‘You’re the naked guy!’

Actor Paul Bettany says fans still recognise him for his nude scene in A Knight’s Tale

Actor Paul Bettany may have played several memorable characters during his long acting career, but for some people, he is still best known as “the naked guy” from A Knight’s Tale. The 55-year-old actor recently recalled the unexpected way the 2001 film continues to follow him. 

Speaking to PEOPLE at the ‘D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2026’ earlier this month, Bettany said that while fans sometimes remember his famous lines from other projects, his role in A Knight’s Tale’ remains a very different kind of introduction.

“Well, there is a line from WandaVision, which is, ‘What is grief, if not love persevering?’ But mostly, I live in New York City, and I was in a film called A Knight’s Tale, right at the beginning of my career, where I walked down the street naked, and so, I’ll get cab drivers to this day winding down their window and going, ‘You’re the naked guy!’” he said.