Name: Billy Magnussen
Age: 25
Neighborhood: Soho
Occupation: Actor/musician. His new movie Twelve, directed by Joel Schumacher, opens this Friday.
Who’s your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
“Shorty,” my deli guy, because he’s everything New York. Born and bred New York. He has the New York charm. He’s like the Soup Nazi but nice.
What’s the best meal you’ve eaten in New York?
Shaffer City Oyster Bar. ( I’m salivating thinking about it.)
In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
I live life as a crazy New Yorker; my job is the city.
What was your first job in New York?
I was a waiter at Chelsea Grill in Hell’s Kitchen.
What’s the last thing you saw on Broadway?
Red. Awesome.
Do you give money to panhandlers?
The ones with a good act. I gave money to a violinist once playing on the subway, when they were about to leave the subway car I yelled, “Hey, I want more, I paid for that.”
What’s your drink?
Scotch.
How often do you prepare your own meals?
I would have to say 50/50. Sunday, though, is always exotic meal night.
What’s your favorite medication?
What!!!!????
What’s hanging above your sofa?
A sign that one of my neighbors put on my front door, asking me not to play my drum kit in the apartment at 3 a.m. anymore.
How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
$1,573,287,906.42. That is a ridiculous amount.
When’s bedtime?
Cuddletime.
Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
Times Square has been morphing for years. It is just Times Square. As a New Yorker I avoid it, but for tourists, it is great.
What do you think of Donald Trump?
Damn good businessman, but bad hair.
What do you hate most about living in New York?
I truly love New York. It is the world’s melting pot, and a huge port to the world.
Who is your mortal enemy?
No one. Everyone can be my friend.
When’s the last time you drove a car?
Right now.
How has the Wall Street crash affected you?
I plead the 5th.
Times, Post, or Daily News?
Times. And the Post is a guilty pleasure.
Where do you go to be alone?
I ride my bike through Central Park.
What makes someone a New Yorker?
I don’t think New York makes the person. It’s the people that make New York.
