it sounded like a pleasant way to spend a morning in New York – just don't make any Annie Hall jokes.