Los Angeles, Dec 16 (IANS): Hollywood actor Willem Dafoe recalled the moment while reflecting on his role as the Green Goblin in Sam Raimi's 2002 ‘Spider-Man’, in a preview from this weekend's episode of ‘Sunday TODAY’ With Willie Geist.

"I was on the subway years ago when New York was still pretty rough," Dafoe said, reports Entertainment Weekly.

He continued: "I was taking my kid from downtown to the Bronx Zoo. Some guys got on the train and they're sitting there and they're looking at me, and they're looking kinda rough.

“And I think, 'Oh God, even with my son here, these guys are gonna rob me for money or something. Something bad is going to happen.' They were looking at me, then they were looking at each other.”

Finally, Dafoe heard one say, "Yeah, it’s got to be him. Nobody looks like that m***********", The actor said, "That's when I knew."

As per Entertainment Weekly, Dafoe's distinctive face currently graces Yorgos Lanthimos’ black comedy fantasy Poor Things (in theatres now), centred on Emma Stone's Bella Baxter, a young woman who is resurrected after her death by an eccentric scientist played by Dafoe.

His character's face is marked by deep scarring due to experiments his late father conducted on him as a child.