Freddy Krueger actor reveals who should play the villain next
For decades, horror fans have known Robert Englund as the iconic voice and look behind the monster Freddy Krueger. As he looks back on his career, the Nightmare on Elm Street actor has shared his thoughts on who should step into the character’s shoes.
Upon release, Englund’s performance was known for terrifying children everywhere, with sharp claws, grotesque makeup, and a promise to kill any unsuspecting child in their dreams. Although Englund was well-received by fans, he never saw himself in the role, telling Variety: “I know who icons are. I’m not an icon. Maybe Freddy Krueger is, but I’m not. I’m just a character actor, a utility actor who’s been very lucky”.
As the character became a major part of horror cinema, Englund did reprise the role a few times, appearing in the film Freddy vs Jason in the early 2000s. In the newer incarnation, Krueger was known for going toe-to-toe with the ski mask killer from the Friday the 13th franchise.
When recasting the character for the 2010 remake, Englund liked the portrayal Jackie Earle Haley gave but was displeased with the final product, recalling, “I’ve always thought that Freddy is described as a child killer. So when they made Freddy a child molester, that’s not what Freddy is, I don’t think”.
As the door is opening up for potential spin-offs, Englund’s pick for donning the horrific makeup included Kevin Bacon, explaining, “I know he respects the genre, and he’s such a fine physical actor. I think that in the silences and in the way Kevin moves — it would be interesting”.
Then again, Englund has no real desire to play the character anymore, thinking that the physical strain of getting into character is too much for him now. Englund has kept working in horror-themed media, even playing the role of Victor Kreel in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things.
Despite not donning the infamous hat and gloves, Englund isn’t above returning to the franchise in some other way, saying, “I’ve got a bad neck and bad back and arthritis in my right wrist. So I have to hang it up, but I would love to cameo”.
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