Christopher Walken Reveals How He Plans to Celebrate His 81st Birthday: 'Stay Home' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Christopher Walken attends the ‘Dune: Part Two’ New York premiere at Lincoln Center.Photo:John Nacion/Getty Images

John Nacion/Getty Images

Christopher Walkendoesn’t have any big plans for his 81st birthday next month.

While speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at Sunday’sDune: Part TwoNew York Citypremiereheld atLincoln Center, Walken, 80, revealed how he plans to spend his special day on March 31.

“Stay home. Stay home,” theSleepy Hollowstar insisted when questioned whether he’ll be doing anything to celebrate another trip around the sun.

Christopher Walken attends the ‘Dune: Part Two’ premiere at Lincoln Center.Jamie McCarthy/WireImage

Jamie McCarthy/WireImage

Back in May 2022,PEOPLE confirmedWalken had been cast inDune: Part Twoin the role of Emperor Shaddam IV alongside a star-studded cast includingTimothée Chalamet,Zendaya,Austin Butler,Florence PughandRebecca Ferguson.

Despite having decades more experience in the industry than his youngerDune: Part Twocostars, Walken doesn’t have any advice for them.

“The only advice I would give anybody is you always make sure you wear your seatbelt,“Walkentold PEOPLE at Sunday’s N.Y.C. premiere.

“Everybody was nice. I knew some of them. I was only there for a few weeks. It was very nice,” he added of his castmates being “nervous and so excited” to meet him.

Admitting their scenes were “intense,” Pughsaidduring an appearance onJimmy Kimmel Live!earlier this month, “He’s surprisingly silly. In between takes, he would be talking to me about his favorite kind of doughnuts.”

“I’d be like, jam-filled obviously,” Pugh joked, adding: “And then, we would go into another take of a really serious scene.”

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‘Dune: Part Two’ cast promote film in London.Jeff Spicer/Getty

Jeff Spicer/Getty

Dune: Part Twopicks up where the first movie left off. According to the official synopsis, the film, based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel of the same name, “will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides [Chalamet] as he unites with Chani [Zendaya] and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.”

“Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee,” the synopsis continues.

Dune: Part Twois slated to premiere on March 1, 2024.

source: people.com