"I remember that. I was talking to him and I said how great it would be if actors had a tail because I have animals and a tail is so expressive. On a cat you can tell everything. You can tell if they're annoyed. You can tell whether they're scared"
About this Quote
The subtext is a kind of anti-Method Method. Instead of mining childhood trauma or inventing elaborate backstories, Walken points to something bluntly physical and observable: the tail as pure, legible intention. Cats, in his telling, are masters of unedited communication. Annoyed, scared, curious - it’s all right there, a kinetic subtitle track. For an actor known for stylized delivery and uncanny rhythm, that’s telling. Walken’s performances often feel like they come from posture, pause, and a slight tilt of the head more than from explanatory dialogue. He’s basically arguing that the body is the first script.
Contextually, this fits Walken’s public persona: the deadpan oddball who makes the strange sound obvious and the obvious sound strange. The humor works because it’s both absurd and practical, a backstage note disguised as whimsy. A tail isn’t just a gag; it’s a fantasy of honest signal in a world of curated faces.
Quote Details
| Topic | Cat |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Walken, Christopher. (2026, January 14). I remember that. I was talking to him and I said how great it would be if actors had a tail because I have animals and a tail is so expressive. On a cat you can tell everything. You can tell if they're annoyed. You can tell whether they're scared. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-remember-that-i-was-talking-to-him-and-i-said-150326/
Chicago Style
Walken, Christopher. "I remember that. I was talking to him and I said how great it would be if actors had a tail because I have animals and a tail is so expressive. On a cat you can tell everything. You can tell if they're annoyed. You can tell whether they're scared." FixQuotes. January 14, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-remember-that-i-was-talking-to-him-and-i-said-150326/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I remember that. I was talking to him and I said how great it would be if actors had a tail because I have animals and a tail is so expressive. On a cat you can tell everything. You can tell if they're annoyed. You can tell whether they're scared." FixQuotes, 14 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-remember-that-i-was-talking-to-him-and-i-said-150326/. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
