Steve Wall has spoken about how a last-minute call led to him landing a significant role on blockbuster film Dune: Part 2, which stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Austin Butler.
Speaking on Oliver Callan's RTÉ Radio 1 show, The Stunning frontman also revealed his failed attempts to befriend co-star Christopher Walken during the shoot.
Explaining how he got the role, Wall said, "That was a funny one because I had done a tape for it, for two different characters actually.
"I'd say what happened with the character Bashar that I play, I'd say there was somebody else lined up to do that role and something happened, because I got literally eight hours' notice," he said.
"I got a call at 11am on a Wednesday morning, basically saying, 'Would you be free to go to Budapest tonight?'"
Learning that he was to play the head of the emperor’s army, known as the Sardaukar, he said that he knew it wouldn't be an extensive role. "I knew there wasn't gonna be much in it - it’s a sort of cameo."
However, he acknowledged that the scene he was in was "a big scene" as "it took about five days to shoot."
"Everyone's in the scene, it would have been very hard to cut me out!" he laughed.
Describing the rushed trip to Budapest, he said, "I actually had no idea who was in this film. I knew nothing about it.
"I hadn’t even seen the first one at that point! That night in the hotel room, I managed to find it online and I watched it, just in case."
The next day he arrived on set for "a costume fitting and then makeup and hair consultation and all that."
"Then they brought me into the massive sound stage to meet Denis (Villeneuve, the director) and he was so nice. He came up to me and said 'Steve, thank you for coming at such short notice - you have saved my life!’ I said ‘I bet you say that to all the boys.’
"He said, 'Come over and I'll introduce you to the cast in your scene.'
"That's when my jaw hit the floor while I tried to not make it obvious."
"Up until then I had no idea who I'd be meeting. We walked over and there was Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista... they were all there.
"I met Josh Brolin as well and I had just re-watched Hail, Caesar! a week beforehand so I was amazed to meet him because I love that film."
He also recounted multiple attempts to strike up a conversation with Christopher Walken, including one which ended with a "withering look" when Wall quoted a line from an old Saturday Night Live sketch, More Cowbell, to him.
"That sketch has come back to haunt me," the veteran actor responded to Wall.
Wall said, "I tired to make light of it, I was like, 'Oh god, that didn't go well."
"He said, 'Where are you from?' and I said, 'I'm from Ireland' and he said, 'I did a movie there.'
"And I realised he was talking about Wild Mountain Thyme - not his proudest moment!" he laughed.
"I said, 'It was shot in Mayo - did you like Mayo?'"
Unable to contain his laughter as he recalled Walken's response, Wall said that the legendary Hollywood actor responded with just one word - "Knitwear!"
Two days later, Wall attempted to make conversation again with Walken at the catering table. "I passed by and I said, 'Hey Chris' and he just kind of nodded his head slightly, didn't say anything.
"I said, 'Are you bored? Fancy a chat!?'"
"He looked at me then and said, 'Chat!? About what?'" before walking away.
Callan also asked Wall about his comment on Instagram that despite having a role in an essential scene in a $200 million movie, that the pay he received wasn't very high.
"For me, it wasn't. People might think I'll be driving around in a new car, but no. It's just, here you go. Here's a few quid," and confirmed that he will not get any royalties from the project.
"Obviously I’m really glad I did it. It wasn't well paid, but it was one of those things that my agent would say, 'work breeds work' and I hope it does."
The musician and actor is currently starring in John B Keane's Sive at the Gaiety Theatre.
