If you’re not aware of Banksy, he’s a mystery British graffiti artist who’s work appears randomly in locations around the world. And when they do, they’re usually protected and preserved… and worth a lot of money.
That was until Christopher Walken came to town.
The Hollywood superstar was starring in Stephen Merchant’s The Outlaws, a show about a gang of misfits carrying out community service. In the scene in question, the characters are painting over graffiti on the streets.
The Outlaws is set in Bristol, which is the hometown of the illusive artist. And when Walken’s character Frank comes across the artwork, showing a rat standing on a spray paint can, he asks whether he should paint over it because it’s ‘awfully good’, but he’s told: “Less debating, more painting.”
A spokesperson from the BBC has confirmed that the painting was actually a real Banksy.
They said:
“We can confirm that the artwork at the end of The Outlaws was an original Banksy, and that Christopher Walken painted over that artwork during the filming of this scene, ultimately destroying it.”
Whoops.
