A 77-year-old Hollywood A-lister recently made headlines after being spotted grocery shopping in New York City, looking almost unrecognizable. This national treasure, whose career spans decades, began his ascent to fame in the 1970s. He first gained widespread recognition for his pioneering portrayal of one of the first openly gay regular characters on American television in the sitcom Soap (1977). His unique comedic talent also led him to film a sketch for the inaugural episode of Saturday Night Live in 1975, though it didn’t make the final cut.

His movie career had a quirky start with his 1978 debut in Rabbit Test, a comedy directed by the legendary Joan Rivers, where he played a pregnant man. Despite this film’s flop, his star continued to rise, largely fueled by his successful stand-up comedy. He later became a cast member of Saturday Night Live in 1984, further cementing his comedic prowess. By the late 1980s, he transitioned into a leading man, starring in memorable films like The Princess Bride (1987) and Danny DeVito’s directorial debut, Throw Momma from the Train (1987).

However, it was his iconic role opposite Meg Ryan in the 1989 blockbuster romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally…, directed by Rob Reiner and written by Nora Ephron, that solidified his status as a bona fide Hollywood leading man. Throughout the 1990s, his successful film career continued with comedies such as City Slickers and Father’s Day. He even showcased his versatility with a cameo in Kenneth Branagh’s film adaptation of Hamlet and directed himself in the dramedy Mr. Saturday Night and the romantic comedy Forget Paris.

Beyond his acting roles, the 1990s also marked the beginning of his celebrated run as the host of the Oscars. He notably hosted the prestigious awards ceremony nine times between 1990 and his final appearance in 2012, becoming synonymous with the role. In the 2000s, he reached a new generation of fans by lending his distinctive voice to the character of Mike Wazowski in Pixar’s highly successful Monsters, Inc. animated franchise, where he played the comedic foil to John Goodman’s Sulley.

In recent years, he has continued to work, even adapting Mr. Saturday Night into a Broadway musical in which he starred in 2022. Most recently, he delighted fans with an on-stage reunion with his When Harry Met Sally… co-star Meg Ryan at this year’s Oscars, where they presented the award for Best Picture. The man in question, whose career has spanned stand-up, television, and film, is none other than Billy Crystal.