Freddy Krueger Still Gives Robert Englund Nightmares
Robert England, who played Freddy Krueger in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, recounts how the character still manages to give him nightmares.
A Nightmare on Elm Street star Robert Englund admits that he still has nightmares about his character Freddy Krueger. The iconic horror movie killer first appeared in the 1984 Wes Craven slasher and went on to star in seven Nightmare on Elm Street films as well as the 2003 spin-off Freddy vs. Jason. To this day, the character arguably remains the most unique and popular of Craven’s extensive list of horror movie villains.
Krueger’s origin story is a pretty grim one, with the character being responsible for the death of at least 20 children. After escaping justice in what the original film describes as a show trial, Krueger is tracked down and set on fire by a group of vengeful parents. The end result is a killer who can manipulate the dreams of his victims, teasing and tormenting them while they’re both asleep and awake. Krueger is probably most well known for his razor-tipped glove, which he's used to kill dozens of victims throughout the series. For decades, Englund was the man behind Freddy, but when it came time to reboot the franchise in 2010, Jackie Earle Haley took on the role.
Nonetheless, Robert Englund will always be the original Freddy Krueger. He clearly enjoys the role, but that doesn’t mean that even he can’t be frightened by the character. In fact, in a recent Q&A with The Guardian, the 74-year-old horror icon spoke about scaring himself while filming the original Nightmare on Elm Street. Whether it was a case of Freddy’s makeup being particularly well-crafted or simply exhaustion taking over after a long day on set, Englund gave himself quite the shock. And it apparently stays with him to this day:
On part one, I didn’t have my movie star trailer; I had a little tiny honeywagon about the size of a urinal, with a Formica table, a plastic chair and a mirror with lightbulbs around it – the classic backstage makeup room. The lights were on a dimmer. I had them turned down low when I was taking a nap at about 4am, with my head resting on a tightly rolled towel so I wouldn’t smear my makeup. I was waiting to be called on set and heard this banging on the door. As I sat up, I saw this disfigured face looking back at me in the mirror. The shock made me jump out of my skin. I brought my hand up and I realised: “Oh my God, it’s my own reflection!” But it was such a startling moment that it still inhabits a variety of nightmares.
All things considered, it’s not that uncommon for actors in horror movies to actually find themselves scared at certain points. For example, several actors during the production of Scream – another classic Craven horror franchise – were left slightly shaken by voice-over actor Roger L Jackson’s phone calls as the Ghostface killer. However, it’s somewhat rare for the antagonist in a horror film to actually scare themselves. It’s a substantial complement to A Nightmare on Elm Street’s makeup artists and the mind of Craven.
In recent years, Englund has stated that his days of playing Freddy Krueger are over. This has undoubtedly disappointed fans of the franchise, but it’s worth remembering that Englund gave the majority of his acting career to the character, delivering a wide array of memorable performances in the process. The A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise wouldn’t be what it is today without his work and knowing that the character was intimidating enough to scare even Englund is further proof of Freddy's effectiveness as a horror villain.
Next: What Robert Englund Has Done Since Playing Freddy Krueger
Source: The Guardian
