An 80s star who once played Madonna‘s leading man looked unrecognizable as he enjoyed a leisurely summer stroll through New York City earlier this week.
His impressive resume includes a starring role in John Landis’ 1981 comedy horror film An American Werewolf in London.
Six years later he joined forces with the Queen of Pop in the 1987 comedy Who’s That Girl, playing her leading man.
Not only does he act, but his credits include work behind the camera, including directing the 1988 film starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock, Practical Magic.
There are famous name in his family as well – he is the son of a Hollywood producer and his aunt and uncle were also famous writers.
Can you guess who this star is?
An 80s star who once worked with Madonna looked unrecognizable as he took a walk through New York City earlier this week
It’s Griffin Dunne!
This 70-year-old actor and director was spotted enjoying a relaxing walk through downtown Manhattan on Thursday.
The actor trekked about town in a casual cool look consisting of a jacket, shorts, Nike trainers, and a pair of AirPods.
He also wore a red T-shirt advertising the restaurant Beefsteak Charlie’s.
Griffin had his hands full as he walked both his dog and a bright red bicycle about town.
An accomplished figure in Hollywood, Griffin has numerous acting, directing, and producing credits to his name.
Behind the scenes, Griffin has worked as a director, with his credentials including Fierce People, featuring Diane Lane, and Addicted to Love with Matthew Broderick and Meg Ryan.
He played Madonna’s leading man in Who’s That Girl
Dunne got his big break with An American Werewolf in London
If you guessed actor Griffin Dunne, you are correct!
The star multi-tasked with his bicycle, dog, and Airpods
The accomplished star got his big break in An American Werewolf in London
His acting career continues to this day, with a role in the upcoming film starring Austin Butler, Caught Stealing.
He also starred in the 1985 film directed by Martin Scorsese, After Hours.
His IMDb spans roles in Dallas Buyers Club, Ocean’s Eight, Succession, Search Party, After Hours, This Is Us, The French Dispatch, 40 Days and 40 Nights, My Girl, and the film he considers to be his big break, An American Werewolf In London.
‘It was the unexpected opportunity to be cast in [1981’s] An American Werewolf in London,’ he told Closer earlier this year.
‘I was quite inexperienced. I’d done some theater, maybe a small part in a movie. It was bewildering. Suddenly I went from very tiny parts to co-star and shooting in London and flying over on the Concorde. Directors that I admired were introduced to me. It was quite a break.’
And several years later he was working with another mega star – Madonna.
‘It was really fun. She was hilarious and we had a lot of laughs,’ he told the magazine of working with Madonna on Who’s That Girl. ‘She was at the height of her stardom. Although I grew up in Hollywood, I’d never seen anything like that.
The pooch dutifully remained by his side
Griffin is an accomplished figure in Hollywood with numerous acting, directing, and producing credits under his name
The actor enjoyed a brief break from his busy Hollywood schedule
His eyes were shielded behind a pair of sunglasses
Griffin wheeled his bright red bike across the street
‘There were helicopters. Whenever we shot outside, they were hovering over us like we were O.J. Simpson in the Bronco. She just took it all in stride. Most people, myself included, would have had a nervous breakdown.’
Griffin also has writing experience, having not only written scripts but even penning the memoir The Friday Afternoon Club.
His interest in writing should come as no surprise considering his family.
His uncle John Gregory Dunne was a writer and was married to the accomplished storyteller Joan Didion until his death in 2003.
He raved about his time working with Madonna in Who’s That Girl in an interview this year
Griffin with Linda Fiorentino in the 1985 film After Hours
His directing credits include Practical Magic, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman
Griffin even produced and directed an acclaimed Netflix documentary about his late aunt, Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold.
His father is also the late Hollywood producer turned journalist Dominick Dunne.
‘I noticed they all had something in common which was a sort of brutal honesty about themselves and the people around them. They were very tough writers. They would take down others when they saw hypocrisy or injustice,’ Griffin told Closer of the famous writers in his family.
‘They would also write from a very personal point of view. Joan [Didion] wrote about thinking of divorcing her husband. My father would write about his struggle with alcohol. I thought of them often when I was writing. They were a big influence on me.’
In his personal life, Griffin has also endured tragedy – his younger sister, the actress Dominique, was strangled and killed aged 22 by an ex-boyfriend in 1982.
Their father became an acclaimed crime writer after Vanity Fair’s then editor-in-chief Tina Brown commissioned him to write about his daughter Dominique’s murder for the magazine.
Griffin has been married a total of three times, and has been wed to Anna Bingemann since 2009.
He has a daughter, actress Hannah Dunne, with his ex-wife Carey Lowell.
