Ted Cruz Does 'Princess Bride' Impression

Iowa pastor asks Cruz to do a 'Princess Bride' impression and he obliges.

ByABC News
November 29, 2015, 2:21 PM

— -- He’s quoted "Jerry Maguire," "The Usual Suspects" and "Scarface" on the campaign trail, but it's clear, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz loves "The Princess Bride" the most.

At a church service today in Des Moines, Iowa, the presidential hopeful was prodded by the pastor of Christian Life Assembly of God to offer an impression from his favorite movie. It didn't take much prodding.

"I will confess to knowing an awful lot of that movie," Cruz said. Cruz has previously said it's his favorite movie.

He admitted to the congregation that while he loved the movie, he's "never shared on a Sunday morning" his "Princess Bride" impressions in a church setting.

The congregation laughed and Cruz launched into a two-minute reenactment of a scene that had him acting the parts of four characters made famous by Billy Crystal, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin and Carol Kane. Cruz tackled the scene when a nearly dead Westley is brought to Miracle Max. Cruz explains the story and launches into his impression.

After talking at church service at the Christian Life Assembly of God in Des Moines, the pastor asks Cruz to do a Princess Bride impression and he obliges.
After talking at church service at the Christian Life Assembly of God in Des Moines, the pastor asks Cruz to do a Princess Bride impression and he obliges.

Cruz's use of classic lines from Hollywood is part of his regular stump speech on the campaign trail. He often uses the quotes to bring humor to the discussion of policy. At a stop Saturday in Lenox, Iowa, a voter lamented about Obamacare and Cruz quoted "Jerry Maguire," saying "You had me at hello."

At a stop in Charleston, South Carolina, earlier this month, college students asked Cruz to give an impression of "The Simpsons." He offered up Homer talking to Lisa about her vegetarianism.

On the trail, the senator will embody the characters of more than just Hollywood classics. There's a West Texan farmer who says "wanna bet," whom Cruz invokes when discussing federal regulators. He's also launched into impressions of former President Ronald Reagan and reporter Sam Donaldson during a press conference from the 1980s.